The mission was founded in 1776 by Lieutenant Jose Moraga, Father Francisco Palou and Father Junipero Serra, all of them members of Anza expedition who were sent to establish a settlement and evangelize the Ohlone Indians. The settlement was named after the founder of the Franciscan Order, Saint Francis de Assisi. The mission soon became popular among the natives but in time many of the run away from the mission. They start calling the Mission Dolores in 1830s after a creek named “Our Lady of Sorrow Creek”. Mexico decided to close all the missions of the California chain in 1834 including the Mission Dolores. In 1846 Mexico ceded California to the US. Today, from the original settlement only the church and the cemetery survived. Nevertheless, it is still a center of Hispanic people there. But more people attend mass in the basilica next door.