Merchant ships

Within 20 years of the Franciscan padres setting foot in California to establish a chain of missions along the coast, merchant ships from Boston began appearing in Pacific waters. They were welcomed by the priests and small groups of

Continue reading

Shortly after the close of the American Revolution, Boston whalers and other ships hunting the prized sea otter began navigating in California waters.  Merchant ships from several nations followed.  At the time, Spanish-owned California was a

Continue reading