when was the mission of san diego de alcala founded
Mission Basilica San Diego de AlcalÃ¡ was the first Franciscan mission in The Californians, a province of New Spain. Located in present-day San Diego, California, it was founded on July 16, 1769 by Spanish friar JunÃ­pero Serra in an area long inhabited by the island. The mission and the surrounding area were named for the Catholic Didacus of AlcalÃ¡, a Spaniard more commonly known as San Diego.