National Historic Landmark

Mission Santa Ines

Solvang, Santa Barbara County, California
Listed
January 20, 1999
Type
District
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
99000630

About this property

Mission Santa Inés (sometimes spelled Santa Ynez) was a Spanish mission in present-day Solvang, California, United States, 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 overcrowding at those two missions and to serve the Indians living north of the Coast Range. Sunset magazine editors wrote of the Hidden Gem of the Missions: “With its simple, straightforward exterior, Santa Inés fits one’s impression of how a ripe old mission should look.” The mission was home to the first learning institution in Alta California and today serves as a museum as well as a parish church of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. It is also designated a National Historic Landmark, noted as one of the best-preserved of the 21 California missions.

Location

Solvang, Santa Barbara County, California
34.59478, -120.13665

Categories

ARCHITECTUREHISTORIC - ABORIGINALHISPANICNATIVE AMERICANRELIGIONSOCIAL HISTORY
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
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Nearby Historic Sites

Los Alamos Ranch House
Industrial
15.9 mi
La Purísima Mission
Colonial
17.4 mi
Mission de la Purisima Concepcion de Maria Santisima Site
Colonial
18.4 mi
Lompoc Veterans Memorial Building
Listed
18.5 mi
Lompoc Public Library
Industrial
18.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mission Santa Ines listed on the National Register?

Mission Santa Ines was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 20, 1999.

What type of historic resource is Mission Santa Ines?

Mission Santa Ines is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Mission Santa Ines a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Mission Santa Ines has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Mission Santa Ines?

The period of significance for Mission Santa Ines is recorded as the colonial era.

Can I research the history near Mission Santa Ines?

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