There was nothing in the original plans of the missions to name one after St. Francis, the founder of the Franciscan Order. The Mexican Visitador said, “If Saint Francis wishes a mission, let him show you a good port, and let it bear his name.” When Portolá discovered San Francisco Bay he decided that it was the place the Visitador meant, but it was not until seven years later that the Mission San Francisco de Asís was founded. It was commonly called Dolores after a small river that flowed through the Mission grounds. It is quite different in its architecture from the other missions. It has neither archway nor towers but a massive façade. Today it stands in quiet simplicity, surrounded on all sides by modern buildings of the Catholic Church. [Illustration: _Bell Tower, San Carlos De Borromeo_] [Illustration: _Santa Cruz_] In the city of San Rafael stands a mission bell guidepost, marking the site of Mission San Rafael Arcángel. [Illustration: _Santa Clara_] [Illustration: _San José De Guadalupe_] [Illustration: _Porch_] [Illustration: _San Francisco De Asís_] [Illustration: _Entrance to Cloister_] Fear of the Russians caused the Governor to ask Father Altimira to establish a mission at Sonoma. He did this without the sanction of the Church authorities. Mission San Francisco Solano was the last and the most northerly of the twenty-one missions. It is a plain low building, facing the plaza. Of the twenty-one missions originally built one is completely gone, another a crumbling wall of adobe, and the remainder in only partial restoration. May they all some day be restored to their original grandeur, and the romance and history of Old California again be found in their splendid old walls. [Illustration: _Entrance to Chapel_] [Illustration: _Cloister, San Francisco De Solano_] LOCATION OF MISSIONS IN THE ORDER OF THEIR FOUNDING Name Date Location