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The missions became a hub of economic activity becoming very
prosperous. The wealth of the missions grew dramatically. In
several of them massive stone churches had been built, of an
architecture the grandest in America. In all of the missions were
buildings providing for hundreds of occupants, for all the
necessary trades and manufactures, and many of the ornamental
arts of civilized life. There were shops for blacksmithing,
tanning, candle making, basket weaving, leather working and
furniture making.
Large areas of land were growing grains and cool fruits, as
well as palm, olive, grape, fig, orange, and pomegranate. They
had large herds of cattle and vast flocks of sheep and herds of
horses. In these nineteen missions were over twenty thousand
Indians, leading industrious lives, and conforming to the
Catholic religion. |
Raising Farm Animals
(Source: Library of Congress)
The missions also become
home to many head of cattle and large flocks of sheep.
Near the end of the missions, they herded over 400,000
cattle, 60,000 horses, 320,000 hogs, sheep and goats.
This picture shows sheep at the San Antonio Mission. |
