1769 The first Catholic mission in California was dedicated. Father Junípero Serra, a Spanish Franciscan missionary, founded the first Catholic mission in California on the site of present-day San Diego. After Serra blessed his new outpost of Christianity in a high mass, the royal standard of Spain was unfurled over the mission, which he named San Diego de Alcala

There were originally 21 missions on El Camino Real (The King's Highway) and old Huel Howser traveled the ones remaining doing a show for the local PBS station in California. In 4th grade all California students studied about them. I don't know if they do any more or not. I've visited 3 and went to a funeral in San Gabriel Mission.