Established: June 3, 1770

By: Father Junipero Serra,

Order: 2nd of the 21 missions

Location: about 120 miles South of San Franisco

Named For: Saint Charles Borremeo

Interesting Fact: The restored wooden celing is painted to look like stone.

Our mission is San Carlos Borremo de Carmelo. It has many facts about it. Mission San Carlos Borremo de Carmelo was the second mission. It was founded on June 3rd, 1770, by Father Junipero Serra. It was built in Montery Bay. The Mission was named after St. Charles Borremo, a 16th -Century Cardinal. In 1771 the mission was moved because of the rowdy soldiers in the Presidio. It was moved to Carmel River, six miles to the south.

The mission style was Moorish. Some speacial features were that Father Junipero Serra had lived several years there and died there in 1748. The San Carlos Mission had a very small garden, so they didn't grow many crops. But they did grow some things like grain, wheat, corn, cattle, and sheep.

The Indian group that lived near the mission was the Ohlone. The Indians worked at the mission very hard. The men worked on plowing fields and building the mission with adobe bricks . The woman did all the cooking and make clothes out of wool. If the Indians left the Missions the Padres would track them down, the soldiers would then whip them.

The first church of mission San Carlos was built of logs. The second church was made of adobe. The third church was designed by Manuel Ruiz,a stonemason. It was started in 1793 and finished in 1797.

Harry Downie supervised the restoration of Mission Carmel in the 1930's. He started by changing all the shingle roofs back to the original tile roof. His skill has made the restoration the most complete a mission has ever had.