David K
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Baja History Time: How many Spanish missions operating each year?(photos too)
I wrote this article some time ago to help Baja history students (Nomads) see how many missions were in operation over the years... All caps indicate
a new mission established in that year, followed by missions also in operation that year.
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As missions were established and abandoned the actual total number on the peninsula at any one time makes an interesting list.
I will use Ed Vernon's excellent book LAS MISIONES ANTIGUAS for dates. New missions will be all CAPS and just the short version of the mission name is
used. When the list shrinks, that year a mission was abandoned. Ligui was the first to be abandoned, in 1721. However, the inhabitants were moved that
year to the new mission of Dolores.
1697: LORETO
1699: SAN JAVIER, Loreto (2 missions operating)
1705: LIGUI, MULEGE, San Javier, Loreto (4 missions operating)
1708: COMONDU, Mulege, Ligui, San Javier, Loreto (5 missions...)
1720: LA PURISIMA, LA PAZ, GUADALUPE (DEL SUR), Comondu, Mulege, Ligui, San Javier, Loreto (8 missions)
1721: DOLORES, La Purisima, La Paz, Guadalupe, Comondu, Mulege, San Javier, Loreto (Ligui abandoned, natives moved to Dolores)
1724: SANTIAGO, Dolores, La Purisima, La Paz, Guadalupe, Comondu, Mulege, San Javier, Loreto (9 missions)
1728: SAN IGNACIO, Santiago, Dolores, La Purisima, La Paz, Guadalupe, Comondu, Mulege, San Javier, Loreto (10 missions)
1730: SAN JOSE DEL CABO, San Ignacio, Santiago, Dolores, La Purisima, La Paz, Guadalupe, Comondu, Mulege, San Javier, Loreto (11 missions)
1733: SANTA ROSA (Todos Santos), San Jose del Cabo, San Ignacio, Santiago, Dolores, La Purisima, La Paz, Guadalupe, Comondu, Mulege, San Javier,
Loreto (12 missions)
1737: SAN LUIS GONZAGA, Santa Rosa, San Jose del Cabo, San Ignacio, Santiago, Dolores, La Purisima, La Paz, Guadalupe, Comondu, Mulege, San Javier,
Loreto (13 missions)
1748: La Paz mission was moved to Todos Santos and the two missions blended into one, called PILAR*. Total: 12 missions
* This is a simplistic answer for a much more complex situation at Todos Santos, possible fodder for a seperate article.
1751: SANTA GERTRUDIS (orig. to be called Dolores del Norte), San Luis Gonzaga, Pilar, San Jose del Cabo, San Ignacio, Santiago, Dolores, La Purisima,
Guadalupe, Comondu, Mulege, San Javier, Loreto (13 missions)
1762: SAN BORJA, Santa Gertrudis, San Luis Gonzaga, Pilar, San Jose del Cabo, San Ignacio, Santiago, Dolores, La Purisima, Guadalupe, Comondu, Mulege,
San Javier, Loreto (14 missions)
1766: 'SANTA MARIA' founded first at CALAMAJUE but moved in 1767, San Borja, Santa Gertrudis, San Luis Gonzaga, Pilar, San Jose del Cabo, San Ignacio,
Santiago, Dolores, La Purisima, Guadalupe, Comondu, Mulege, San Javier, Loreto (Total 15 missions operating)
1768: JESUITS removed from the New World. Their 15 missions (that year) were reduced to 13 with the ordered closing of San Luis Gonzaga and Dolores by
the Spanish government. Only Ligui and La Paz had failed during their period on Baja.
1769: SAN FERNANDO was founded by the Franciscan Junipero Serra on his way to San Diego. Santa Maria was reduced from a mission to a visita. Total net
13 missions.
1774: DOMINICANS take over from the Franciscans who expand into Alta California, and establish ROSARIO (14 on the peninsula this year)
1775: SANTO DOMINGO (15 missions)
1780: SAN VICENTE (16...)
1787: SAN MIGUEL (17...)
1791: SANTO TOMAS (18...)
1794: SAN PEDRO MARTIR (total 19 missions operating this year, the maximum)
1795: Guadalupe del Sur and Santiago are abandoned (17 total)
1797: SANTA CATALINA (18 total)
1817: DESCANSO founded and San Javier abandoned (18 total)
1818: San Borja, San Fernando abandoned (16 total missions operating)
1822: La Purisima, Santa Gertrudis abandoned (14 total)
1824: San Pedro Martir abandoned ( 13 total )
1827: Comondu abandoned ( 12 total )
1828: Mulege abandoned ( 11 total )
1829: Loreto abandoned ( 10 total )
1832: Rosario abandoned ( 9 total )
1833: San Vicente, San Miguel abandoned (7 total)
1834: GUADALUPE (DEL NORTE) founded, Descanso abandoned. Remaining missions: San Ignacio, San Jose del Cabo, Santo Domingo, Santo Tomas, Santa
Catalina, Pilar (Todos Santos) TOTAL in 1834: 7
Of interest, Guadalupe del Norte was the last California mission founded (Baja and Alta).
Note: Various authors have various dates for the missions' operation.
The last mission officially operating was Santo Tomas, until 1849. The others all closed in 1839 to 1840.
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Just recapping the mission numbers...
JESUITS: 17 missions founded. Some confusion on this number between various authors. For example:
San Miguel (a visita next to San Jose Comondu) is not included in the number. It operated much like a mission with a resident priest from 1730-1737,
but never had its own endowment.
La Pasion (called Chilla by the natives) was a visita of Mision Dolores Apate until 1741 when that mission was moved to La Pasion (and renamed Mision
Dolores Chilla). Some authors list 'La Pasion' as a seperate mission.
Calamajue was the first site for the mission of Santa Maria. Bad water caused the site to be moved to where the Jesuits founded their final mission in
California, just west of Gonzaga Bay. Some authors list Calamajue as a seperate mission from Santa Maria.
FRANCISCANS (Junipero Serra): founded one mission on the peninsula, San Fernando Velicata.
The Franciscans did build churches at several Jesuit founded sites during their four years in Baja such as the adobes at Santa Maria and San Borja as
well as a stone church at La Presentacion, south of San Javier.
DOMINICANS: 9 missions were established in northern Baja. However, the final two (Descanso and Guadalupe del Norte) are considered just new locations
for Mision San Miguel by at least one author and historian.
The Dominicans are responsible for building or completing the stone churches at San Borja, Santa Gertrudis and San Ignacio.
To see all the missions (photos and info.): http://vivabaja.com/bajamissions
Here are some of the missions as they appear now... (No or almost no ruins remain of La Purisma, Ligui, La Paz, Santiago or San Jose del Cabo's
original Jesuit missions.)
Loreto:
San Javier:
Santa Rosalia de Mulege:
San Jose de Comondu (1st site):
San Jose de Comondu (2nd site):
La Paz (no ruins):
Guadalupe del Sur:
Dolores (Apate):
Dolores (Chilla/La Pasion):
San Ignacio:
Santa Rosa (Todos Santos):
San Luis Gonzaga:
Santa Gertrudis:
San Borja:
Santa Maria:
San Fernando:
Rosario (1st site):
Rosario (2nd site):
Santo Domingo:
The rest of the missions to the north consist of melted adobe walls or less to see... http://vivabaja.com/bajamissions
[Edited on 10-16-2006 by David K]
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Al G
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Thanks DK...much better then the feeling I get talking about the border fence.
That is a lot of info and will read it all.
Albert G
Remember, if you haven\'t got a smile on your face and laughter in your heart, then you are just a sour old fart!....
The most precious thing we have is life, yet it has absolutely no trade-in value.
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David K
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Yes, a little reflection back on the early days of Baja is good!
If this mission stuff appeals to you folks, click on the link to my Baja Notebook (at the bottom of my posts) and there is a list of new Baja books
and how to get them. Included are Ed Vernon's and Dave Werschkul's books... Do get them while they are still available...
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Al G
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Tell me David is there a government effort at restoration or preservation?
Albert G
Remember, if you haven\'t got a smile on your face and laughter in your heart, then you are just a sour old fart!....
The most precious thing we have is life, yet it has absolutely no trade-in value.
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David K
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Yes, the agency is INAH (National Insititute of Anthropology and History).
Under funded and other issues prevent better preservation, IMO.
The photos and GPS taken by Jack Swords and others on my web site is one way to 'preserve' sites before they vanish totally.
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David K
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I have edited the mission list above to make it easier to use...
To summerize:
During the Jesuit period (1697-1768), 17 missions were established and just 2 were closed with the natives moved to other missions. The most Jesuit
missions in operation at the same time was 15 in the year 1766.
The Franciscans (1769-1774) founded only one mission on the peninsula and 3 were closed... then after 5 years they handed over the Baja missions to
the Dominicans. The Franciscans continued to establish missions in Alta California.
The Dominicans (1774-1849) establish 9 more missions (the last 2 are considered by some as just new locations for San Miguel, and not new missions)
and completed the building of the stone missions at San Ignacio, Santa Gertrudis and San Borja. In 1794, the Dominicans were operating the greatest
number of missions in Baja Califorina, 19.
[Edited on 10-16-2006 by David K]
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bajalera
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Thanks, David. You put a lot of time and effort into that presentation.
\"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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BajaWarrior
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Nice job David,
Tell me, the San Pedro Martir mission, which side of the Peak was it? Pacific side or Gulf side?
And would you happen to know if there were any Missions built around the San Felipe area or Gonzaga?
Thanks if you have any info.
BW
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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BajaWarrior
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Answered my own question on the location of San Pedro Martir after looking at your link to photos....
How about the San Felipe and south question?
BW
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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Barry A.
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BW------Picacho del Diablo does not have any "Pacific side"----
-------all drainage from the peak runs to the east eventually, as the peak and main mountain lie isolated from the main plateau to the west, tho an
appendage of that plateau.
The Mission site for San Pedro Martir is on a westward drainage, quite a bit south of Picacho. (See page 11, bottom of the page at 6-W, in the Baja
Almanac map book, 2 volume set)
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David K
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Yes, as Barry stated Diablo is an island facing the eastern escarpment of the San Pedro Martir range.
Mision San Pedro Martir (from which the mountain range got its name) is on a plateau that drains toward the west. As you indicated, you just looked at
my web pages for that mission made from information and photos by the members of the 2004 expedition of Baja Nomads led by Jack Swords (and with Taco
de Baja, Pappy, & Mexitron).
The first mission (going south), on the gulf side of the peninsula is 100 miles south of San Felipe and less than 10 air miles west of Gonzaga Bay:
SANTA MARIA DE LOS ANGELES
[Edited on 10-18-2006 by David K]
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BajaWarrior
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Thanks David, had not seen that one pictured with the rest of the missions.
Those priest were sure busy, odd, how many they built in such sparsely populated places....and so far from the coast, where one would think they could
get fish and shellfish easily...
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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David K
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They did build in heavily populated areas (back then)... where there was plenty of fresh water... or they moved an entire tribe ('rancheria') to a
better water source for farming, which the natives did not do before the missions came.
The natives were needed for labor (mission construction, road building, farming) and the padres believed they were saving souls. Very few Spanish
soldiers were stationed at most of the missions.
A few missions were on or within a couple miles of the coast or at least until the water situation or other reasons caused a move (Mulege, Loreto,
Ligui, Dolores, La Paz, San Jose del Cabo, San Miguel, Descanso)
Do take a look at http://vivabaja.com/bajamissions and you will see all the missions and many with old photos or drawings to show what they once looked like.
Santa Maria is pictured way above... I used a photo by Jack Swords first and the one just above is the picture I took my first time in there...1999.
[Edited on 10-18-2006 by David K]
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