Missions of California - San Fernando Rey de España

Mission San Fernando Rey de España was the 17th mission in the chain. Founded by Father Fermin de Lasuen, it was named after St. Ferdinand, King of Spain. The spacious San Fernando Valley offered an excellent water supply and friendly Native Americans.

The mission grew rapidly, and by 1807 over 1000 Indians made the compound their home. Due to close proximity to a popular travel route, the mission erected a large building with rooms for guests. This building is currently the largest adobe structure in California.

Constructed in an earthquake-prone area, the church was destroyed by the 1812 quakes, rebuilt, destroyed again in 1971, rebuilt, and again damaged in 1994. Restoration is a way of life at Mission San Fernando.

After secularization, the Indians left and the padres moved away. The roof tiles were removed for use in other buildings and vandals dug up the floors looking for gold. The mission became a working church again in 1923 when the Oblate priests arrived and restoration was started at that time, but not completed until the Hearst Foundation gave a large gift of money in the 1940s.