Missionary Style – California Missions Icons of Our Heritage
I grew up in Los Angeles with the influence of Mexico and Spain woven into the fabric of my city and my state’s identity. Missions were always field trips that fascinated me due to their austerity, the simple adobe structures and the grand spirituality of their imprint. They represented to me as a child a marker of California that I could be proud of, they seemed enduring and rustic, grand and natural to the landscapes they inhabited.
Coming from such a rich cultural melting pot like Los Angeles, the missions up and down the coast gave my state a framework and a standing in American history.
History
California Missions and Foundations
Imagine if you can England without the Tower of London, Egypt without the Pyramids, China minus its Great Wall. It's unimaginable, since our impressions of these places are typically intertwined with those historic sites.
California without its missions is equally unthinkable.
Since the Spanish friars and native peoples joined together in the building of these settlements, this land we call California has been shaped and influenced by what they accomplished in that most ambitious undertaking. From the vineyards of Sonoma to the ranches of Santa Barbara to the adobe arcades and red tile roofs of San Diego, the missions have left their mark on who we are and what we have become.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. once wrote, "When I want to understand what is happening today or try to decide what will happen tomorrow, I look back."
LA Times Article in Sunday Edition Sept. 9, 2014
