Mission San Francisco de Solano

Mission San Francisco de Solano was the 21st mission, founded July 4, 1823, by Father Jose Altimira. Named for St Francis Solano, a missionary to Peruvian Indians.

This mission was the result of an ambitious new padre, Father Jose Altimira, who was a recent arrival to Alta California, and one of the last from Spain.

Dissatisfied with his assignment at Mission Dolores, he came up with a plan to start a new mission at the most northern extent of the Spanish Empire, while closing down Mission Dolores and combining Mission San Rafael with this new one. Because of the changing political environment, Father Altimira, did not propose his idea to Father-President Senan, but instead took it directly to Governor Arguello. The governor liked the idea because he was in favor of adding another mission in the north to counter the Russians at Fort Ross. Still, approval ultimately had to come from the Father-President, who while on his deathbed in San Buenaventura, told of his disapproval to his successor Father Sarria. Eventually, a three-way negotiation resulted in the approval of the new mission and the retaining of the existing ones. Because of Father Altimira's actions, his new mission received little support from the existing missions, which traditionally provided gifts and support. Instead, it was the Russian Fort Ross that provided many gifts and supplies, including Church bells, cattle, vases, linens and silks. Father Altimira had persuaded 700 Indians from Mission Dolores to follow him to Solano. Unfortunately, he was ill tempered and impatient, often flogging or imprisoning the neophytes so that many of them ran away or returned to their former settlements. In 1826, a band of angry neophytes attacked the mission and set buildings on fire, forcing Father Altimira to flee to San Rafael.  He eventually returned to Spain. Father Fortuni of Mission San Jose came to the rescue, returning order to the mission, making repairs and constructing new buildings. For seven years, he helped the mission to grow and by 1830 had about 1000 Indians. In 1833, the Zacatecan priest, Father Jose Gutierrez took over the mission.

The mission was secularized in 1834 under General Mariano Vallejo. He distributed the land and the mission's wealth among himself, his soldiers and other Mexican settlers, who he wanted to help establish themselves in the growing pueblo of Sonoma. The Indians were kept on the land to work for their food, shelter and