Founded: September 8, 1771
Founder: Father Pedro Cambon and Father Angel Somera
Status: Active Roman Catholic Church
Indian tribes native to surrounding area: Tongva, Serrano, Cahuilla
Nickname: The Pride of the Missions
Location: 428 South Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776
Google Map
San Gabriel was one of the busiest of the missions, located at the junction of three major trails. The mission settlement became the seed of modern-day Los Angeles.
The first few years, however, were difficult. One of the mission soldiers raped the wife of a local Indian Chief. The Chief led an attack against the mission, and was shot and killed. The remaining attackers fled but relations between the mission and the surrounding Indians were hostile for many years.
Key Events
1771 – Mission founded.
1819 – San Bernardino Asistencia founded as a sub-mission.
1834 – Mission secularized.
1859 – Mission returned to the Catholic church.
Visiting the Mission
The church at San Gabriel Arcángel is one of the most interesting in the mission system. The beautiful façade at the end of the building is actually not an entrance; the doorway to the church is on the long “side” wall.
There is also a campanario, or bell wall, featuring six bells, and a museum of mission artifacts. The oldest bells were cast in Mexico City in 1795.
The Stations of the Cross are thought to have been painted by Indian neophytes. They were exhibited in 1893 at the World’s Columbia Exhibition in Chicago.
Nearby Attractions
While you are in the area, we recommend a visit to Los Angeles Chinatown, an important cultural and historic site.
