Committee for Restoration of the Mission San Jose, Fremont

About Committee for Restoration of the Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose, founded in 1797 as the fourteenth Spanish mission in Alta California, stands as a historic site in Fremont. An earthquake destroyed the original Mission Church in 1868. The Committee for Restoration of the Mission San Jose, formed in 1975, reconstructed the adobe church over its original foundation and completed the project in 1985. Visitors explore the Mission Church, which displays six 1830s paintings and an original baptismal font that have undergone recent conservation treatment. The Mission Museum houses artifacts and artwork related to the mission's history. The organization continues restoration work including seismic retrofitting, adobe wall replastering, and foundation repairs. A visit involves walking through the reconstructed church to view religious artifacts, examining the museum's collections documenting early California mission history, and observing the grounds where Native Americans, soldiers, and settlers once lived and worked during the mission period.