U. S. Mission Trail / The Mission Trail Today - The Spanish Missions in California
Slide Show This site is owned, designed, and operated by Kenneth A. Larson who has over a quarter century of experience in design and construction of scenery for the Entertainment Industry and Theme Parks using Computer Aided and Traditional approaches to Design. Ken also has experience in other areas of Design.
Select photographs of my many visits to The Missions of the United States South and Southwest built by Spain and Mexico between 1565 and 1823.
All photographs taken by Kenneth A. Larson. All rights reserved. © 2008 - 2013.


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#16, San Miguel Arcángel.
Founded July 25, 1797
by Father Fermin Lasuen.
San Miguel - Paso Robles.

Personal Observations

Mission San Miguel Arcángel is the closest mission to Highway 101, the modern approximation of the original El Camino Real. Ironically, the next mission north in the chain, San Antonio de Padua, is the most isolated. Easily visible from the highway, my father sped past it many times refusing to stop. My wife and I had been planning for several months to drive from Los Angeles to Morgan Hill (near San Jose) on Christmas day, 2003, to visit her parents. Along the way, we had planned to stop at Mission San Miguel Arcángel for the 9:00 am Christmas mass, and also stop at Mission San Antonio de Padua and Mission Nuestra Sonora de la Soledad. Only three days, almost to the hour, before our planned visit to Mission San Miguel, on December 22, 2003, a 6.5 earthquake struck the area and seriously damaged the mission. When we arrived Christmas morning, all we could do was walk around the mission in a light rain, photographing the mission from the outside as my wife held a large umbrella over my camera. We stopped again on the return drive and while it had stopped raining, the mission was still closed with chain link fence and yellow hazzard tape blocking every entrance. Most of the mission is now open and the Church is under restoration. We plan to return soon and photograph the reopened Church that before the earthquake was considered the best preserved missions. 		Photo-Art
Mission Art & Photo-Art

History

Father Fermin Lasuen founded Mission San Miguel Arcángel on July 25, 1797. This was his third mission founding that summer. The Mission was named for Saint Michael Arcangel,Captain of the Armies of God. The three other missions founded in 1797 were: San Jose (June 11), San Juan Bautista (June 24) and San Fernando (September 8).
Most of the Mission, including the church, is now open after repairs following the earthquake of 2003.

Address and Directions

801 Mission Street
San Miguel, CA 93451-0069
Telephone (805) 467-3256

From Highway 101 north: Exit Highway 101 at San Miguel and slowly drive through town.
From Highway 101 south: Exit Highway 101 at San Miguel and the Mission is a short distance on the left.

Photography Gallery




Cemetery beside church. Photo date: 12-25-03.
Cemetery beside church. Photo date: 12-25-03.



Bell tower. Photo date: 12-27-03.

A closer view of the bell tower sign. Photo date: 12-25-03.
The bell tower and sign in 2009.

The sign near the highway exit on a rainy Christmas morning. Photo date: 12-25-03.
Another angle on the bell tower sign. Photo date: 12-25-03.
This free-standing bell tower is more sign than functional.

At the south end as you exit Highway 101 going north.
The damaged church as it was September 1, 2007.
See Earthquake.
The damaged church as it was September 1, 2007.

Donation Meter on September 1, 2007. The Mission needs YOUR help.

Gate. Photo date: 12-25-03.
Gate on September 1, 2007.

Main visitor gate.
Smaller gate.

Arch in forecourt. Photo date: 12-27-03.
Fountain. Photo date: 12-27-03.

Wall. Photo date: 12-25-03.
Cactus in forecourt. Photo date: 12-27-03.

This small canon protects the forecourt.
These ovens were common to most Spanish adobes in California.
Wooden cart in forecourt.

Mill.
Press.
Fountain in forecourt.

Gate.
Forecourt.

Forecourt.
Forecourt.

Door.
Door.
Doors.
Inner courtyard of the quadrangle.
Inner courtyard of the quadrangle.
This passage connects the inner courtyard of the quadrangle and the front courtyard.
Inner courtyard of the quadrangle.

Legend has it that a cross was carved into a tree and was later grown over. When the tree fell, the cross was found inside.

Courtyard in the quadrangle.
Inner courtyard of the quadrangle.

Oven.
Cooking area.

Sleeping area.
Built-in shelves.
Sleeping area.

Tack.


Spinning wheel and loom.

Bed.
Light fixture.


Ceiling beams.
Photo date: 12-25-03.Cactus behind west side of quadrangle. Photo date: 12-25-03.
Photo date: 12-25-03.Cactus behind west side of quadrangle. Photo date: 12-25-03.

Outside of the west wing of the quadrangle.
Wall around south yard. Photo date: 12-25-03.

Wall around south yard. Photo date: 12-27-03.

This small piece of wall in a field across the highway and railroad from the Mission was once a wall that ran back to the mission behind the photographer.
Paella Dinner held July 26, 2009.

1945 1945
These photographs of Mission San Miguel were taken about 1945 by Irma Larson.

Earthquake

On the morning of December 22, 2003, about 10:00 am, an earthquake originating about 30 miles west of Mission San Miguel Arcángel struck the area and damaged the mission. Within a few weeks, most of the museum complex reopened to the public. The church will remain closed until a seismic retrofit can be performed. We had the bad luck to have planned a visit only three days after the quake and again two days later on our return trip, while the entire site was still closed. We visited the open portion of the mission a few months later and returned again several times and hope to return when the church is repaired and reopens.

Earthquakes are a part of the mission story. Few missions do not have a story to tell of damage from earthquakes. The stone church at Mission San Juan Capistrano was never rebuilt. I personally have lived through two earthquakes that damaged Mission San Fernando. With your contributions, Mission San Miguel Arcángel will rebuild and the church, described as the best preserved of the missions, will reopen.

It has been several years since the earthquake but finally restoration has begun. The Missions is hoping to celebrate Christmas Mass in the Mission this year (2009). Although restoration has begun, the Missions still needs contributions to complete the process and pay the bills.

Contributions to the rebuilding can be made to:

Old Mission San Miguel Parish
775 Mission Street
P.O. Box 69
San Miguel, CA 93451-0069


Donation Meter on September 1, 2007.
Donation Meter on July 26, 2009.

This section shot Christmas Day in 2003, just three days after the earthquake.

Gate to forecourt. Photo date: 12-25-03.
Front of church. Photo date: 12-25-03.

Front of church. Photo date: 12-25-03.
Closeup of cracks on front of church. Photo date: 12-27-03.

Gate to cemetery, closed as unsafe. Photo date: 12-25-03.
South end of west wing of quadrangle. Photo date: 12-25-03.
The photos shot on 12-27-03, after the rain ended, more slides that have not been scanned.
This section was shot on December 3, 2005. This was almost two years after the earthquake and the area around the church was closed and considered unsafe to maintain the cemetery.

Church.
Church.
North side of church. Note the cemetery is not maintained because of the adjacent earthquake damaged church.

Cemetery.
Bell tower on north side of church.


South end of west wing of quadrangle with broken plaster.


Front of damaged church, fenced off and awaiting restoration.

Gateway, closed.
For several years, the forcourt was closed.
Front of damaged church.

Close-up of the window over the door.
This section was shot on September 1, 2007, still waiting for funding.


The church closed and fenced off.


The church closed and fenced off.
The Church is currently under restoration with hope to reopen by Christmas 2009. This section was shot 7-26-09
The church surrounded by scaffold.

The church surrounded by scaffold.
Forecourt and Church.

Front of church surrounded by scaffold.
Front of church surrounded by scaffold.
North side of church with scaffold, cemetery in foreground. .
North side of church with scaffold, cemetery in foreground. .

Front of church with scaffold.
Side of church with scaffold.
The front courtyard with the scaffold surrounded church beyond.

April 4, 2010.

As this photo was taken, the church was retrofited and the rest of the Mission was under repair.
(image links here)

Sources:

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This web site was created because of my love and respect for the California Missions. This web site is for your benefit and I make no profit on it. I don't allow paid advertising. This site is supported primarily from my regular paycheck as a Set Designer and there haven't been many this year. I sell art at www.klimages.com. A non-tax deductable donation to help cover the cost of operating this web site may be made to Kesign Design Consulting through PayPal ...

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