Welcome to Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, King of the Missions.
Founded in 1798 by Padre Fermin Francisco de Lasuen, successor to Padre Junipero Serra, the Mission was named after St. Louis IX, King of France, who lived during the 13th century. The history of the San Luis Rey area reflects five periods of occupation: Luiseño Indian, Spanish Mission, Mexican Secularization, American Military, and Twentieth Century Restoration.
Luiseño villages were located in valleys, along streams, by the coast and near the mountains. Luiseño homes were dome shaped and constructed of tulles over a branch frame. It was the chief and shaman who saw to it that laws were obeyed in the village. The women gathered most of the plants and food, while the men usually hunted for animals and fish. The Luiseño’s made tools out of stone, such as pestles for grinding and pounding. They created baskets from grasses and natural fibers and used them for gathering and preparing food.
With a shortage of Spaniards in the New World, Spain decided to colonize with the indigenous people. The Franciscans were chosen not only to preach to the Indians, but to teach them new skills so they could become productive citizens for Spain. Father Antonio Peyri was put in charge of Mission San Luis Rey, from the day of its founding on June 13, 1798 until his departure in January 1832. Between these years the mission became home to approximately three thousand Indians. In their name and as a result of their labor, the mission cared for over 50,000 head of livestock. Large sections of the mission’s lands were brought under cultivation. Grapes, oranges, olives, wheat, and corn were some of the crops produced. Fields were irrigated by water channeled from the river just north of the mission. The mission was self-sustaining; its buildings were constructed of local materials, such as adobe, fired clay bricks, and wooden timbers. By 1830, the mission was the largest building in California.
After this time the missions were to be replaced by another colonial institution, the pueblo. This last step was long overdue in Alta California. The law came to the mission in 1833. The law stated that the land was to be handed over to the Indians. However, Mission San Luis Rey came under the control of various secular administrators, several of whom managed to gain title to large portions of former mission land and thousands of cattle and sheep, leaving nothing to the Luiseños.
Some of the troops stationed at the mission were ordered to take charge and prevent any depredations upon it. Other troops assisted local ranchers in dismantling rooms and provided building materials for their homes. In 1850 California became part of the United States, and the Catholic Bishop in California petitioned the U.S. government for the return of the missions. In 1865 the mission was returned to the Catholic Church by Abraham Lincoln. However, after the military vacated the mission, it lay abandoned until 1892.
From 1892-1912, Fr. O’Keefe repaired the church and rebuilt the permanent living quarters on the foundations of the old mission (where the museum sits today). Restoration has continued throughout the years since Fr. O’Keefe’s death. Included in this has been the partial rebuilding of the quadrangle in 1949 for a Franciscan college which serves today as a Retreat Center. During the 1950’s and 60’s the Friars uncovered the soldier’s barracks and the lavanderia from layers of dirt accumulated over the years. In 1984 a restoration effort to stabilize and preserve the exterior of the church building was completed. Conservation of painting and sculptures in the museum collection is an ongoing process, and archaeological investigations continue to unearth the past.