| The San Jose
Mission was founded on June 11, 1797 by Father Lasuen.
The mission was slow to be accepted by the natives.
Eventually it became one of the most successful missions.
With 8000 converts, it led the missions in many
agricultural crops. It also had a large herd of cattle.
After
secularization the mission declined, but still was used
as a parish church. An earthquake in 1868 destroyed most
of the mission. A wooden church was built to replace the
damaged church. Very little of the original mission is left today,
only the wooden church and small part of
one wing of the quadrangle. |
