1 7 7 7 . ▁N amed ▁for ▁Saint ▁Cla re ▁of ▁Ass isi , ▁the ▁founder ▁of ▁the ▁order ▁of ▁the ▁Po or ▁Cl ares ▁and ▁was ▁an ▁early ▁companion ▁of ▁St . ▁Francis ▁of ▁Ass isi , ▁this ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁California ▁mission ▁to ▁be ▁named ▁in ▁honor ▁of ▁a ▁woman . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁names ake ▁of ▁both ▁the ▁city ▁and ▁county ▁of ▁Santa ▁Clara , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁of ▁Santa ▁Clara ▁University , ▁which ▁was ▁built ▁around ▁the ▁mission . ▁This ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁mission ▁now ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁grounds ▁of ▁a ▁university ▁campus . ▁Although ▁ru ined ▁and ▁re built ▁six ▁times , ▁the ▁settlement ▁was ▁never ▁abandoned , ▁and ▁today ▁it ▁functions ▁as ▁the ▁university ▁chap el ▁for ▁Santa ▁Clara ▁University . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁out post ▁was ▁originally ▁established ▁as ▁La ▁M isión ▁Santa ▁Clara ▁de ▁Th am ien ▁( or ▁Mission ▁Santa ▁Clara ▁de ▁Th am ien , ▁a ▁reference ▁to ▁the ▁Tam yen ▁people ) ▁at ▁the ▁Indian ▁village ▁of ▁So - co - is - u - ka ▁( mean ing ▁" La ure l wood ", ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁Gu ad alu pe ▁River ) ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 7 7 7 . ▁ ▁There ▁the ▁Francis can ▁brothers ▁ere cted ▁a ▁cross ▁and ▁shelter ▁for ▁worship ▁to ▁bring ▁Christian ity ▁to ▁the ▁O hl one ▁and ▁Cost ano an ▁pe op les . ▁Flo ods , ▁fires , ▁and ▁earth qu akes ▁dam aged ▁many ▁of