Mission San Miguel, Arcángel
775 Mission Street, San Miguel, CA 93451
Mailing Address: PO Box 69, San Miguel, CA 93451
Tel: 805-467-3256
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Mission San Miguel Arcangel was founded on July 25, 1797, 16th in the chain of twenty-one missions in California. It was intended to fill the gap between Missions San Antonio and San Luis Obispo in the territory of the Southern Salinan Indians. The area had been surveyed earlier, in the summer of 1795, by Fr. Buenaventura Sitjar who, in a letter to Fr. President Lasuen, described the site as having abundant arable land, grazing, water, stone, timber, and clay for tiles, all important considerations for a new mission site. Sitjar planted a large cross at the site, which was called Paraza de las Pozas, or Vahca by the Salinans.
The first resident Franciscans included Sitjar and Antonio de la Concepcion Horra. Since some local Indians had already been instructed in the missions to the north or south, baptisms began almost immediately. Other missions donated stock, provisions, and tools for San Miguel's establishment. A temporary structure of poles with a mud roof served as the first place of worship, but the Indian neophytes very quickly began the first adobe church, quarters for priests and single women, and a granary. The first tiles were made for roofs in 1805, and the kiln for firing these has been recently discovered at the base of the bluff to the east of the mission. Built in typical mission style, San Miguel consisted of a quadrangle, with the church forming the north side of the structure. Another, larger, three-sided enclosure was built for Indian families between 1805-06 and was given a tile roof in 1811. Fire in 1805 destroyed part of the church, some shops, and 6,666 bushels of grain. Other missions again sent aid to San Miguel.
Mission San Miguel had subsidiary ranchos located to the south and west at some distance from the mission. Rancho de Asumpcion (Atascadero) contained a house and granary built in 1812-13. A two-room house was constructed at Rancho del Playa de San Simeon in 1814, a spot for cattle, horses, and breeding mares. The Rancho del Aguage also had an adobe house in 1815. The Rancho Santa Isabel included a small vineyard, the start of the North County wine industry. Rancho de San Antonio grew barley, while the Rancho del Paso Robles grew wheat.
The present church was built in 1816-20 to accomodate a large Salinan population. In 1821, the interior was decorated by artist Esteban Munras, a Spaniard who had worked in Mexico and Peru before settling in Monterey. He was assisted by the local Salinan congregation. Today, Mission San Miguel represents the only complete original church interior decoration of any of the California missions and a rare example of local Indian art. Four native dialects were spoken at San Miguel - the local Southern Salinan dialect, Northern Salinan, a coastal dialect of uncertain origin, and Northern Chumash. Like the other missions, San Miguel was a total community, producing for all the needs of its members. Besides religious instruction, the mission was designed as a training school for the local Salinans, to teach skills that helped them survive in the Hispanic and Anglo worlds in later periods. Weaving, blacksmithing, carpentry, pottery making, farming, and ranching are examples of skills learned.
Mexico became independent of Spain in 1821. In 1831, Governor Alvarado delivered a proclamation to the Indian neophytes of the mission, inviting them to leave. They did not. The mission was secularized in 1836, had no resident priest between 1834-78, and was sold by the Mexican government to Petronillo Rios and Willam Ried in 1846. President Buchanan returned the land to the Church in 1855, but portions of the buildings were used for a saloon and a sewing store in the 1860-70s. In 1928, the Bishop of Monterey and Fresno invited the Franciscans to return to San Miguel, and it has been operated by them ever since as a parish church.
Landmark Status
California Historic Landmark #326
Directions to the Mission
Northbound: US-101 exit #239A/Mission Street, proceed to mission.
Southbound: US-101 exit #239/10th Street, go left. Turn right on Mission Street and proceed to mission. Map
Hours of Operation
9:30a - 4:30p daily. Please call 805-467-3256 for further information.
Facilities
Gift Shop
