The Spanish arrived in the San Rafael area in the late 18th century and established the Mission San Rafael Arcangel in 1775. The mission was used to convert the Ohlone to Catholicism and to teach them European ways of life. The Spanish also introduced new diseases to the area, which decimated the Ohlone population.
The Mexicans gained control of California in 1821, after Mexico won its independence from Spain. The Mexicans continued to use the Mission San Rafael Arcangel, but they also began to secularize the mission lands. This process led to the displacement of many Ohlone people and the loss of their traditional way of life.
The Americans took control of California in 1848, after the United States won the Mexican-American War. The Americans continued to secularize the mission lands, and they also began to develop the area for agriculture and other purposes. This process led to further displacement of Ohlone people and the destruction of many of their cultural sites.
Today, there are very few Ohlone people living in the San Rafael Arcangel area. However, their legacy is still visible in the place names and the cultural traditions of the area.