Mission San Gabriel - LetsGoSeeIt.com

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Mission San Gabriel Archangel

The following information is taken in part, from a brochure available at the Mission Entrance and Gift Shop.

Founded in 1771, only two years after the discovery of the San Gabriel Valley, the San Gabriel Mission is rich in California history. The San Gabriel Mission Church was built of cut stone, brick and mortar (1791-1805), and is the oldest structure of its kind south of Monterey. Architectually, it is unique among the California Missions.

Father Antonio Cruzado its designer was born and raised in Cordova, Spain. The Moorish influence is evidenced by the Buttressed walls vaulted roof and fortress-like appearance of the Church.

The original valulted roof and ceiling were damaged by an earthquake in 1804. The replacement roof, a flat roof of brick and mortar, was damaged in the 1812 earthquake. The third was a pitched roof of tiles; another was added in 1886. The present roof is made of cedar shingles and was installed in 1993 on recommendation of the State Office of Historic Preservation as part of the restoration project after the 1987 Whittier Narrows Earthquake.

The walls are original, more than four feet thick, with sections through the buttresses as much as seven feet thick.

The pulpit in the sanctuary is the original. The main alter was made in Mexico and brought to the Mission in the 1790's. The wooden polychrome statues were hand-carved in Spain. During the 1812 earthquake the alter and the Crucifix were damaged. The statues fell and were broken into pieces. Repairs on these were completed in 1813. The statues and alter were again restored in 1993 as part of the most recent restoration project.

Also displayed in the sanctuary is the 300 year old painting of "Our Lady of Sorrows." As told by one small party of founding missionaries - they had made the long journey from San Diego, arriving at a predetermined location. Just as they were deliberating as to an exact site for the mission, they were met by a large group of hostile Indians who seemed determined to drive them away. One of the priests took this painting and spread it on the ground for the Indians to see. The Indians were so impressed with the beauty of the painting they offered signs of friendship to the missionaries. These Indians, who eventually lived and worked at the mission, became known as the Gabrielinos.

The Museum building was constructed in 1812 of adobe brick with a tiled roof and is almost 300 feet long. Originally it was composed of a series of rooms: weaving rooms, the granary, carpenter shops, and sleeping quarters for the mission fathers. The Vestment Room contains a remarkable collection of garments dating back to the 17th century that were used by the mission fathers. Other important artifacts contained here are a small rosewood organ which was brought from France about 1821; (it is a reed organ featuring a self-transposing keyboard). and priceless books dating back to 1489, and a Spanish bedroom set dated 1623.

Exterior views of the church


	SAN GABRIEL MISSION FOUNDED SEPTEMBER 8, 1771

	THIS MARKS THE OLDEST BUILDING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OF BRICK, STONE AND MORTAR. BUILT 1791-1805, COMPLETED AND DEDICATED.

	THIS TABLET WAS ERECTED BY THE ALHAMBRA-SAN GABRIEL CHAPTER NATIONAL SOCIETY DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AUGUST 26, 1968


	MISSION SAN GABRIEL ARCANGEL QUEEN OF THE MISSIONS WHICH BROUGHT CHRISTIANITY AND CIVILIZATION TO CALIFORNIA AT THE TIME OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION U. S. A. BICENTENNIAL 1776 - 1976 CALIFORNIA STATE SOCIETY DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN COLONISTS

Garden Areas & Historic Features


	Candle and Soap Factory
	Here we see the soap factory which supplied soap to most of the California Missions. It consisted of four large furnaces or boilers each of which held from 2000 to 2500 gallons. Each furnace was made of brick, stone and lime, and was built in the shape of a sugar loaf. There was a large iron pot or kettle set in each furnace so that fire from below could keep it boiling. Lined around the mouth of the cistern and the edge of the pots were strips sheet iron 8 or 10 inches wide. The vats were stolen during the Mexican War, and the factory was used very little after that time.


	The Aqueduct
	In the early days of the mission, the only water came from Wilson Lake. Crudely built clay pipes brought the water from the open ditch to this aqueduct. From here the water was piped to the tannery and to the kitchen on the mission grounds. Such engineering skill is displayed in the building of this water system, and it was from these crude beginnings that the desert land was made to bring forth an abundance of fruit.


	Historic Anchor
	Anchor of the 99 ton top-sail schooner, "Guadalupe" built here in 1830 by Joseph Chapman, Michael White, Thomas Paine, and Mission Indians. Dismantled, she was hauled to the roadstead of San Pedro on Carretas (carts), re-assembled and launched.....the first ship built in California from native materials. In 1831, Don "Miguel Blanco", Michael White, Master, sailed her to Mazatlan and San Blas, Mexico with Mission goods. Mission blacksmiths have since melted and cut off pieces of the anchor to make hinges, hoes, nails and other such articles.

Interior views of the church

The mission baptistry with massive walls and dome in the shape of a half orange of "media naranja" is unique and most interesting. The baptismal font, itself a hammered copper basin, was brought to the mission before 1771. The silver utensil used in baptism, together with the beautiful silver pouring vessel was donated to the mission by Charles III, King of Spain.

The Mission museum displays

This is one complete bible in six volumes bound in sheep-skin (vellum). Printed in the year 1588, Venice, Italy. It is unique not only from the standpoint of copious explanatory notes, but of the numerous and carefully drafted illustrations. These volumes were a prized possession of the original library which once included hundreds of volumes.

Views of the gardens

De Anza Expedition Plaque

Located in Plaza Park, adjacent to the San Gabriel Mission, is a small plaque commemorating the expedition led by Juan Bautista De Anza.


	ERECTED BY THE SOCIETY OF COLONIAL WARS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT THE TERMINUS OF THE OVERLAND MARCH OF 1774 CAPITÁN JUAN BAUTISTA DE ANZA OF THE ROYAL ARMY OF SPAIN "IN LENGTH AND IN DIFFICULTIES OF TERRAIN AND HOSTILE NATIVES, ANZA'S EXPEDITION WAS COMPARABLE TO LEWIS AND CLARK'S"
	JOHN WALTON CAUGHEY

Mission San Gabriel Archangel is located in the city of San Gabriel at 428 S. Mission Drive. See map.

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