A look at MISION SAN BORJA in 1949 to '60 and 2001 to 2017

One of the most impressive sites in northern Baja California is to come upon the grand stone mission of San Borja after countless dusty miles of desert!

Founded in 1762 by Jesuit Father Wenceslao Linck as Mision San Francisco de Borja Adac, three years after Father Jorge Retz of Santa Gertrudis built a chapel here, as a visita for Mision Santa Gertrudis. The site was known as 'Adac' by the Indians. The Jesuits built adobe rooms with thatched palm and tule roofs as well as an irrigation system.

The Jesuits were expelled from the New World in 1768... The Franciscans were responsible for most of the adobe construction that is seen today. The adobe ruins are the most extensive in Baja, yet rarely get mentioned due to the impressive stone church that replaced them.

The stone church was built by the Dominicans, who took over the Baja missions from the Franciscans in 1773... Stone construction began in 1776 and lasted for 25 years. Only the bell tower was not finished in 1801.

The native population once as high as 3,000 had dropped to under 400 when the mission was abandoned, in 1818. In 1862 a census listed the Indian population at 8.

Today, only one family lives at San Borja headed by Jose Gerardo who with his children act as guides to the local sites.

SAN FRANCISCO DE BORJA ADAC

IN 1949 (Marquis McDonald)



IN 1952 (Howard Gulick)





IN 1954 (Howard Gulick)







IN 1960 (Howard Gulick)





IN 2001:

















Jose Gerardo on the roof:



The adobe ruins with a recently built awning to offer some weather protection:















[Edited on 2-6-2009 by David K]

[Edited on 3-15-2019 by David K]

2002, 2003, 2004

Bedman took these first four photos when we all went in April, 2002:









Here's a photo of the road I took on that day... supper fast!:



=======================================================

April, 2003:

Jose and family:



Gerardo kids with Sarah K and Andee (Bo's daughter):



http://www.vivabaja.com/703/mailedD18.jpg

For a couple of years, the Gerardo family was locked out of the mission because they are not Catholic! Theodoro was doing mission-ground tours then:



A fence was added...



Jose's oldest daughter 'Brisa' and Sarah:



Andee, Sarah and I continued south and west to the visita sites of Santa Ana and San Regis... but a gate prevented a visit up to San Regis.

[Edited on 2-6-2009 by David K]

Jan., 2004

The kids and I along with the Humfreville's, and GeoRock family went to San Borja over the New Year's holiday:

Looks like they were trying to grow a couple shade trees at the entrance to the church way back when...probably got torn out when they found out they weren't native!

The adobe seems to have really deteriorated... what beautiful country out there....

Until you find yours, here is one from Jack Swords of Mision San Luis Gonzaga taken in 2000 (from our Baja Missions web page at http://vivabaja.com/bajamissions ):

HUGO LOPEZ ART

Here's a photo of Hugo's San Borja painting at Tacos Mision, El Rosario in May, 2005:

2009 Photos

El gusto es mio!





















































[Edited on 3-15-2019 by David K]

Sept. 2016, during the Baja Extreme Tour

The hot spring pool



































[Edited on 3-15-2019 by David K]

2017 San Borja Photos

From my February 2017 research trip:

Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck

Seriously facinating. Thanks

It even had an airport! I say had because it would have been ditched in the years after the pilot's book 'Air Baja!' was published.

Great pics! I visited there for the first time last year. Well worth the time.

Quote: Originally posted by basautter

Great pics! I visited there for the first time last year. Well worth the time.

José and his family make the place very welcoming and interesting.
In past years, his children would show off the mission. Kids grow up and move on. In 2016, his daughter and wife (Analisia?) took us to the hot spring... They do this for tips. In 2017, José's brother moved to San Borja to help him build more to serve visitors, such as a café. I think I heard the wife moved to (Nuevo) Rosarito to be closer to daughter/grandchildren?

Here is a card (below), from José's son and it (did once) provide a way to reach José if you would like to arrange a guide into the mountains to see petroglyphs or mines. Neal Johns and friends rented mules and José many years ago to see some Indian ruins along El Camino Real in 2002: http://www.vivabaja.com/neal/index.html



When Genaro was much younger, he was on a magazine cover:



[Edited on 3-16-2019 by David K]

Quote: Originally posted by David K

In 2016, his daughter and wife (Analisia?) took us to the hot spring...

José's wife is Alicia. Genaro now works with INAH. "Es muy padre la arqueología," he says. ("Archaeology is really cool.")

If you have time, José will hike with you up the hill, along the Camino Real (south toward Santa Gertrudis). Looking back toward Mission San Borja:



At the top of the hill, you'll pass the historic stone cross (from the Jesuit era):



But watch out for . . .



[Edited on 3-16-2019 by gueribo]

Did you drive to the base of the grade, if you can get a car to there, or to where ECR leaves the auto road to Santa Ana?

Thanks for the photos... A red diamondback is not one to mess with! Erle Stanley Gardner wrote very colorfully about the effects of its venom in Hovering Over Baja!

So, NEVER play with them like Steve Irwin would (or my daughter did... even though I said NO! After this photo, the snake was left to go on its own away from the road):

One more note about Genaro. In September, he presented a conference paper: "Indian Trails and the Camino Real in the Central Desert of Baja California." He's doing some great research.

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

David, Did you note any year of manufacture on that farm equipment?

Quote: Originally posted by BajaMama

Can you post a map?

Sure!



These maps are on Nomad in a post in the Road Conditions forum.

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

just to be complete - San Borja has 2 airstrips