San Gabriel dates to 1771, and 18% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 90% of U.S. towns · #7 of 847 in California. What drives it
Its Register listings are the San Gabriel Mission, the La Laguna de San Gabriel and the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse. Below: 10 old photos and papers, maps from 1896 on, and the census since 1900.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1854.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives San Gabriel’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, San Gabriel is more historic than 90% of U.S. towns, #7 of 847 in California. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of San Gabriel’s overall grade.
Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so San Gabriel’s 0.8 sits above most of its state (74% of California towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. The pre-1940 share (±2.1 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1771.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about San Gabriel’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Prior to the arrival of the Spanish to Alta California, the area that is San Gabriel were inhabited by the Tongva, whom the Spanish called the Gabrieleño. The Tongva village of Shevaanga was located at the original site of Mission San Gabriel, before being moved to the site of another village, Toviscanga, in 1776 after being destroyed by a flood. These villages were part of an extensive trade network and were interconnected by a series of trails.
The "Libro de las Cosas Notables de la Mision de San Gabriel" offers a bit of information concerning this subject of the finishing of the church and also giving the reason for the absence from San Gabriel of one of its bells. This book says: "In 1821 the Mission of San Gabriel loaned a bell to the Pueblo of Los Angeles, until the Poblanos should receive one."
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
San Gabriel was the fourth Mission founded in California. Father Junipero Serra was not present at the ceremonies incident to the founding, but was duly represented by Fathers Pedro Benito Cambon and Angel Fernandez de la Somera, and this was during his presidential incumbency. Previous to his death he visited San Gabriel several times, and on one occasion prophetically remarked that its site was such a suitable one that it could serve
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
San Gabriel, decade by decade
3 decades in the archive, from the 1860s to the 1880s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1771, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. San Gabriel’s post office opened in 1854, and the census of 1900 counted 737 people here.
How does San Gabriel rank for history?
San Gabriel is more historic than 90% of U.S. towns, #7 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in San Gabriel?
Three places: the San Gabriel Mission (listed 1971), the La Laguna de San Gabriel (2017) and the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse (2019).
How old are the homes in San Gabriel?
18% of San Gabriel’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.1 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1957.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (10), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1873
c. 1880
c. 1885
c. 1885
c. 1885
c. 1885
c. 1885
