The area surrounding the La Purisima Mission was originally inhabited by tribes of native American Indians known collectively as the Chumash. They had shamans (holy men) who healed people and other shamans who controlled the weather. Their religion centered around a belief that all things potentially possessed power.

   But at the same time, in the early 1800's, Spain was concerned with expanding its empires. It already occupied Mexico so it sent priests, known as padres, to establish Missions up the coast of California, to convert the local Indians and educate them into becoming regular citizens of Spain.The first padre, Father Junipero Serra, established missions in San Diego and Monterey. Then the padres started establishing missions up and down the California Coast. In 1787 two padres founded the eleventh mission now known as La Purisima Mission, some 50 miles north of a presidio (fort) at Santa Barbara...

            Life at the Mission was very self-contained and self-sufficient. The people at the Mission grew corn and raised cattle. But the padres had changed their lives. Once they had been seed gatherers; now they were farmers and ranchers.
        Then things changed again for the Indians. Diseases brought in from Europe decimated the Indian population. A revolution occurred in Mexico and reduced the support for the padres. Mexico fought and won its independence from Spain in 1822.

        Eventually the new Mexican government took control of the Mission from the padres, the mission system collapsed and the mission fell into ruins.