California Missions Foundation: Our Mission is Historic Preservation

The California Missions matter.

Historic preservation keeps alive our history and it allows us to remember the stories and experiences of so many people. These mission buildings stand today thanks to the efforts and dedication of individuals and foundations who appreciate the importance of historic preservation. Keeping the California Missions standing will help keep alive our history, our culture, and our traditions.

The California Missions are one-of-a-kind California treasures. They are irreplaceable.

California Missions Foundation (CMF) was established in 1998 and continues the early dedication of Phoebe Hearst and others who sought to preserve and restore the California Missions more than a century ago. Today, under the direction of CMF Executive Director David Bolton, in his eleventh year, the foundation continues the important work of preserving and restoring the 21 California Missions that stretch from San Diego to Sonoma. In addition to the historic structures, CMF is also dedicated to preserving the unique Native and Spanish art and artifacts at the mission sites. Mr. Bolton says that “knowing and understanding our past helps us better understand our present, and our future.”

For more than 25 years, CMF has worked with a variety of partner foundations and individuals to bring amazing restoration efforts to the entire mission chain. CMF is currently working on projects throughout the state to seismically retrofit the three remaining California Missions that have yet to receive this critical strengthening. Locally, CMF is spearheading and raising funds for the much-needed retrofit project at Mission Santa Inés – a mission threatened by damage in the event of a major earthquake. Mission Santa Inés represents the rich history of the Santa Ynez Valley from horses and ranches to wine and agriculture.

The California Missions are part of an important collection, and CMF is proud to continue its efforts of preservation and fundraising to save this important chapter of California history. We invite you to visit the missions.

Located three hours north of Santa Barbara and sitting in a unique untouched setting, is Mission San Antonio – one of the most picturesque missions in the chain. It has received a great deal of support and is definitely worth a visit. The preservation effort at San Antonio has been effective and a day trip to the mission is like taking a step back in time.

“The California Missions rely on individual donors to keep these historic buildings standing,” Bolton says. “CMF is a preservation organization. We work through a detailed reporting process with regular site visits to make sure that the dollars that come in for historic preservation of the California Missions go towards that effort. That sets us apart.”