San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County,California with a population of 58,502 (2012). It is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, and is named after Archangel Raphael, the Angle of Healing, as it was once a mission set up for the sick in the 1820’s. The mission was abandoned in 1844, but was rebuilt in 1949, and today is a popular city landmark. With the arrival of George Lucas and Lucasfilm in the 1970’s, San Rafael became a center for the entertainment industry for a short time as portions of THX 1138 and American Graffiti were filmed there. Schools that are home to San Rafael include Dominican University, the Ali Akbar College of Music which was founded by an Indian musician to teach Indian classical music. The city also has a Guide Dogs for the Blind campus. |