San Rafael California - "The Mission San Rafael Arcangel"

Gentle Friends... on with the day.... after Sonoma, we headed back towards San Rafael, but first, we pulled off the highway and had lunch at A&W... it was Rico's choice he really enjoys their burgers and fries!!!

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Our next stop was to visit the site of the Mission of San Rafael Arcangel...

The statue of Father Vincente Francisco de Sarria founder of the Mission

...a little history.."Mission San Rafael Arcángel was founded in 1817 as a medical asistencia ("sub-mission") of Mission San Francisco de Asís. It was a hospital to treat sick Native Americans, making it Alta California's first sanitarium.^[8] The weather was much better than in San Francisco, which helped the ill get better.^[9] It was not intended to be a stand-alone mission, but nevertheless grew and prospered and was granted full mission status on October 19, 1822."

In 1949, a replica of the chapel was built next to the current Saint Raphael's Church on the site of the original hospital in San Rafael, California.

... the inside of the reconstructed Mission Church.  

... the lovley High Altar of the church....

...Originally the beams and exposed wood would have been heavily painted as would the walls...

... just inside the narthex is a prie dieux

... there is a small exhibit of the remnants from the Mission including the original Mission Bells...  the middle bell is the oldest bell made for the asistencia and placed by Father Amoros in about 1820.  The bell on the right was acquired by the Mission in about 1830 and the bell on the left was acquired in about 1833 - both bells placed by either Father Estemga or Father Mercado...

... there was also a display of the things from the archaeological digs from the original building of 1817/1822...

... this is a shot of the front with the replicated bells in place.  The complex was lovely and so serene.

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We had a wonderful day out of the City and visiting these two Mission sites was so worth it.  I would highly recommend the trip to anyone visiting the Bay area.  Getting to both Sonoma and San Rafeal is quick and easy, goodness knows that if I could do it anyone can!!  If you would like to read about the Mission here in San Francisco you can go HERE to my blog and read the Post about our last visit.

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That's about it for today sports fans, thanks, for stopping by and reading about our visit do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar

Sonoma California - Part II "The Colonial Plaza"

Gentle Friends, this second part of the Post about Sonoma is about the Colonial Plaza downtown and some of the historic buildings and monuments we saw... just down the street from the Mission are the remnants of the complex of buildings where Lieutenant Mariano Vallejo house "Casa Grande" once stood.  The Casa Grande was burned down in 1867 leaving the kitchen building and servants wing.....  Vallejo was the Military Commander of the Northern Frontier

 ...to the left is the servant's wing, the two storied building was Toscano Hotel Annex...

... another shot of the servant's wing... 

 ....  this building was the Toscano Hotel's Kitchen

... the is plaque from the Hotel...

... you can step into the Hotel's front door and there is this barred area to keep from going too far in...

... I stuck my camera past the bars and got this shot of the Parlour to the left of the front door...and 

... the saloon area to the right of the door.....

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Next to the Toscano Hotel is the "Barracks"

 ... the two-story, wide balconied, adobe barracks was built to house the Mexican army troops under the command of Vallejo.  They frist started to arrive in 1834, from then until 1846, Sonoma was the headquarters of the Frontera del Norte - the Mexican provincial frontier of the north.  

Actual construction of the building probably took place in stages but more or less completed by 1840-41.

... how the barracks may have looked when it was an army building...

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... also in the Barracks was this version of the Bear Flag.....

 ... this is the back baconly of the barracks building from the courtyard...

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Back on the Plaza is this great sculpture "Raising of the Bear Flag" by John MacQuarrie, 1914

...here's the plaque with more info...

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... I couldn't find much info about the Sonoma City Hall, but it sits in the middle of the plaza and is quite imposing...it was dedicated in 1908 and was originally designed with four identical sides.  The outside of the building is built with rusticated basalt stone from local quarries.

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That wraps up Sonoma.... I have one more Post that will complete our day of travel in the North Bay.  Thanks again for stopping by, have a great couple of days off!!

Take care,

edgar

Sonoma California - Part I "The Mission San Francisco Solano"

Gentle Friends, last Thursday on the first day of our long weekend we headed north from the city across the Golden Gate Bridge into wine country.  Our destination was to Sonoma then on to San Rafael - to visit the Missions ..... a little back information ... one of the things from my Bucket List to accomplish while still breathing is to visit them all and we've been to the Mission San Francisco de Asis here in the City quite a few times ...  we arrived in Sonoma late morning.... 

 The Mission SF Solano is the 21st and last Mission built and the northernmost Mission in Alta California.  This Mission is also the only one built after Mexico gained independence from Spain.

Here's a little history I lifted from Wikipedia..."The mission buildings rapidly fell into disrepair. The town of Sonoma was growing and building materials were in great demand. Roof tiles, timbers and adobe bricks were salvaged from the mission buildings. After the settlers had cannibalized the old buildings, nature began recycling the remnants.^[14]

In 1841, Mariano Vallejo ordered a small adobe chapel to be built on the location of the first wooden mission chapel. It became the church of the parish and replaced the large mission church which was rapidly deteriorating. It stood on the west end of the convento so is often thought to be the church of the old mission.^[40]

During 1863 President Abraham Lincoln transferred ownership of all the mission churches in California to the Roman Catholic Church. In 1881, the Sonoma church property was sold to a local businessman and a new parish church was built across town. At one time, the old adobe chapel was used as a warehouse. The convento may have been used as a winery.^[14]

In 1903, the two remaining mission buildings were purchased by California Historic Landmarks League and became part of the California Park System in 1906. By 1913, both had been reconstructed. After the 1940s, the former church and convento were remodeled along more authentic lines suited to exhibits devoted exclusively to mission history."

 ... looking into the chapel from the vestibule...

 ... the view along the nave towards the high altar...

 ... from the high altar looking back towards the vestibule...

 ... the reconstructed pulpit...

 ... the high alter... 

 ... the outside of the Chaple from the courtyard...

 ... the schoolroom and oven in the courtyard...

 ... the brand marks from the various Mission...

 ... more of the courtyard...

It was a nice drive up, about 45 minutes, the mission buildings and information on the self-guided tour were really quite interesting.  

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That's about it for today sports fans, Part II tomorrow.  

Thanks again for stopping by!!

Take care,

edgar