San Rafael with its three bells

Today I have an image of each of the three missions featured in Wednesday’s post, San Francisco de Asis, San Rafael Arcangel, and San Francisco Solano. Although I’ve never visited them, these three missions have been more interesting to me, partly because they are all in Northern California.

San Francisco de Asis

San Francisco de Asis (Mission Dolores) in 1856

San Francisco Solano, with the Coast Range in the background

These three missions perfectly illustrate the widely varying fortunes of California’s historic mission buildings. Most of the 21 missions have been rebuilt or restored, sometimes using pieces of the original materials. Santa Barbara’s museum contains precious examples of those building materials, found during archeological excavations.

Roofing tiles

Roof and floor tiles

Water pipe

Hoe and shovel

Restored buttresses, southwest end of residence

Bricks used in restoration