Old Mission San Miguel Arcángel

Established on July 25, 1797, Mission San Miguel Arcángel was the sixteenth California mission, founded by the Franciscan order on a site chosen for its proximity to a large Salinan Indian population. The church that stands today was built between 1816 and 1818, and its painted interior walls — original murals by artist Esteban Munras and Salinan artists — survived intact. Among California's missions, San Miguel retains more of its original layout and buildings than most, including a portion of its neophyte village. It remains an active parish.