The Superior Court of California, County of Marin , is the California superior court with jurisdiction over Marin County . It is housed in the landmark Marin County Civic Center , designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and completed in 1962.
92-480: Marin County was one of the original counties formed in 1850 when California gained statehood. Marin County initially conducted its court activities in two temporary buildings in the county seat of San Rafael : first in a restored Mission building (1851–56) and then in a converted home that once belonged to Timothy Murphy (1856–73). A permanent courthouse was built at Fourth and A starting in 1872. That courthouse served
184-458: A family and to all over 20 years old, will be given from the Mission lands a lot not over 400 nor less than 100 varas square" (28 to 7 acres), plus "6.... pro rata ...one-half of the livestock" and "7.... half or less of the existing chattels, tools, and seed". The Act also provided for the colonization of both Alta California and Baja California , the expenses of this latter move to be borne by
276-574: A household in the city was $ 60,994; the median reported income for a family was $ 74,398 (these figures had risen to $ 67,789 and $ 85,459 respectively as of a 2007 estimate ). Males reported a median income of $ 50,650 versus $ 39,912 for females. The reported per capita income for the city was $ 35,762. About 5.6% of families and 10.2% of the population reported incomes below the poverty line , including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over. BioMarin , Autodesk , In Defense of Animals , Westamerica Bank , and GIS Data Resources are among
368-430: A length of over 1200 miles. Between 1683 and 1834, Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries established a series of religious outposts from today's Baja California and Baja California Sur into present-day California . José María de Echeandía , the first Mexican-born, elected Governor of Alta California issued a "Proclamation of Emancipation" (or " Prevenciónes de Emancipacion ") on July 25, 1826. All Indians within
460-474: A political party. San Rafael is governed by a city council with five members, four of which are elected by geographic district for four-year terms. Each Councilmember is required to live in the district they represent and are elected only by the registered voters of that district. The Mayor is elected at-large. The current members are: In the United States House of Representatives , San Rafael
552-591: A second time, and Pío Pico . The last non-Californian governor, Manuel Micheltorena , was driven out after another rebellion in 1845. Micheltorena was replaced by Pío Pico, last Mexican governor of California, who served until 1846. It was not until the California Mexican era (1821–1846) that the titles to the plots of land were granted to individuals. California, now under the control of the Mexican government, opened up petitions for land grants. By 1828,
644-784: Is U.S. Route 101 , connecting the North Coast (California) and the Redwood Empire to the north, and San Francisco to the south. Interstate 580 heads across the Richmond–San Rafael Bridge to the East Bay . The San Rafael Transit Center , located at the corner of 3rd and Hetherton Streets, is served by a number of bus agencies, including Golden Gate Transit , Marin Transit , Sonoma County Transit , Sonoma County Airport Express, and Greyhound . Local bus service
736-625: Is a city and the county seat of Marin County , California , United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area . As of the 2020 U.S. census , the city's population was 61,271, up from 57,713 in 2010. San Rafael was founded by the Spanish in 1817, when Vicente Francisco de Sarría established Mission San Rafael Arcángel , initially as an asistencia (sub-mission). San Rafael Arcángel
828-749: Is about a girl named Pearly Sweetcakes who came from San Rafael. The TV show 13 Reasons Why is based in San Rafael, and many scenes from the first season were filmed downtown. Mexican secularization act of 1833 The Mexican Secularization Act of 1833 , officially called the Decree for the Secularization of the Missions of California , was an act passed by the Congress of the Union of
920-552: Is also a historic and walkable neighborhood south of First Street in close proximity to central Downtown. San Rafael is a stronghold of the Democratic Party . According to the California Secretary of State , as of February 10, 2019, San Rafael has 31,288 registered voters. Of those, 17,566 (56.1%) are registered Democrats , 4,292 (13.7%) are registered Republicans , and 8,121 (26%) have declined to state
1012-686: Is also the home to one of the two campuses of Guide Dogs for the Blind , a guide dog training school. Most public schools in San Rafael are operated by the San Rafael City Schools district. Miller Creek Elementary School District operates some public elementary and middle schools north of San Rafael proper. All comprehensive public high schools are governed by San Rafael City Schools. The district operates two comprehensive public high schools: San Rafael High School , Terra Linda High School and one alternative high school, Madrone. In 2006,
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#17327728182951104-529: Is from November to early April: rain is rare outside of this period and it is normal to receive no rain in June, July, August, and September. The wettest "rain year" was from July 1994 to June 1995 with 61.45 inches (1,560.8 mm) and the driest from July 1975 to June 1976 with 13.62 inches (345.9 mm). The most rain in one month was 24.11 inches (612.4 mm) in January 1995, and the heaviest 24-hour rainfall
1196-679: Is in California's 2nd congressional district , represented by Democrat Jared Huffman . From 2008 to 2012, Huffman represented Marin County in the California State Assembly . In the California State Legislature , San Rafael is in: San Rafael has one university, Dominican University of California . The Ali Akbar College of Music , was founded in San Rafael by Indian musician Ali Akbar Khan to teach Indian classical music . San Rafael
1288-562: Is now a local history museum, operated by the Costa Mesa Historical Society. Las Flores Estancia was sold to Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores . All original buildings are gone after years of neglect. The current Las Flores Adobe was built in 1865 by Marco Forster. Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles Asistencia was a sub-mission opened by the San Gabriel Mission to serve the new settlers in
1380-528: Is provided primarily by Golden Gate Transit and Marin Transit. Commuter rail by Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) serves the city at two stations: a converted San Rafael Transit Center and a station at Marin Civic Center . The line to Santa Rosa and its Airport opened in 2017 bringing passenger rail to San Rafael for the first time since 1958. Until 1958, San Rafael was served by
1472-671: The First Mexican Republic which secularized the Californian missions . The act nationalized the missions, transferring their ownership from the Franciscan Order of the Catholic Church to the Mexican authorities. The act was passed twelve years after Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821. Mexico feared Spain would continue to have influence and power in California because most of
1564-553: The Jesuits ., The Jesuits founded a college there, which became Santa Clara University . Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo land was sold off in 1834. The padres had to buy a small strip of land back in order to avoid trespassing when entering the church. But later all the buildings were abandoned and became ruined. Mission ruins and 9 acres were returned to the Catholic Church in 1859. Mission San Antonio de Padua
1656-673: The Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael. Much of the movie Gattaca , starring Ethan Hawke , was also shot in the Marin County Civic Center. Industrial Light & Magic was founded in 1975 by Lucas to do special effects for his films and those of other filmmakers. The new-age music program Hearts of Space has been headquartered in San Rafael since 2004. Largely because of the presence of LucasFilm, San Rafael started to attract video game developers, with several major studios located in
1748-552: The Mexican secularization act of 1833 , the Mexican government took over the California missions in 1834, and Mission San Rafael was abandoned in 1844, eventually falling into ruin. The San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad reached San Rafael in 1879 and was linked to the national rail network in 1888. The United States Navy operated a San Pablo Bay degaussing range from San Rafael through World War II . According to
1840-717: The Northwestern Pacific Railroad . The line from San Rafael was extended to Larkspur to make Larkspur Landing ferry connection in December 2019. The term " 420 ", as used in reference to cannabis consumption, originated in San Rafael. A group of students of the San Rafael High School class of 1975 known as the Waldos used "420" as a code for smoking marijuana at 4:20 p.m., after school. Shel Silverstein 's poem "The Smoke-Off"
1932-692: The Spanish missions in California remained loyal to the Roman Catholic Church in Spain . As the new Mexican republic matured, calls for the secularization (" disestablishment ") of the missions increased. Once fully implemented, the secularization act took away much of the California Mission land and sold it or gave it away in large grants called ranchos . Secularization also emancipated Indigenous peoples of California from
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#17327728182952024-720: The Treaty of Cahuenga signed on January 13, 1847. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , ending the war, was signed February 2, 1848, and California became a territory of the United States. The treaty gave residents one year to choose whether they wanted American or Mexican citizenship; over 90% chose American citizenship, which included full US voting rights. The other 10% returned to Mexico (where they received land), or in some cases in New Mexico were allowed to remain in place as Mexican citizens. Between 1847 and 1849, California
2116-587: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 22.5 square miles (58 km ). 16.6 square miles (43 km ) of it is land and 6.0 square miles (16 km ) of it (26.42%) is water. San Francisco is 16 miles (26 km) to the south. The San Rafael shoreline has been historically filled to a considerable extent to accommodate land development, with underlying bay mud (saturated clayed silt) of up to 90 feet (27 m) in thickness. At certain locations such as Murphys Point,
2208-571: The padres , however, doubted the capabilities of their charges in this regard. In 1831, the number of Indians under missionary control in all of Upper-Alta California was about 18,683, while garrison soldiers, free settlers, and "other classes" totaled 4,342. New immigration, of both Mexican and foreign origins, increased pressure on the Alta California government to seize the Church-controlled mission properties and dispossess
2300-469: The 1840s, but all were lost by the 1850s. The United States (US) declared war against Mexico on May 13, 1846. Military action in California began with the Bear Flag Revolt on June 15, 1846. On July 7, 1846, US forces took possession of Monterey , the capital of California, and terminated the authority and jurisdiction of Mexican officials that day. Armed resistance ended in California with
2392-626: The 2010 Census, there were 70,197 residents of San Rafael postal addresses (ZIP codes 94901 and 94903). The following statistics refer to the incorporated limits of San Rafael only. The population density was 2,573.9 inhabitants per square mile (993.8/km ). The racial makeup of San Rafael was 40,734 (70.6%) White , 1,154 (2.0%) African American , 709 (1.2%) Native American , 3,513 (6.1%) Asian , 126 (0.2%) Pacific Islander , 8,513 (14.8%) from other races , and 2,964 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17,302 persons (30.0%). The Census reported that 55,594 people (96.3% of
2484-399: The 2016-2020 US Census report, different regions of San Rafael remain below the poverty line of 11.4%. According to San Rafael's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: After the arrival of George Lucas in San Rafael in 1970 to film the movie THX 1138 , the city became a center for the entertainment industry, particularly the high-tech elements of
2576-526: The 21 main missions, there were "sub-missions" to serve as a rest stop for those travelling the El Camino Real road connecting the missions. These small sub-missions were also lost: Santa Ysabel Asistencia was turned into Rancho Santa Ysabel (Ortega) . The church turned into ruins. Three acres of the original compound was returned to the Church. The cornerstone for a new, Mission Revival Style chapel
2668-399: The California missions. Mission Santa Cruz land was sold or given away in 1834, all 32 building looted, and the church left in ruin. President Buchanan , in 1859, returned Mission Santa Cruz and 17 acres to the Church. La Purisima Mission : in 1845 all land and buildings were sold. The church turned to ruins over time. The ruins were returned to the Church in 1874. Mission San José
2760-553: The College of Our Lady of Refuge, the first college in California. In 1846 the college moved to a new site and the land was sold. The college was abandoned in 1881 and by then the Mission buildings were disintegrating. Some of the Mission property was returned to the Church in 1862. Mission San Rafael Arcángel was looted by Governor Mariano Vallejo, the commandant of the San Francisco Presidio. Vallejo took much of
2852-413: The Mission buildings and 75 acres of land were returned. The buildings were disintegrating, as beams, tiles and nails were taken from the church by settlers. The buildings had been leased to a number of businesses, and the premises served as a hog farm. San Fernando's church did not become a working church again till 1923. Mission San Luis Rey de Francia was sold in 1834 to private owners. But in 1846 it
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2944-590: The San Rafael City Schools district removed The Bronze Bow from their social studies curriculum, after allegations of the book showing Jews in a bad light compared to Christians . Notable private schools include Marin Academy , Saint Raphael School, and Brandeis Marin. The Marin School was a private nonsectarian school that closed in 2023. The major north–south freeway through San Rafael
3036-669: The Santa Margarita Ranch. San Pedro y San Pablo Asistencia was sold to Rancho San Pedro (Sanchez) ; today, little remains. There is a plaque in Sanchez Adobe Park that shows the former Asistencia's floor plan. San Bernardino de Sena Estancia , sold to Rancho San Bernardino , is today called "Asistencia" and operated as a branch of the San Bernardino County Museum. Diego Sepúlveda Adobe , sold to Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana ,
3128-545: The Spanish concessions were subsequently patented under Mexican law – frequently to local "friends" of the governor. A commissioner would oversee the mission's crops and herds, while the land was divided up as communal pasture, a town plot, and individual plots for each Indian family. Without the control enforced by the Franciscan friars and the troops preventing them from leaving, the Mission Indians soon abandoned
3220-538: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, this Act placed the burden of proof of title on landholders. In many cases, the land grants had been made without clearly defining the exact boundaries. Even in cases where the boundaries were more specific, many markers had been destroyed before accurate surveys could be made. Aside from indefinite survey lines, the Land Commission had to determine whether the grantees had fulfilled
3312-500: The US Public Land Commission to have the Church get back some of its land and building ownership. Alemany asked for the return of the church chapel, clergy residence, cemetery , orchard , and vineyard to the Catholic Church. After reading a letter from Alemany, President Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation on March 18, 1865, just three weeks before Lincoln's assassination, that restored ownership of some of
3404-542: The appointed California governors sent from distant Mexico City, who came with little knowledge of local conditions and concerns. The friction came to a head in 1836, when Monterey-born Juan Bautista Alvarado led a revolt and seized the governorship from Nicolás Gutiérrez . Alvarado's actions began a period of de facto home rule, in which the weak and fractious central government was forced to allow more autonomy in its most distant department. Other local governors followed, including Carlos Antonio Carrillo , Alvarado himself for
3496-442: The buildings became ruined. In 1859, the buildings' ruins and 42 acres of land were returned to the Church. Restoration began only in 1954. In 1838, Mission San Juan Capistrano property was auctioned off under questionable circumstances for $ 710 worth of tallow and hides, (equivalent to $ 15,000 in 2004 U.S. dollars) to Englishman John (Don Juan) Forster (Governor Pío Pico 's brother-in-law, whose family would take up residence in
3588-461: The business. Lucasfilm was founded by George Lucas in 1971, and is best known for the global hit movie series Star Wars and also for Indiana Jones . Some of the company's operations were moved to San Francisco in 2005. Portions of the Universal movie production American Graffiti were filmed in downtown San Rafael under George Lucas's direction, and portions of THX 1138 were shot at
3680-566: The church and put them on his own house. Now in very poor shape, the Mission church was torn down. In need of a church for the town he made, in 1841 Vallejo had a small chapel built where the original parish church had been. On June 14, 1846, the town of Sonoma was taken over by American settlers who declared a " California Republic ." General Vallejo was taken prisoner and the Bear Flag was raised. The Bear Flag flew over Sonoma until July 9, 1846, when California became part of USA. In addition to
3772-472: The church for use as gardens. In some missions, all of the other buildings were lost, and some mission buildings were divided, with a physical wall added into the mission buildings. With the loss of all support from the surrounding land and support buildings – like livestock , orchards , barns , tanning , blacksmithing , candle making, vineyards , winery , water rights , loom , Beehive ovens , carpenter shop , soap making, grain silo , in some cases
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3864-540: The church ruins. In 1869 the land was purchased back and a new gothic architecture church was built on the site. Mission San Francisco Solano , the last and northernmost mission, was also the only one built after Mexican independence. The Governor wanted a Mexican presence north of the San Francisco Bay to keep out the Russians who had established Fort Ross . In July 1835 Mission San Francisco Solano
3956-648: The city being named after the Archangel Raphael , the Angel of Healing. The mission was originally planned as a hospital site for Central Valley American Indians who had become ill at the cold San Francisco Mission Dolores . Father Luis Gil, who spoke several Native American languages, was put in charge of the facility. In part because of its ideal weather, San Rafael was later upgraded to full mission status in 1822. The mission had 300 converts within its first year, and 1,140 converts by 1828. Following
4048-561: The city in 2010 was 59.0% non-Hispanic White , 1.8% non-Hispanic African American , 0.2% Native American , 6.0% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 0.3% from other races , and 2.6% from two or more races. 30.0% were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 22,371 households, out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18, 44.3% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.9% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who
4140-501: The city: Community in San Rafael include Albert Park , Boyd Park, Gerstle Park, Pickleweed Park and the Terra Linda Recreational Center. Notable large parks include China Camp State Park and McNear's Beach Park. There are a number of neighborhood parks and mini-parks such as Bret Harte Park, Boyd Park, Sun Valley Park, Oleander Park, Victor Jones Park, Peacock Gap Park and Gerstle Park. Gerstle Park
4232-495: The companies headquartered in San Rafael. In May 2022, Autodesk announced its intention to move its headquarters to San Francisco, along with its 578 employees, and close the San Rafael office by October of that year. San Rafael, a small city situated in Marin County , is known for its affluent suburban/urban environment. Despite the median income for a family in San Rafael reaching an estimated amount of $ 97,009 according to
4324-656: The county until the new Civic Center was completed in the late 1960s; after it was abandoned, the 1872 courthouse was burned in what authorities suspected was an arson on May 25, 1971. This Marin County, California –related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article relating to law in the United States or its constituent jurisdictions is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . San Rafael, California District 2: Katie Rice San Rafael ( / ˌ s æ n r ə ˈ f ɛ l / SAN rə- FEL ; Spanish for " St. Raphael ", Spanish pronunciation: [san rafaˈel] )
4416-421: The court system. In many cases, they had to sell their land to pay for defense fees or gave attorneys land in lieu of payment. Land from titles not confirmed became part of the public domain and available for homesteaders who could claim up to 160-acre (0.65 km ) plots in accordance with federal homestead law . Rejected land claims resulted in claimants, squatters, and settlers pressing Congress to change
4508-431: The death of Father Josef Barona in 1831). The first secular priest to take charge of the Mission, Reverend José Maria Rosáles, arrived on October 8, 1843; Father Vicente Pascual Oliva , the last resident missionary, died on January 2, 1848. The Mission's ruins and 44.40 acres were returned to the Church in 1865. Mission San Diego de Alcalá and some other missions were offered for sale to citizens, and some Mission land
4600-522: The direction of American journalist, historian, and photographer Charles Fletcher Lummis , purchased Pala Mission. The following year, the Club returned ownership to the Catholic Church and "saved the Chapel and a few rooms from complete ruin with a timely work of partial restoration." Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia was sold to Rancho Santa Margarita ; a few ruins are still on the private property of
4692-409: The eastern part of La Mesa. It also contained the 28-acre (0.11 km ) Rancho Cañada de Los Coches grant. Maria Estudillo was the wife of Don Miguel Pedrorena (1808–1850), a native of Madrid, Spain, who had come to California from Peru in 1838 to operate a trading business. In 1862 the 22 acres and mission ruins were returned to the Church by the U.S. government. Mission San Buenaventura in 1845
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#17327728182954784-460: The expulsion of all Spaniards younger than 60 years of age from Mexican territories. Spaniards could pose a threat to Mexico because Spain did not recognize Mexican independence and attempted to regain control over its former colony. Governor Echeandía nevertheless intervened on behalf of some Franciscans to prevent their deportation once the law took effect in California. Governor José Figueroa , who took office in 1833, initially attempted to keep
4876-508: The fields (even if granted) and joined other interior tribes, or sought work on the new ranchos and expanding pueblos . The number of Mexican land grants greatly increased after the secularization of the missions in 1834. Although the original intent of the secularization legislation was to have the property divided among former surviving Mission Indians , most of the grants were made to local Californios (See: List of Ranchos of California ). A small number of Indians did receive land grants in
4968-585: The freezing mark. The National Weather Service reports that August is usually the warmest month with a high of 80.1 °F (26.7 °C) and a low of 55.0 °F (12.8 °C). December, the coldest month, has an average high of 55.1 °F (12.8 °C) and an average low of 41.0 °F (5.0 °C). The highest temperature on record is 110 °F (43.3 °C), recorded in June 1961. The highest temperature in recent years, 108 °F (42.2 °C), occurred on July 23, 2006, and 108 °F (42.2 °C) again on September 6, 2020. The record lowest temperature
5060-433: The friars' quarters for the next 20 years) and his partner James McKinley. More families would subsequently take up residence in other portions of the Mission buildings. Father José María Zalvidea left San Juan Capistrano around November 25, 1842, when Mission San Luis Rey de Francia 's Father Ibarra died, leaving the Mission without a resident priest for the first time (Zalvidea had been the Mission's sole priest ever since
5152-498: The headquarters of the Alta California Mission System to Mission Santa Bárbara , where it remained until 1846. Governor Figueroa issued a regulation ( Reglamento Provisional para la secularizacion de las Misiones ) on August 9, 1834, outlining the requirements for the distribution of property (land, cattle, and equipment) to each mission's neophytes. Among the provisions were that "5. To each head of
5244-417: The livestock, equipment and supplies, and some of the fruit trees, to his ranch in nearby Sonoma. The Mission had been abandoned by 1844. The empty buildings were sold for $ 8,000 in 1846. The empty Mission was used shortly by John C. Fremont as his headquarters. Six-and-a-half acres of land were returned in 1855, all in ruins. Rather than rebuild, in 1861 the Mission ruins were sold to a carpenter, who demolished
5336-598: The local Native Americans . The missions were part of the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific Coast region, the most northern and western parts of Spain's North American land claims. The settlers introduced European fruits, vegetables, cattle, horses, ranching and technology into the Alta California region and to the Mission Indians . The El Camino Real (Royal Road) connected missions from Loreto , Mexico to Mission San Francisco Solano , in Sonoma ,
5428-431: The military districts of San Diego , Santa Barbara , and Monterey who were found qualified were freed from missionary rule and made eligible to become Mexican citizens. Those who wished to remain under mission tutelage (guardianship) were exempted from most forms of corporal punishment . By 1830 even those new to California appeared confident in their own abilities to operate the mission ranches and farms independently;
5520-475: The mission courtyard and more – the Franciscans had no means of support for themselves or the natives. The Franciscans soon thereafter abandoned most of the missions, taking with them almost everything of value, after which the locals typically plundered the mission buildings for construction materials, as the four to six soldiers assigned to guard each Mission were dismissed. Mission San Juan Capistrano
5612-736: The mission system intact, but after the Mexican Congress passed its Decree for the Secularization of the Missions of the Californias on August 17, 1833, he took action to start secularization enactment. In 1833, Figueroa replaced the Spanish-born Franciscan padres at all of the settlements north of Mission San Antonio de Padua with Mexican-born Franciscan priests from the College of Guadalupe de Zacatecas . In response, Father-Presidente Narciso Durán transferred
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#17327728182955704-536: The missions and closed the monjeríos , although only a minority of Indigenous peoples were distributed land grants, which left many of them landless to work the ranchos. The Spanish missions in Alta California were a series of 21 religious and military outposts; established by Catholic priests of the Franciscan order between 1769 and 1823 for the purpose of spreading Christianity among
5796-545: The natives in accordance with Echeandía's directive. Despite the fact that Echeandía's emancipation plan was met with little encouragement from the newcomers who populated the southern missions, he was nonetheless determined to test the scheme on a large scale at Mission San Juan Capistrano . To that end, he appointed a number of comisionados (commissioners) to oversee the emancipation of the Indians. The Mexican government passed legislation on December 20, 1827, that mandated
5888-490: The new El Pueblo de Nuesta Señora Reina de los Ángeles . As the town grew it built its own parish church which is today known as the Old Plaza Church, then called La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles . With Mexican secularization, the Ángeles Asistencia came in disuse and neglect. There is little physical record of the Ángeles Asistencia remaining today. The local populations increasingly resented
5980-654: The population) lived in households, 1,314 (2.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 805 (1.4%) were institutionalized. There were 22,764 households, out of which 6,358 (27.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 9,845 (43.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,004 (8.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,133 (5.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,450 (6.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 301 (1.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . 7,434 households (32.7%) were made up of individuals, and 2,954 (13.0%) had someone living alone who
6072-438: The population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 28,040 people (48.6%) lived in rental housing units. As of the census of 2000, there were 56,063 people, 22,371 households, and 12,773 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,378.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,304.6/km ). There were 22,948 housing units at an average density of 1,383.1 units per square mile (534.0 units/km ). The racial makeup of
6164-426: The proceeds gained from the sale of the mission land and some buildings to private parties; many started ranches. The ranches made of former mission pasture lands were divided into large land grants, thus greatly increasing the number of private landholdings in Alta California. This meant that the missions would hold title only to the worship chapel, the residences of the priests, and a small amount of land surrounding
6256-661: The provincial records of the Spanish and Mexican governments in Monterey. In 1851 the United States Congress passed "An Act to Ascertain and Settle Private Land Claims in the State of California", sponsored by California Senator William M. Gwin ,. The Act required all holders of Spanish and Mexican land grants to present their titles for confirmation before the Board of California Land Commissioners . Contrary to
6348-551: The remaining buildings and 55 acres of land were given back. Mission San Miguel Arcángel had its land sold off. The William Reed family lived in the buildings until 1848. Then the Mission was closed and began to decay. In 1859 the Mission ruins were returned, but no priest was sent to the ruins. In 1878 the Catholic Church sent priests and restoration started. Mission San Fernando Rey de España had its land sold off in 1834. Mission buildings were used as military headquarters , including Governor Pico and John C. Frémont . In 1861
6440-490: The requirements of the Mexican colonization laws. While the Land Commission confirmed 604 of the 813 claims it reviewed, most decisions were appealed to US District Court and some to the Supreme Court . The confirmation process required lawyers, translators, and surveyors, and took an average of 17 years (with American Civil War , 1861–1865) to resolve. It proved expensive for landholders to defend their titles through
6532-499: The rules for establishing land grants were codified in the Mexican Reglamento (Regulation). The acts broke the large landholding of the missions and paved the way for attracting more settlers to California by making land grants easier to obtain. The procedure included a diseño – a hand-drawn topological map – to define the area. The Mexican governors of Alta California gained the power to grant state lands, and many of
6624-529: The rules. Under the Preemption Act of 1841, owners were able to "preempt" their portions of the grant, and acquire title for $ 1.25 an acre up to a maximum of 160 acres (0.65 km ). Beginning with Rancho Suscol in 1863, special acts of Congress were passed that allowed certain claimants to preempt their land without regard to acreage. By 1866 this privilege was extended to all owners of rejected claims. In 1853, Bishop Joseph Alemany began petitioning
6716-554: The sandstone or shale rock outcrops through the mud. San Rafael has a wide diversity of natural habitats from forests at the higher elevations to marshland and estuarine settings. Its marshes are home to the endangered species salt marsh harvest mouse . There are also riparian areas including the San Rafael Creek and Miller Creek corridors. San Rafael has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification Csb ), with mild winter lows seldom reaching
6808-634: The vast holdings of the Roman Catholic missions. In 1845, California Governor Pio Pico confiscated the lands of Mission San Diego de Alcalá . He granted eleven square leagues (about 48,800 acres, 197 km ) of the El Cajon Valley to Dona Maria Antonio Estudillo, daughter of José Antonio Estudillo , alcalde of San Diego, to repay a $ 500 government obligation. The grant was originally called Rancho Santa Monica and encompassed present-day El Cajon, Bostonia, Santee, Lakeside, Flinn Springs, and
6900-447: Was 20 °F (−6.7 °C) on December 22, 1990. There are an average of 17.9 afternoons annually with a high of 90 °F (32.2 °C) or more and 1.2 afternoons with a high of 100 °F (37.8 °C) or more. Freezing temperatures (32 °F/0 °C or below) occur on an average of 3.6 mornings. Total annual precipitation averages 32.16 inches (816.9 mm), with an average of 64.3 days with measurable rain. The rainy season
6992-421: Was 40.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males. There were 24,011 housing units at an average density of 1,070.9 units per square mile (413.5 units/km ), of which 11,909 (52.3%) were owner-occupied, and 10,855 (47.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.1%. 27,554 people (47.7% of
7084-433: Was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.99. The age distribution was as follows: 19.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males. The reported median income for
7176-421: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44. There were 12,982 families (57.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.02. The population was spread out, with 11,132 people (19.3%) under the age of 18, 4,956 people (8.6%) aged 18 to 24, 16,915 people (29.3%) aged 25 to 44, 15,574 people (27.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 9,136 people (15.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
7268-483: Was 8.74 inches (222.0 mm) on December 11, 1995. A trace of snow was recorded on January 30, 1976. The 2010 United States Census reported that the city of San Rafael had a population of 57,713. This figure does not, however, include portions of the Santa Venetia and Lucas Valley-Marinwood CDPs , nor various other unincorporated areas, all of which have San Rafael postal addresses; in total, according to
7360-419: Was founded as the 20th Spanish mission in the colonial province of Alta California by three priests—Father Narciso Durán from Mission San José , Father Abella from Mission San Francisco de Asís , Father Luis Gíl y Taboada from La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles —on December 14, 1817, four years before Mexico gained independence from Spain . The mission from which the downtown grew and
7452-558: Was given to ex-military officers who had fought in the War of Independence. On June 8, 1846, Mission San Diego de Alcalá was given to Santiago Argüello by Governor Pío Pico " ...f or services rendered to the government." After the United States annexed California , the Mission was used by the military from 1846 to 1862. Most of the grants were made to rich " Californios " of Spanish background who had long been casting envious eyes on
7544-551: Was laid on September 14, 1924. San Antonio de Pala Asistencia and Las Flores Estancia Pico sold off all of the holdings to Antonio J. Cot and José A. Pico on May 18, 1846. The church remained open. But on Christmas Day 1899, the San Jacinto Earthquake shook the Pala Valley , causing the roof over the church sanctuary to collapse. In 1902, a group named the "Landmarks Club of Southern California", under
7636-519: Was occupied by U.S. Army troops under Captain Frémont. Some Mission buildings in poor shape and 65 acres of land were returned in 1865. Mission Santa Inés land was sold off in 1836, with some buildings rented out by the government. The Mission had been divided with priests living in part and maintaining a chapel. Late in 1843, the Governor gave 350,000 acres to Bishop Francisco García Diego to start
7728-461: Was put up for sale, with no bids. But with the fear of being sold, the Mission started to fall into neglect. Father Doroteo Ambris, a young priest from Mexico, started to live at the Mission with a few natives in 1851. On 31 May 1863, the Mission was returned to the Church with 33 acres by an order signed by Abraham Lincoln. Mission San Gabriel Arcángel was sold to American settlers, and the funds were used to pay off Governor Pico's debt. The Mission
7820-473: Was rented to Don Jose Arnaz and Narciso Botello and was later sold to Arnaz. The church, clergy residence, cemetery, orchard, and vineyard were returned to the Church in 1862, and major changes done in 1893. Mission Santa Clara de Asís in 1836: the Mission land was sold off, but most buildings continued to be used as a parish church. In 1851 the running of the church transferred from the Franciscans to
7912-404: Was returned to the Franciscans in 1843. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was sold in 1845 by Pico. Everything except the church chapel was sold for a total of $ 510 (valued at $ 70,000 in 1845). The Mission was returned in 1859. Mission San Francisco de Asís had the Mission lands sold off in 1845. The Mission quadrangle buildings and courtyard were sold or leased to businesses. The Mission
8004-640: Was run by the U.S. military. A constitutional convention met in Monterey in September 1849, and set up a state government. It operated for 10 months before California was admitted to the Union as the 31st State by Congress as part of the Compromise of 1850 , enacted on September 9, 1850. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo provided that the Mexican land grants would be honored. In order to investigate and confirm titles in California, American officials acquired
8096-480: Was sold to private interests in 1845 for $ 12,000. All buildings decayed and the land was not put to use. Native people who were to get the land had fled and found themselves unable to readjust to their former way of life. In 1858 the Mission ruins and 28 acres of land were returned. Mission San Juan Bautista : the land was sold off, but the nearby town of San Juan supported the Church, so it did not fall into decay. Thus services continued without interruption. In 1859
8188-514: Was taken over by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, the commissioner of the lands, at the age of 27. At first he gave some of the lands to the native mission workers as ordered. But later he transferred all the land and buildings to his own Rancho Petaluma Adobe of 44,000 acres in the Petaluma Valley. Vallejo laid out the town of Sonoma in 1835. He had a large plaza made in front of the old Mission chapel. But he then took roof tiles from
8280-415: Was the very first mission to have its land taken away; on August 9, 1834, Governor Figueroa issued his "Decree of Confiscation." Nine other settlements quickly followed, with six more in 1835; San Buenaventura and Mission San Francisco de Asís were among the last to have their land taken away, in June and December 1836, respectively. Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad land was sold and over time all
8372-443: Was thus maintained, and in 1857 returned. Mission Santa Barbara in 1835: all the land was sold or given away, but the Mission buildings remained under the control of the Catholic Church and became a parish church. Thus on August 17, 1833, Father Presidente Narciso Durán transferred the Missions' headquarters to Santa Barbara, making Mission Santa Barbara the repository of some 3,000 original documents that had been scattered throughout
8464-564: Was upgraded to full mission status in 1822, a month before Alta California declared independence from Spain as part of Mexico . Following the American Conquest of California , the community of San Rafael incorporated as a city in 1874. San Rafael was once the site of several Coast Miwok villages: Awani-wi , near downtown San Rafael, Ewu , near Terra Linda and Shotomko-cha , in Marinwood . Mission San Rafael Arcángel
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