Mission San Rafael Arcángel

Student field trips are discouraged because of lack of space. The area is always active with school and church activities. But, it is open to the public seven days a week and the adjoining gift store is staffed by knowledgeable, friendly people and the town is beautiful. Well worth the trip!

The original Mission buildings were built of adobe in the shape of an "L", instead of the usual quadrangle. The long portion of the "L", measured about 125 feet in length. This wing was used as a hospital, apartments for the Fathers, a Judge's chamber, supply room for boat making, and the mission store. The smaller portion of the "L", was the chapel, measuring about 40' by 90'. The Mission chapel stood on the site of the present Catholic church, the alter being on the precise spot now occupied by the present alter. Click on any of the pictures for a larger view.

Parish of St. Raphael

Parish of St. Raphael (the tall, tan building in the center of the picture), is located where the original mission chapel once stood. It's alter is located in the exact spot where the mission chapel alter once stood. The smaller white building is the replica of the original mission chapel. The remaining area houses a school.

Mission San Rafael Arcángel Chapel

The mission replica could not be situated on the same spot as the original mission chapel because of the existing buildings and for the same reason, it was necessary to have the replica face west instead of east. This replica was built in 1949 with the help of an $85,000 grant provided by the Hearst Foundation.

Inside the the Mission Chapel

The replica of the Mission chapel was modernized, by adding windows where no windows existed in mission times. Many of the artifacts are original and other are the replicas of the time.

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