Docent Council of Sonoma/Petaluma State Historic Parks Association

Open to Public: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily except
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day

Docent Tour Hours: Fri, Sat., Sun. 11 & 12 and 1 & 2 p.m.

Mission San Francisco Solano was the last and northernmost California mission and was the only mission founded after Mexico’s independence from Spain.

Franciscan Father Jose Altimira consecrated the mission on July 4, 1823. He was acting with the approval of Governor Luis Arguello, but without church sanction. He intended to close down Missions San Francisco de Asis ( known as Dolores) and San Rafael and move their people and goods to Sonoma where water, wood, stone and other building materials were all easily available and where climate and soil conditions were promising. His request was denied by Father Presidente Sarria.

Altimira made his proposal to Governor Arguello, who was concerned about the Russian encroachment in his province. A Russian fort had been established at Fort Ross in what is now Sonoma County. Governor Arguello convinced Father Sarria of the need of a northern mission but Missions Dolores and San Rafael were retained.

A wooden chapel was constructed in 1923 and an adobe church was built in the 1830’s. In 1834, the Mexican government secularized the missions and the assets were to be given to the Indians. The original adobe church on the east side collapsed in the late 1830’s and was replaced by a smaller adobe chapel in 1841. In 1881, the mission was sold to a local businessman, Soloman Schoke, who later sold the mission to the California Landmarks League. The League turned the property over to the State and restoration was then done. The mission is now the Sonoma Mission State Historic Park.