In these few blocks of Sonoma, a surprising amount of California history unfolded. In the early 1820s, Father Altimira, a Franciscan missionary, began building the twenty-first California mission using Native American labor. General Vallejo, appointed by Mexico as military leader of the territory, built and lost an empire. A band of rebellious settlers raised the first flag of the California Republic, which led in part to California becoming part of the United States. From Lachryma Montis, Vallejo's new American-style home, General Vallejo continued to serve the new California and United States governments.