San Gabriel, Mission city in Los Angeles County, United States
San Gabriel sits in the San Gabriel Valley within Los Angeles County, covering roughly 4.1 square miles (10.6 square kilometers) with residential streets and neighborhood shopping areas. The layout combines older houses in colonial style with newer apartment buildings, all connected by wide avenues and tree-lined sidewalks.
Spanish missionaries founded Mission San Gabriel Arcángel in 1771, turning this site into a starting point for colonization of the surrounding territory. The area shifted from mission farmland to independent ranches in the 19th century, then became a separately incorporated city in 1913.
The name honors the archangel Gabriel, patron of the Spanish mission that remains an active parish and a place of worship for residents today. The surrounding streets and parks carry Spanish names that recall the religious roots that shaped the community.
Most public facilities such as schools, libraries, and community centers sit along main thoroughfares and are easy to reach on foot or by car. Visitors exploring the historic mission area should wear comfortable walking shoes since several buildings connect through short strolls.
The mission remains on its original site and houses a collection of old tools and religious objects from the colonial period. A small cemetery nearby holds simple graves that mark the resting places of early settlers and missionaries.
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