California's Missions

San Rafael  Arcángel

Founded in 1817

The mission, second most northernly on El Camino Real was the second to last to be founded. It was the only mission which began as a hospital for another mission. In the early 1800's Indians at the Mission Dolores were dying in the hundreds and this mission had to be established to provide the Natives a place which was warm and dry. Later the mission was a buffer against the potential Russian expansion.

Nineteenth Mission    Twenty-first Mission