Mission San Jose was founded on June 11, 1797 by Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen on a site which was part of a natural highway by way of the Livermore Valley to the San Joaquin Valley. It is the fourteenth of the 21 Spanish Missions in Alta California. They were founded to secure Spain's claim to this land and to teach the native people Christianity and the Spanish way of life.

Students interested in learning more about the history of Mission San Jose, especially for the 4th Grade Mission Project, can write to request the free historical information packet.

Many people come to the Mission looking for information about their relatives, such as baptism or burial records. We do provide some services for genealogical searches -- please let us know what you are looking for.

The Mission San Jose is frequently visited by classrooms and tour groups. Learn more about reserving a time for a docent-guided tour.