The Mission museum is the original 1809 adobe Convento, the former Padres’ living quarters.  It is the oldest standing building in Alameda county.  Its importance is recognized by the National Register of Historic Places and the California State Historic Landmarks Commission. 

Cracks and holes in the rock retaining wall and adobe exterior wall on the west side of the building were discovered in 2020.  Investigation by a team of structural and geotechnical engineers in 2021 determined the soil was settling beneath the southern portion of the building and the retaining wall below the adobe was sinking and moving outward towards Mission Blvd. This movement created exterior and interior cracks in the foundation, retaining wall, and adobe. It was also causing the exterior stucco and original mud plaster to spall off, exposing the underlying adobe to water damage.

The engineering studies concluded the building was in danger of partial collapse in the event of a moderate earthquake on the nearby Hayward fault or a major earthquake on another Bay Area fault.  Beginning in 2022 the parish has repaired the mission clay tile roof, replaced missing and leaking rain gutters, and replaced the failing sections of the foundation and retaining wall.  Click here to see pictures of the foundation and retaining wall replacement, completed in February 2024. 

Help us preserve our 1809 Mission Museum for future generations

As part of the Mission’s 225th anniversary we raised $100,000 towards the cost repairs. We also received  $120,206 in grants from the Committee for the Restoration of Mission San Jose, a $25,000 grant from Alameda County, and $16,165 from the California Missions Foundation.  The parish contributed $537,110 from parish savings for these repairs.

More funding is needed to repair and restore the cracked and spalling stucco and mud plaster coating that covers and protects the building’s historic adobe brick walls, to repair and preserve the building’s wood windows and exterior doors, and improve restrooms. Click HERE to become part of our history with a donation to this project and to see a list of our donors.