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Santa Cruz Valley south of Tucson and that splendid group of missies of the IJogales—Tucson district followed. Mission efforts from that seat were extended down the Gila i	River to Yurau. 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 t>y settlement at Biloxi on the Culf of Mexico and split the Spanish dominion in two. In 1718 the French settled Hew Orleans; the same year the Spanish settled San Antonio. In 1763 Spain acquired the Louisiana territory by treaty and took possession in 1769 and again controlled the South and 'Vest. 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 those south of Tucson, Arizona and those around San Antonio, Texas. In 1776 San Francisco was settled by overland march from the Tucson district and down the Gila trail. ’.‘/hen the thirteen states were fighting for independence Spain governed empires south and west and was peacefully building the California missions.
Florida was Spanish until 1881 except for an English period 1763—1783. Spain sold Old Louisiana back to France in 1800; Haooleon sold to the U.S. in 1803. Texas won independence in 1836. and became the Kepttblic of Texas; Texas annexed with the U.S. in 1845. The Mexican "far was 1846-47. Hew Mexieo-~.nrizona.-~ Southern California territory was ceded by Mexico in 1848. ' The Gadsden Purchase of remaining parts completed the southern boundary in 1853.
The Five Great Mission Centers
Five mission and colonization .trsrrfHxs districts were extensively developed within the £X±te&cistefcBs: present United States—St. Augustine and northern Florida; The Rio Grande Valley, Santa Fe to Dl vaso; San Antonio and southeastern Texas; the Santa Cruz Valley in Mexico- \ and-north thru Uogsles to Tucson; San Diego and the California Coast. Chains of missions and settlements northward thru Mexico maintained the communications with these frontiers. In those lands the padres sought riches to lay up in heaven and the coriquistadoreFS sougnf ri’ches for personal glory and often found disaster for their vain but romantic search. How a new race is finding riches in the crucibles of industry.
The jjd Trails
From Mexico northward, like the ribs of a fan, trails developed into Camino Reals (King’s Highways) of the Spaniards; one northeastward thru San Antonio, then to Hacogdoches and Uatchitoch.es and on to-Mobile and Pensacola and to' St. mugustine; one thru Pi Paso to Santa ^e and the Hew Mexico territory; one thru Nogales end up the Santa Cruz Valley to Tucson and the Arizona territory, and westward thru Yuma to San Diego and California. Up the California Coast is the Onraino Real of California song and story where those twony-
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