David K - 4-25-2004 at 01:52 PM
Using photos from Jack Swords and a 1926 site plan drawn by Peveril Meigs, here is a web page. More may be added.
http://community-2.webtv.net/vivabaja/spm
Eventually, this will be encorporated into the big mission web site where Jack's other great photos can be viewed... http://davidksbaja.com/bajamissions
Map and Photos
bajalou - 4-25-2004 at 06:44 PM
Great photos Jack and the site map from the previous visit helps make some sence of what we see Thanks. I'll be looking forward to seeing them
with the rest of Baja's missions.
Mexitron - 4-25-2004 at 06:59 PM
Nice! Makes me want to start packing for another trip!
San Pedro Martir
academicanarchist - 4-28-2004 at 05:40 AM
David. I am not convinced that San Pedro Martir continued to operate as a mission as late as 1824, or at least as a mission with a resident
missionary, for several reasons. During the decade 1810-1820, the period of the Mexican independence wars, the Dominican leadership had difficulty
staffing other missions in Baja, such as San Borja and Santa Gertrudis, where there were no missionaries. San Pedro Martir was marginal to begin with,
so probably it did not have a priest.
David K - 4-28-2004 at 08:04 PM
Hi Robert, I agree that 1806 seems the logical date. But, one reference says there was official activity a bit longer. What does your Dominican
archives say?
How about all the gold that was in the area? Could it be the Dominican (and not the Jesuits) had a lost mission to hide all the San Pedro Martir booty
in? After being shafted by the Franciscans in assuming control in Antigua California... perhaps the gold was a way of getting even?!
SPM
academicanarchist - 4-29-2004 at 05:06 AM
David. There is no reference that I have seen to a date of abandonment, but 1806 was too early. The last Dominican census that lists SPM is 1808. I
suspect that the mission no longer had a resident sometime soon after 1810. Most of the Dominicans that staffed the Baja missions were Spaniards, and
it was a little dangerous and difficult for Spaniards to come to the Mexican frontier during the civil war. Moreover, Spain was under French
occupation (1808-1814) and near bankrupcy during most of the period. Finally, local Mexican revenues for the missions dried up after 1810, as royal
officials tried to finance the war against insurgents.
David K - 4-29-2004 at 07:14 AM
So, your vote is for 1810? Thanks!
elgatoloco - 4-29-2004 at 08:22 AM
1811?
SPM
academicanarchist - 4-29-2004 at 03:23 PM
David. It is not a vote for one year or another. I would say during the dacade 1810-1820, and probably closer to 1810. As I recall, it was around 1816
that gaps appeared in the Santa Gertrudis and San Borja registers.
David K - 6-12-2004 at 09:26 AM
Werschkul states operated sporadically after 1806, officially closing in 1824.
Vernon lists two abandoned dates from different historians, 1806 and 1824.
Robertson names the padres and their years at San Pedro Martir. In 1846 he says perhaps the last to officiate was Padre Tomas Mancilla.
Peter Gerhard puts the date 'about' 1806.
These sort of things keeps research alive and interesting!
SPM
academicanarchist - 6-12-2004 at 03:47 PM
Mancilla was the last Dominican in La Frontera, and his posting was Sto Tomas. The last population count was 1808. When will you add SPM to the
Mission web site?
David K - 6-12-2004 at 11:52 PM
The link to the new 'spm' mission web site is at the top of this thread. I have already asked my web host to put a link on the page in the big mission
web site that will take you to the 'spm' web page.
Taco de Baja is trying to add lables to that 3-D map so you can see where San Antonio and San Isidoro are in relation to the starting point and the
mission site at the end of the shown trail.
He also is working on a GPS trail guide with milages to replace the 'estimated' milage and time log I now have in the the 'spm' page.
When it is all done then the site will be in http://vivabaja.com/bajamissions with all the other photos taken by Jack Swords, Kevin in OK, you, and I.
Sounds good
academicanarchist - 6-13-2004 at 07:13 AM
David. SInce you are redoing the site, you might want to replace some of my photos with better versions that I recently scanned.
David K - 6-13-2004 at 11:29 AM
I am not redoing http://vivabaja.com/bajamissions But, I will replace any photos with better scans that you sent me. I sent the revised Gonzaga Bay mission
warehouse ruins (orig. seen at http://vivabaja.com/1102/page4.html ) to be added after Mision Santa Maria photos at http://vivabaja.com/bajamissions/page8.html
work, work, work... :-)
David K - 6-17-2004 at 01:14 AM
GPS data from Taco de Baja added to the site along with the second 3-D map... check it out!