
Father Estévan Tapís, president of the California mission chain, founded Mission Santa Inés. The site chosen for the mission was at a midway point between Mission Santa Barbara
Mission Santa Barbara
Mission Santa Barbara, also known as Santa Barbara Mission, is a Spanish mission founded by the Franciscan order near present-day Santa Barbara, California. It was founded by Padre Fermín Lasuén on December 4, 1786, the feast day of Saint Barbara, as the tenth mission for the reli…
Full Answer
What is Mission Santa Inés?
Established late in the mission era and the last of the Southern California missions, Mission Santa Inés was dedicated number nineteen in the chain on September 17, 1804 by Father Estevan Tapis.
How did the mission at Santa Inés affect the environment?
The natives at Santa Inés were used as laborers and the mission's agriculture caused great ecological changes in the environment.
When did the Santa Inés Mission become secularized?
In 1833 the missions in California began to be secularized, however, it was not until 1835 that the Santa Inés Mission became secularized by the Mexican government.
What happened at Mission Santa Ines in 1824?
Revolt at Mission Santa Ines. After the Spanish stopped funding the mission, soldiers stationed without pay at the mission became hostile toward the Indians. On February 21, 1824, a soldier needlessly beat a Native woman. The Indians, infuriated, revolted, enlisting help from Native Americans at Missions Santa Barbara and La Purisima.

What was the purpose of the Mission Santa Inés?
The site chosen for the mission was at a midway point between Mission Santa Barbara and Mission La Purísima Concepción. Its purpose was to relieve overcrowding at those two missions and to serve the Indians living east of the Coast Range. Construction on Mission Santa Inés began in 1804 with one row of buildings.
What is Santa Inés known for?
Old Mission Santa Ines was the nineteenth of the 21 missions built in California from 1769 to 1836 by Spanish Franciscan priests led by Father Junipero Serra. The Mission was founded on September 17, 1804 by Father Estevan Tapis, it was the first European settlement in the Santa Ynez Valley.
How long did it take to build Mission Santa Inés?
It took 13 years to complete the mission, largely due to the 1812 earthquake centered in Santa Barbara. Santa Ines was heavily damaged, along with many of the missions in the southern half of the state. The original church was destroyed and a number of additional buildings damaged.
What was Santa Ines Mission made of?
adobeSeptember 17, 1804, Santa Inés Mission was founded under the flag of the Spanish Empire and the missionary cross of Fr. Estevan Tapis. The Mission was constructed of adobe, a mixture of clay and straw.
How long has Mission Santa Inés been around?
Throughout its 214-year history, Mission Santa Inés has overcome natural disasters, political turmoil, and financial hardships to emerge as one of the most successful of the Alta California Missions.
What happened to Mission Santa Inés?
Mission Santa Inés also became linked to one of the early Anglo settlers in California. After Mexican Independence from Spain in 1821, secularization caused the departure of the Spanish Missionaries, most of the Chumash neophytes, and the decline of the Mission.
When was Santa Inés founded?
In order to acculturate the Chumash of the Santa Ynez Valley into the Spanish way of life, and to serve as a link between the Missions of Santa Barbara and La Purisima Concepción in Lompoc, Mission Santa Inés was established in 1804. While still in its formative years, the Mission was devastated by the great earthquake of 1812.
When did the Capuchin Franciscan Friars arrive in Santa Inés?
The Capuchin Franciscan Friars from Ireland arrived in 1924 after the retirement of Fr. Buckler. They continued the restoration of the Mission buildings, gardens, and established the Mission museum. Today the parish continues to restore and preserve the "Mission of the Passes" to serve the greater community. Old Mission Santa Inés is proud and ...
Who started the Santa Inés Mission?
Begun by Father Alexander Buckler in 1904, ongoing repairs to the mission have allowed Santa Inés to recapture the splendor of its earlier days. Buckler enlisted his niece, Maime Goulet, to restore the missions art and vestment collections that today make up an extensive museum.
When was Mission Santa Inés founded?
Established late in the mission era and the last of the Southern California missions, Mission Santa Inés was dedicated number nineteen in the chain on September 17, 1804 by Father Estevan Tapis. Named after Saint Agnes and nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley, the missions proximity to the Danish town of Solvang makes for an interesting blend ...
What was the name of the pass that was used to enter Santa Inés?
Designated “Mission of the Passes”, to arrive at Mission Santa Inés, visitors had to battle the San Marcos Pass, take the Refugio Pass or the Gaviota Pass, otherwise known as El Camino Real. This isolation discouraged visitors to Santa Inés, and consequently the missions social life was limited.
Who dedicated the 19th mission?
Quick Facts. 19 th mission. Dedicated on 9/17/1804 by Father Esteban Tapis. Last of the southern Alta California missions. Named after St. Agnes. Close to modern Danish town of Solvang – blend of cultures. Mission was originally going to be located near the inland San Joaquin Valley, but the plan was abandoned.
Is Santa Ines wine?
Santa Ines is now a popular wine region, as it was during the mission days. Madonna Chapel – bright and vibrant colors. Church remains an active parish and retains many original artifacts. Chumash revolt of 1824 – Indians protested treatment by guards. Damaged by 1812 earthquake.
What is the significance of Mission Santa Inés?
Still an active parish, Mission Santa Inés plays an important role in understanding the history ...
Why is Mission Santa Inés important?
Still an active parish, Mission Santa Inés plays an important role in understanding the history of Alta California and the cultural heritage of the area once controlled by both Spain and Mexico. Father Estévan Tapís, president of the California mission chain, founded Mission Santa Inés. The site chosen for the mission was at a midway point between ...
What happened in Santa Inés?
On February of 1824, the beating of a Chumash by a Santa Inés soldier sparked an armed revolt that rapidly spread. Fires destroyed many Santa Inés buildings and smoke damaged paintings and decorations in the sanctuary. The large insurrection spread outside of Santa Inés to other missions in Alta California.
What happened to the Chumash after the Mexican independence?
After Mexican Independence from Spain in 1821, life at the California missions changed. The Chumash were forced to work for the Mexican army, receiving payment in IOUs, which caused mounting frustration. On February of 1824, the beating of a Chumash by a Santa Inés soldier sparked an armed revolt that rapidly spread.
What is the best preserved Spanish mission in the United States?
Founded in 1804, Mission Santa Inés was the 19th Spanish mission established in Alta California and today is one of the best preserved Spanish mission complexes in the United States. The site preserves an unrivaled combination of landscape setting, original buildings, collections of art and interior furnishings, water-related industrial structures, ...
What were the consequences of Mexico's independence?
Another consequence of Mexico’s independence was secularization, which led to the decline of mission life. In 1834, the Mexican Assembly passed the Secularization Laws, which shifted responsibility for mission temporalities from the church to the government.
What was the mission priest allowed to do?
The mission priests were allowed a small parcel of land for their use and to administer to the spiritual needs of the remaining neophytes. All priests had to take an oath of allegiance to the Mexican government, and those who remained loyal to Spain were deported to Spain.
When was Santa Inés Mission secularized?
Santa Inés Mission was secularized by the Mexican government in 1835. Secularization meant the replacement of the Padres as managers of the missions by government appointed overseers. The Spanish Franciscans were replaced by Mexican Franciscans who were allowed to provide only for the spiritual needs of the Chumash.
Who restored the Santa Inés?
1862 President Lincoln returns some of Mission Santa Inés to the Franciscans. Fr. Alexander Buckler arrives at Mission in 1904 and begins to restore the Mission. His niece Mamie Goulet (later Abbott) begins the restoration of vestments that had been discarded.
Why did the Chumash build the aqueduct?
The Chumash built the aqueduct to bring water from the Alamo Pintado River (1 ½ miles north) to the reservoir and the lavenderia building by installing tile pipes. Indian revolt of 1824 was begun at the Mission Santa Inés when a visiting Chumash Indian from La Purisima and a Corporal named Cota at the Mission got into an argument.
Why did the Franciscan Padres establish missions?
The Franciscan Padres established missions to teach the native population (the Chumash at this mission) the Spanish culture, Christianity and a trade.
How did the military view the Franciscan mission?
The military viewed the missions as a source of provisions and man-power. Only the zeal and protection of the Franciscan Padres kept the military from exploiting the population. At the end of 10-15 years, the mission was to become a pueblo, the Chumash would receive lands, and the padres would become parish priests.
What did the Capuchin Franciscans do today?
The Capuchin Franciscans continue today to serve the needs of its parish members and the greater community.
What did the Chumash do to the Santa Barbara Mission?
As soon as the Chumash discovered that the church was on fire, they began to put out the fire. The boys ran to protect the vestments. The revolt then spread to Santa Barbara Mission.
What is the history of Mission Santa Ines?
Father Estevan Tapis, third Father-Presidente of the Alta California Mission Chain, founded the Mission Santa Ines on September 17th, 1804. It was the 19th of California’s 21 missions, and it was built to minister to the mountain Indian tribes.
How Did Mission Santa Ines Get Its Name?
Father Tapis named the mission for St. Agnes, a 13-year-old martyr who was executed for refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods.
Is Any Part of the Mission Santa Ines Still Part of the Original Construction?
The church was originally constructed in 1804, and although several major earthquakes hit, it survived them. The mission church was badly damaged during the 1812 earthquake, but repairs were made. With multiple restoration efforts, Santa Ynez’s original adobe chapel still stands in the quadrangle today.
How Did The Mission Santa Ines Support Itself
Like most California missions, the Mission Santa Ines supported itself and the Native inhabitants of the area by growing crops of wheat and corn. They also raised herds of horses and cattle, and cultivated grapes in a vineyard.
Native Americans and Mission Santa Ines
The local Indians were extremely cooperative in working for the mission; learning trades such as herding and farming. Santa Ines was never as prosperous as the padres had hoped, but it managed to support itself and its few visitors.
Revolt at Mission Santa Ines
Despite the ongoing functionality of the mission, Santa Ynez did not always operate smoothly. After the Spanish stopped funding the mission, soldiers stationed without pay at the mission became hostile toward the Indians. On February 21, 1824, a soldier needlessly beat a Native woman.

Overview
Mission Santa Inés (sometimes spelled Santa Ynez) was a Spanish mission in the present-day city of Solvang, California, and named after St. Agnes of Rome. Founded on September 17, 1804, by Father Estévan Tapís of the Franciscan order, the mission site was chosen as a midway point between Mission Santa Barbara and Mission La Purísima Concepción, and was designed to relieve overcrowdin…
History
Most of the original church was destroyed on December 21, 1812 in an earthquake centered near Santa Barbara that damaged or destroyed several California missions. The quake also severely damaged other mission buildings, but the complex was not abandoned. A new church, constructed with 5-to-6-foot-thick (1.5 to 1.8 m) walls and great pine beams brought from nearby Figu…
Indigenous people
The Alta California mission system was founded by Catholic priests of the Franciscan order to evangelize the Native Americans. The missionaries introduced European fruits, vegetables, cattle, horses, ranching, and technology. The natives at Santa Inés were used as laborers and the mission's agriculture caused great ecological changes in the environment. Archaeobotanical analysis displayed that the agricultural efforts at Santa Inés are specifically responsible for integ…
Restoration of the Mission
The Santa Ines Mission is one of the oldest surviving structures in the state of California and requires constant efforts to repair and restore. Over the years, many men and women have labored in order to preserve, maintain, and restore the historical landmark. Efforts in the past have included restoration of buildings that are made out of adobe (dried mud) to ensure structural stability. The structures made out of adobe are particularly susceptible to the elements, soil shif…
Gallery
• Mission Santa Inés in about 1912. The mission's original three-bell campanario, erected in 1817, collapsed in a storm in 1911 and was subsequently replaced by this concrete four-bell version, which also had openings on the side. This tower was replaced in 1948 to restore the original three-niched appearance. It has been compared by architectural historian Rexford Newcomb to the one that originally abutted the façade of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel.
See also
• Spanish missions in California
• List of Spanish missions in California
• USNS Mission Santa Ynez (AO-134) — a Mission Buenaventura Class fleet oiler built during World War II.
• History of Santa Barbara, California
Sources
• Forbes, Alexander (1839). California: A History of Upper and Lower California. Smith, Elder and Co., Cornhill, London.
• Krell, Dorothy, ed. (1979). The California Missions: A Pictorial History. Sunset Publishing Corporation, Menlo Park, CA. ISBN 978-0-376-05172-1.
• Jones, Terry L.; Klar, Kathryn A., eds. (2007). California Prehistory: Colonization, Culture, and Complexity. Altimira Press, Landham, MD. ISBN 978-0-7591-087…
• Forbes, Alexander (1839). California: A History of Upper and Lower California. Smith, Elder and Co., Cornhill, London.
• Krell, Dorothy, ed. (1979). The California Missions: A Pictorial History. Sunset Publishing Corporation, Menlo Park, CA. ISBN 978-0-376-05172-1.
• Jones, Terry L.; Klar, Kathryn A., eds. (2007). California Prehistory: Colonization, Culture, and Complexity. Altimira Press, Landham, MD. ISBN 978-0-7591-0872-1.
External links
• Official Mission Santa Inés website
• Early photographs, sketches, land surveys of Mission Santa Inés, via Calisphere, California Digital Library
• Elevation & Site Layout sketches of the Mission proper