Mission San Jose - Definition and Overview

Mission San José de Guadalupe

Mission San José de Guadalupe was founded on June 11, 1797 by Father Fermin Lasuen, the fourteenth mission in the California mission chain. It is named for St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church. It is located in the Mission San Jose district of Fremont, California, formerly an independent town, at 37°31'58"N, 121°55'10"W.

Mexican Governor Pio Pico sold the mission in 1845 for $12,000. During the 1848 California Gold Rush, the mission became a general store, saloon and hotel. In 1853, the church became the local parish church. Some of the original exterior adobe buttresses were removed on orders of the parish priest. On October 21, 1868, an earthquake destroyed the mission chapel. A small wooden church was built on the site and used for over 100 years. The related mission buildings to the south were not significantly damaged.

In 1985, restoration of the church was completed by the Committee for the Restoration of the Mission San Jose and the Diocese of Oakland. It is a near perfect replica of the original church, but built with a completely hidden steel beam frame for earthquake resistance. The original padre's quarters are now a small museum. Saint Joseph's Church at the Mission San José is today a local parish church. The church has regular services and also has a visitors' center, museum and slide show telling the history of the mission.

See also: California mission