San Rafael, California

San Rafael (pronounced "san ruh-FELL" in English; original Spanish pronunciation is "sahn rah-fah-EL") is the County seat of Marin County, California, United States. The City is located in the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,063.

Related Topics:
County seat - Marin County, California - United States - San Francisco Bay Area - 2000

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Mission San Rafael Arcángel was founded in what is now downtown San Rafael as the 20th Spanish mission in the colonial Mexican province of Alta California by four priests, Father Narciso Duran from San Jose, Father Abella from San Francisco, Father Gil y Taboada and Father Serria, the President of the Missions, on Dec. 14, 1817, four years before Mexico gained independence from Spain.

Related Topics:
Mission San Rafael Arcángel - Spanish - Mexican - Alta California - San Jose - San Francisco - 1817 - Mexico

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The mission and city are named for the Archangel Raphael, the Angel of Healing. The mission was originally planned as a hospital site for Central Valley American Indians who had become ill at the cold San Francisco Mission Dolores. Father Luis Gil, who spoke several native American languages, was put in charge of the facility. In part because of its ideal weather San Rafael was later upgraded to full mission status in 1822. The mission had 300 converts within tis first year, and 1,140 converts by 1828.

Related Topics:
Archangel - Raphael - Central Valley - American Indians - San Francisco - Mission Dolores - 1822 - 1828

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The Mexican government took over the California missions in 1834, and Mission San Rafael was abandoned in 1844, eventually falling into ruin. The current mission was built in the style of the original in 1949, but faces at right angles to the alignment of the original.

Related Topics:
1834 - 1844 - 1949

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Notable landmarks include: the Mission San Rafael Arcángel, around which the city developed; the Marin Civic Center building, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright; George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch; and the Rafael Film Center.

Related Topics:
Mission San Rafael Arcángel - Marin Civic Center - Frank Lloyd Wright - George Lucas's - Skywalker Ranch - Rafael Film Center

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