Nikno
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Mision Santa Catalina Ruins?
I recently visited the site of the Santa Catalina Mission and was surprised to find ruins there since my research had indicated that there were little
to no ruins remaining.
"Little physical evidence is left..." Edward Vernon "Las Misiones Antiguas"
"The walls have melted back into the ground, leaving almost nothing..." - David Kier "Baja California Land of Missions"
The ruins below are located at:
31.66074, -115.82203
Based on the site plan this would correspond with the north wall of the mission compound unless I have the location wrong. The ruins certainly appear
to be of the right era and consistent with the type of construction used in Northern Baja missions.
My questions are:
1. Are these ruins part of the Santa Catalina Mission?
2. If no, what are they?
3. If yes, where did they come from? Were they previously buried and recently unearthed?
The last picture is from Edward Vernon's book and appears to show roughly the same angle looking up the hill as the second last photo. No walls or
ruins can be seen, however there is a large mound there. I have been unable to find any information about these ruins online and haven't seen any
other pictures of them.
   
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David K
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The walls in your first photos are an unfinished entrance for a planned park at the top of the mission site/ slope.
Your last photo (Ed Vernon's) is the wall foundation looking up to the tower ruins at the northwest corner of the compound. The rooms were over to the
right. I posted lots of photos in my Trip #8 report from August 2018.
The new walls in your first photos were not there in 2006.
I have a breif mission history outline on my website. www.vivabaja.com/bajamissions
www.vivabaja.com/missions2/page10.html
You will probably enjoy my book? Baja California Land of Missions
Anyway, if you don't find my photos and the mission plot map posted on Nomad, I will add them when I get back on my PC.
[Edited on 7-19-2019 by David K]
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Nikno
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Thank you for clarifying! I figured you would know the answer. The wall looks old and sits right on edge of the mission site. That's what confused me.
It looks more like ruins than new construction. Perhaps they are trying to imitate mission era architecture.
Based on my GPX track I probably parked right on top of the mission rooms. There is a dirt road that heads up the hill from the east and drops you
just above the cemetery.
I could find no trace of the original mission, but I didn't really have an idea of what to look for.
I have your book and have been using it extensively to visit various sites!
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Nikno
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I found your Trip #8 report and have a pretty good sense of the layout of the site now. The new walls are just beyond what was the north wall of the
original site.
Whatever happened to the excavation of the stone foundation that is shown in the picture from 2007? I saw no trace of that there.
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David K
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Super! I also drove up from the cemetery and parked at the corner, just outside of the compound. The rooms are over by the right edge of the compound.
A wooden stake marks the southeast corner where they begin. Which printing of my book do you have?
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David K
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Quote: Originally posted by Nikno  | I found your Trip #8 report and have a pretty good sense of the layout of the site now. The new walls are just beyond what was the north wall of the
original site.
Whatever happened to the excavation of the stone foundation that is shown in the picture from 2007? I saw no trace of that there.
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Archeologists are vary careful to re-cover their work to preserve the site. I met the archeologist who was there, Lee Panich, whose photo I put in the
book.
It was done over where the row of rooms was but I don't know exactly which room. The outlines of the mission was clearer than when I went in 2006,
however.
[Edited on 7-19-2019 by David K]
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David K
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Posts: 64490
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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For others reading this post...
The 5-mile-long concrete-paved road to Santa Catarina village from Hwy. 3, at Independencia.
The mission (Santa Catalina) is reached through the village and towards the left, just beyond. At the cemetery, go up the hill, above it, on the left.
Tower ruins and new wall beyond.
Looking over to the right (northeast) from the tower.
From the northeast corner, looking southeast down the row of mission rooms.
Walking over the mission rooms.
Stake marking southeast corner of compound.
Stake to new wall, looking north.
Stake to southwest corner and parking spot.
Southwest corner towards tower ruins, same as Ed Vernon's photo.
Southwest corner to stake at southeast corner.
The southwest corner, looking northwest to tower ruins.
Mission rooms along the east side.
Bits of adobe remains from 1839+ destruction.
For scale  my book at a mission room.
Peveril Meigs plan from his 1920s research at the site.
Lee Panich dig shows the foundation that is under mission adobe walls.
[Edited on 7-19-2019 by David K]
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