Misión San Rafael Arcángel

Located near San Francisco, California, this mission originally functioned as a hospital. It was a secondary site for a larger mission closer to San Francisco. It was founded later than many of the colonial churches throughout the US Southwest, in 1817. These churches were built as part of the Spanish Crown’s efforts to evangelize the native peoples of the Americas. In addition to the hospital, the complex included a chapel, living quarters, and a storage area. After a fire in 1870, the structure did not survive. It was partially rebuilt in 1919.