The Mission of San Miguel Arcangel near Los Angeles, California, is a fascinating place for a visit, not only because it is a National Historic Landmark, but also because its lore includes stories of murders, hauntings and buried treasure. Mission San Miguel Arcangel (St. Michael the Archangel) was founded on July 25, 1797 as one of a chain of missions intended to convert the Indians to Roman Catholic Christianity. The present mission, which is still a parish church run by friars (don't call them monks), looks very much as it did back in the time of Spanish California. A tour of the mission shows visitors the hard but simple lives the missionaries lived.
The mission contains many artifacts from the old days, but the most impressive is the 16th century wooden carving of St. Michael, the patron saint of the mission. In the Model Room you will see a huge open style wine vat from the 1820s. It is believed that the friars here made wine for commercial trade. You will also see scale models of what the missions of San Miguel and San Antonio might have looked like in the early 19th century, when they were at the peak of their activity. These models were made in 1936 by prisoners in San Quentin prison hospital. There is also a display of vestments worn by the friars. The friar's quarters, the kitchen and the living room all show how spartan the lives of the friars were. The sparse furnishings were made in the mission's carpentry shop.
The buildings are made of adobe and terra cotta. The mission church was built between 1816 and 1818. Its walls are about six feet thick. The twelve columns of the mission's main building represent the Twelve Apostles, and the mission was known for this feature even in the old days. Among the exhibits are some wonderfully well preserved works of art. Before visiting it is recommended that you contact the parish office.
