Geography

• The San Gabriel Mission is in the San Gabriel Valley in California. It sits nine miles east of the center of Los Angeles, and -- according to the mission's website -- it is the gateway to El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles, or "The Village of Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels."
  
  

History

• The mission was founded on September eighth, 1771. It was officially opened on the birthday of Mary, in accordance with Father Serra's wishes.
  
  

Founders

• Father Junipero Serra was an exceptionally devout missionary, according to the San Gabriel Mission's website. Father Serra directed two other missionaries in founding San Gabriel: Fathers Pedro Cambin and Joseph de la Somera.
  
  

Beautiful Queen

• History tells that when the mission was founded it was surrounded by Native Americans. To avoid confrontation, the missionaries unfurled a large painting of the Virgin Mary. The natives let go of their spears before the "beautiful queen" and laid beads at her feet. The painting is displayed at the mission.
  
  

20th Century

• By 1900, Fathers Cambin and Somera had died, and the mission operated as a small diocesan church. In 1908, the Claretian Missionaries took over the site and rebuilt the missionary, starting a school and a community outreach program.