While Thom and his family were visiting Carmel in June of 1998, he painted three plein air scenes.  This is one of the three.  The others are Point Lobos, Carmel and Rainy Day in Carmel.  The official name of the mission featured in this painting is Mission San Carlos Borromeo and was founded in 1771 by a Franciscan friar named Padre Junipero Sera to help educate the Native Americans.  The mission was the second one built in California, and inside holds California’s first library.