Santa Cruz Valley south of Tucson and that splendid group of missioa of the Nogales--Tucson district followed. Mission efforts from that sont were extended down the Gila	Diver to Yuma. Thru
more than two centuries mission works and explorations threaded the country from Florida to California
In 1699 the French took possession of the Mississippi Valley hy settlement at Biloxi on the Gulf of Mexico and split the Spanish dominion in two.- In 1718 the French settled New Orleans; the same year the Spanish settled San Antonio. In 1762 Spain acquired the Louisiana territory by treaty and took possession in 1769 and again controlled the South and V/est. The same year, 1769, the occupation of California began with the mission at San Diego.
Then followed that remarkable chain of. missions • the "Pacific Coast, missions no more remarkable however than tnone south of '■’ucson, Arizona .void those around Dan Antonio, Texas, In 1776 Dan Francisco was settled by overland march from the Tucson district and down the Gila trail. Then the thirteen states wore fighting for independence Spain governed empires south and west and. was peacefully building the California missions.
Florida was Spanish until 1821 except for an English period 1763—1783.	Spain sold Ud Louisiana back to France in 1800;
Napoleon sold to the II.S. in 1803. Texas won iudGoeiulenee in 1836. and became the 2opublic of Texas; Texas annexed with the U.S. in 1845. The Mexican "Per v/»s 1846-47- Mew Mexico--Ariz out,— Southern California territory was ceded by Mexico in 1848- The Gadsden Purchase of remaining carte eonDieted the southern boundary in 1863.
The Five Great Mis si on Centers
Five mission and colonization smistoa districts were extensively developed within the 2n±fer±8£sfcfcBs: present United States — St, Augustine and northern Florida.; The Lie Grando Valley, Santa Fa to Ml :?aso San Antonio and southeastern Texas; the Santa Cruz Valley in Mexico and ' thru Nogales Tucson; San Diego and the California Coast. Chains of missions and settlements northward thru Mexico maintains \ the communications with these frontiers. In those lands the padres sought riches to lay up in heaven and the conquistadoros sougin? riches for personal glory and often found disaster for their vain but romantic search. Now a new race is finding riches in the crucibles of industry.
The Old Mrails
From Mexico northward, like the ribs of a fan, trails developed into Camino Reals (King's Highways) of the Spaniards; one northeastward thru Dan Antonio, then to Hacogdoohas and Natchitoches and on to Mobile and ’’cnsacola and to St. jiugustino; one thru Ml Faso to Santa Fe and the Now Mexico territory; one thru Nogales and up the Santa Cruz Valley to Tucson and the Arizona torrltoiy., and westward thru Yuma to San Diego and California. Up the California Coast is the Camino P.oal of California song and story where those tweny-