Misión San Francisco de Asís

Throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Spanish Crown authorized the founding of dozens of missions in the modern-day borderlands region of the United States. During this period, these territories were the frontier of Spain’s empire in North America, close to regions claimed by British, French, and indigenous groups. The San Francisco de Asís Mission was established in the late-eighteenth century with the objective of converting the native peoples and maintaining a tighter supervision over their lives. Built with indgenous labor, the structure is made of adobe and has been restored several times. It is located in Rancho de Taos, New Mexico.