[2] In 1695, the mission of San José was founded by Jesuit missionaries Juan Bautista Zea and Francisco Hervás.

The mission was relocated and rebuilt multiple times due to epidemics (in 1701 and again in 1705) and fires (in 1719).

[3][4] The Tao (Yúnkarirsh) dialect of Chiquitano was spoken in San Rafael.

[5] Today, Camba Spanish, which has many words from Chiquitano, is spoken in San Rafael.

[6] This Santa Cruz Department location article is a stub.