David K
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EL CAMINO REAL in Baja (Part 10), Santa Maria to San Fernando
Baja Almanac page 16:
Santa Maria de los Angeles (located midway between Catavina and Gonzaga Bay's Punta Final) was the last mission founded by the Jesuit order, in 1767.
They built a chapel from palm logs before being expelled from California by order of the king of Spain. The Franciscans replaced the Jesuits, and
built the adobe church and residence structure whose ruins are viewed today. See http://davidksbaja.com/missionsm for photos by Neal Johns and Baja Mur.
Franciscan padre, Junipero Serra had a cargo trail constructed from Santa Maria northeast to Bahia San Luis Gonzaga. Remains of a warehouse built by
the padres are still visible: http://davidksbaja.com/1102/page4.html At Gonzaga Bay, supplies were off loaded from ships to supply Santa Maria and subsequently the first
Franciscan mission in California, San Fernando Velicata.
Santa Maria was abandoned as a mission in 1769, but continued as a visiting station and rest stop on the El Camino Real.
Baja Almanac page 16:
From Santa Maria, the auto road and trail took the same path to the peninsular divide: http://davidksbaja.com/403/page3.html . There-abouts, the ECR went more northerly to a water hole known as San Antonio, then northwest to a spring
called San Nicolas, located on the upper portion of Arroyo Catavinacito (the arroyo that crosses Hwy. 1 north of Catavina, by the pictograph cave).
From San Nicolas the trail headed west to Agua Dulce, an important spring located just north of Highway 1, about 8 miles east of Rancho Sonora: http://davidksbaja.com/1102 .
From Agua Dulce the old trail and the old transpeninsular dirt road were very near each other, except that the El Camino Real went to the south of
Rancho San Agustin (as does Hwy. 1).
It should be noted that the Mexican topo maps (and Baja Almanac) never plotted the new highway correctly and just 'paved' the old road on the map in
the section from near San Agustin to San Roque, page 16. The highway actually parallels the old road, about 1-2 miles south and west of it.
The Camino Real parallels ARROYO SAN FERNANDO west from near San Agustin, as does Highway One.
Baja Almanac page 15:
Today's Rancho Progreso cafe is a half mile north of the old Baja road and ECR route, where that rancho used to be. It is then about 3 miles west
along Arroyo San Fernando to Mision San Fernando Velicata.
The next section (to El Rosario) is quite different from the old or new transpeninsular roads!
To Be Continued...
[Edited on 11-24-2003 by David K]
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David K
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Another water source on the old trail...
Among the beautiful photographs from Neal Johns, the bottom one at http://davidksbaja.com/neal2/page5.html showing the oasis in ARROYO AGUAGE GUILLERMO may very well be a place named 'Agua Escondida' by Arturo
Grosso to Howard Guilick, in the 1950's.
This 'Agua Escondida' was between San Nicolas and Agua Dulce on the Camino Real. Gulick's 1954 map of the El Camino Real places this spring in the
same arroyo where Neal's photo was taken.
[Edited on 11-24-2003 by David K]
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academicanarchist
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San Fernando
David. You forgot to point out that San Fernando was the only Franciscan mission established in Baja California.
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David K
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Thank you Robert. When I write my missions article, that will be made clear.
I did mention that Santa Maria was the last Jesuit mission.
Soon after the Franciscan Fr. Junipero Serra founded his first California mission (at San Fernando Velicata), Santa Maria was reduced in status to a
visita (visiting station of Mision San Fernando).
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Neal Johns
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It's time I got around to thanking you for posting this info on the ECR, because as you know, it is of major interest to me. Thanks!
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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elgatoloco
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Neal - I, like you, always have an interest in things I have helped build.  
MAGA
Making Attorneys Get Attorneys
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bajalera
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Nice work, David K. Thanks!
bajalera
\"Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest never happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.\" -
Mark Twain
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David K
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Ahhhh shucks, you guys are muy welcome! I love this stuff, and am happy to do it.
The great part is, no matter how much detail, photos, or GPS waypoints I give, it is such a tiny part of this 1,000 mile trail (the Baja part of
it)... It may just whet your appetite. If you are so inclined and equiped for the harsh enviroment, you will see to actually travel on it will be like
you are the first one there, since the Indians, padres, miners, and ranchers used it as the main route of transportation.
If all goes as planned, I will be on it in a few days! Just a hike, mind you (Gonzaga-side towards Santa Maria).
[Edited on 11-25-2003 by David K]
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Neal Johns
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EGL, You are dead meat!
I was too young to work on it.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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