Through the glamor that time and an exotic origin have cast over these old monuments, they continue to hold for us a fascination matched by that of few American structures. And, in journeying to these historic shrines, you will discover how these hard-headed priests, in sheltering their converts, created in simplicity and strength a type of architecture which considered from the standpoint of practical living, climatic background, materials of construction and ethnic significance, has rarely been equalled in any land. What a matchless artistic heritage they have left us! Rexford Newcomb _Dean, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois_ [Illustration: _Bell Tower From Garden San Antonio De Pala_] [Illustration: _San Luis Rey_] [Illustration: _Entrance, San Luis Rey_] [Illustration: Garden] [Illustration: _San Juan Capistrano_] _California Missions_ San Diego was first visited by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1542, but it was not until two hundred and twenty-seven years later that the fear that Russia or England might take possession of California induced King Carlos III of Spain to organize an expedition to colonize the land. It was in 1769 that a band of about two hundred men set out by land and sea to settle in Alta California. In the last company to come overland was Padre Junípero Serra, who, although already advanced in age, had been appointed _Padre Presidente_ of the missions. This extraordinary man entered into a life of utmost hardship with a fiery enthusiasm that was never dampened throughout his life, and to him we owe the chain of historic missions that provide the only link to connect us with the early life of California and Spain. Twenty-one of these were established in California, forming an irregular line reaching from San Diego to Sonoma, and connected by El Camino Real (The Royal Road). Today the modern highway along the coast, U. S. 101, follows so closely the course of this road established by the pioneers one hundred and seventy years ago that one can easily say one is following in the footsteps of Father Serra and his companions. [Illustration: _Ruins of Chapel, San Juan Capistrano_] [Illustration: _Inner Court, San Juan Capistrano_] [Illustration: _Bell Court Fountain_] [Illustration: _Mission Shops, San Juan Capistrano_] [Illustration: _Ruins of Cloister_] [Illustration: _Fountain Inner Court, San Juan Capistrano_]