Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo

 (1770-1834) - A Spanish mission first established in 1770 by Father Junipero Serra in present day Monterey, Monterey County, California. Associated with the Presidio of Monterey. Named for Archbishop Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, Italy. Secularized in 1834. Also known as Mission Carmel.

The Spanish Period (1769-1821)


The Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo was founded on 3 Jun 1770, by Father Junipero Serra, as the 2nd of twenty-one Spanish missions founded in California. Father Presidente Serra initially operated from the nearby Presidio of Monterey but moved his operations to Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo on 24 Dec 1771. He used the mission as his headquarters until his death in 1784. Father Serra was buried beneath the floor of the sanctuary at the Mission.

The mission was garrisoned with five soldiers provided by and under the control of the Presidio of Monterey. Six more soldiers were in the garrison at Mission San Antonio de Padua leaving only five soldiers and Lieutenant Fages in garrison at the Presidio. In 1771 the total Alta California garrison numbered only 43 men.

Mexican Period (1822-1846)
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo was secularized in 1834.

The American Period (1846-Present)
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo was returned to the Catholic Church in 1859.

Current Status
Restored mission in Carmel, Monterey County, California. Also the site of an active parish church and Junipero Serra Elementary School.

Sources:
 * , page 8-9

Links:
 * Wikipedia - Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
 * Official Site