Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad was founded on October 9th, 1791 by Father Fermín Lasuén and named Our Lady of Solitude. It is thirteenth in the chain of the missions. In 1797, the first church was completed and enlarged in 1805.
Located in a lonely, desolate site in the Salinas Valley, the mission survived under difficult weather conditions. Besides that, the area was either damaged by floods, whipped by non-stop winds or made to suffer through dry periods.
Despite all these adverse conditions, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad became a prosperous mission because of the fertile lands in the valley. Agricultural production and livestock herds were high. Nonetheless, the period of prosperity lasted only a few years, and soon misfortune settled in on Mission Soledad.
Many Indians died from disease, numerous floods wiped out the mission buildings, and one by one all leaders died. The church collapsed in 1831, and in 1841 it was secularized. It was sold in 1846 by the Mexican Government for $800 and returned to the church in 1859.
The ruins of the mission sat untouched for over one hundred years until 1954, when the Native Daughters of the Golden West started a restoration project for the mission and created a small museum. In 1963, the Padres wing was restored and, a year later, the old chapel was re-established. Today, the former lonely place of desolation has become a charming oasis.
Location of Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad
36641 Fort Romie Road, Soledad, CA 93960, United States