Mission San Miguel Arcangel was founded July 25, 1797 and sits roughly halfway between Mission San Luis Obispo and Mission San Antonio de Padua - and as the trip between taking two days, this location provided a suitable place to rest. The temporary wooden church and living quarters built in 1797, a replacement chapel built in 1798 and a new church built soon after (1816-1818).

When the site was secularized in 1834, private ownership under the William Reed family held the site until 1948, when they moved along. The property was returned to the Roman Catholic Church in 1859, but by then the property was in ruins; some parts were rented out to local small businessnes. In 1878, the Church was re-activated, which included again holding services and with priests living at the mission.

Founded: July 25, 1797 (#16) by Father Fermin de Lasuen, in present-day San Miguel, California at 775 Mission Street.

Visit: Admission #7 adults, $5 seniors (65+), $3 children ages 6-18; active military, their family, and any children 5 or under are free. Monday-Friday 9:30am to 5pm, weekends 10am to 5pm; closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day.

Learn more: Mission's Web Site * Wikipedia: Mission San Miguel Arcangel * Photos I Took * Tour Map (PDF will open in a new window; copyright Mission San Miguel Arcangel)