San Rafael (/snrfl/SAN r-FEL; Spanish pronunciation:[san rafael] "Saint Raphael") is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census the city's population is 57,713. What is now San Rafael was once the site of several Coast Miwok villages; Awani-wi, near downtown San Rafael, Ewu, near Terra Linda, and Shotomko-cha, in Marinwood.[10]Mission San Rafael Arcngel was founded in what is now downtown San Rafael as the 20th Spanish mission in the colonial Mexican province of Alta California by three priests Father Narciso Durn from Mission San Jos, Father Abella from Mission San Francisco de Ass, Father Luis Gl y Taboada from La Iglesia de Nuestra Seora Reina de los Angeleson Dec. 14, 1817, four years before Mexico gained independence from Spain. Mission San Rafael Arcangel was located a donkey's day walk to the mission below it. The mission and the city are named after the ArchangelRaphael, the Angel of Healing. It is home to Miller Creek Middle School, the school is attended by 6th, 7th, and 8th graders ranging from ages 11 to 14.
