This is a fascinating guide to the historical origins of California's landmarks and cities named in honour of saints. One of the most striking features of California is the frequency with which its natural landmarks and cities are named after Christian saints. Many place names are traceable to the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Spanish navigators, soldiers, and friars who christened the geographical sites the crossed and the missions and presidios they founded as they sought to secure California under Spanish rule. These explorers and the settlers that followed them often named sites for the saint whose feast day fell on the day the location was named. "Saints of California" highlights the appearances of more than ninety saints' names - from San Augustin to San Ysidro - as well as providing a brief but informative overview of the historical origin of the name and the life of the saint for whom it was named.