SAN RAFAEL

city, seat (1893) of Marin County, on the northwestern shore of San Francisco Bay, western California, U.S. It developed around the Mission San Rafael Arcangel (1817; restored) as a ranch town. Growth was sustained by the arrival of the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad (now Northwestern Pacific, 1884) and the founding of Dominican College of San Rafael (1890). Improved accessibility to San Francisco (15 mi southeast) and the East Bay cities via the Golden Gate and RichmondSan Rafael bridges encouraged light industrial development. To the north is the Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center (an arched structure spanning four hills, designed by Wright). Pop. (1990) 48,404. city, central Mendoza province, western Argentina, near the eastern base of the Andes on the Ro Diamante. It originated around Fuerte (fort) de San Rafael, built in 1805 at the frontier roughly marking the southern limits of European colonization. Pacification of area Indians in about 1870 enabled the city to be developed as the centre of an agricultural area producing grapes, fruits (peaches, plums, pears and apricots), and grains. Contemporary local enterprises include wineries, meat-packing plants, canneries, and dairies. Deposits of petroleum and uranium southwest of San Rafael are exploited, and dams to the west along the Diamante and Atuel rivers provide local irrigation water and hydroelectric power to the city of Mendoza. Pop. (1980 prelim.) 70,477.