San Francisco Solano de Sonoma near San Francisco, CA
The last mission in California was San Francisco Solano de Sonoma. It was the twenty first mission to be built and the only mission to be built without the consent of the church. Continuing along the lines of firsts, the mission also was the only one founded after the Mexico's independence from Spain. San Francisco Solano de Sonoma was founded by Father Jose Altimira on July 4, 1823. During its operation the mission had very strong vineyards and a strong herd of cattle. Eventually San Francisco Solano de Sonoma gained approval from the church. The mission was finally completed in 1832. In the late 30s the mission started to decline. Many parts of the mission were taken as parts to use in other buildings in the town. The chapel started to be used for various purposes form a winery to a blacksmith shop to a barn. In 1906 the mission was given to the state for restoration. Restoration began and by 1940 the destroyed buildings were looking as they did originally. The mission is now the Sonoma Mission State Park. It showcases the history of the mission and missions in California to visitors. Archeological work at the mission site has led to the discovery of remains that are now showcased for visitors. The land has been taken care of and landscaped to help visitors get a feel for how the mission looked when it was running. The goal has been to give a glimpse of exactly what the mission looked like before it deteriorated.
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