MISSIONS THAT WERE MOVED

In many cases, there were more than one location for many of the missions.

A site may have been picked because it was close to the Indian population centers, but often needed to be relocated because the source of water wasn't enough for the European farming system imposed by the padres on the natives.

During the Jesuit period, the missions that were moved (more than a mile), or closed from the original founding location are:

SAN JAVIER (mission moved from Rancho Viejo site)

LIGUI (mission closed and everyone was relocated to the new mission of Los Dolores)

SAN JOSE COMONDU (mission moved from Comondu Viejo site, many miles away)

Comodu Viejo (1708-1737)


New site was built into the largest church in all California, torn down in the 1920's to build a school!



A side chapel is all that was spared:



LA PURISIMA (mission moved several miles from Purisima Vieja site)

LA PAZ (mission moved to Todos Santos area near where Mision Santa Rosa de las Palmas was established)

LOS DOLORES (mission moved from near the coast many miles inland to the La Pasion visita site. Some authors have listed La Pasion as a seperate mission.)

Early site: (photo from distant ridge)


Final site at La Pasion:


SANTIAGO (Mission activity began near Los Barriles, moved far inland to Real de Santa Ana, then as a new mission a couple miles from today's Santiago, then into today's Santiago. Some historians say it made one more move to Caduaño.)

SAN JOSE DEL CABO (First site at 'San Jose Viejo' had poor soil and the mission was moved to the present location of the town. A modern church is now on the site.)

CALAMAJUE/ SANTA MARIA (Began at Calamajue, moved many miles north because of bad water and renamed Santa Maria de los Angeles)

Calamajue:


Santa Maria:

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Dominican missions that required moving to new locations after buildings were erected:

ROSARIO (moved a couple miles to edge of river after spring on hillside dried up).
First site:


Final site:


SAN MIGUEL (moved 7 miles to site in La Mision after one year)

SANTO TOMAS (moved because of mosquitos about 4 miles)
First site:


Final site:


SAN PEDRO MARTIR (moved from 8,000' at La Grulla to 5,000' because of cold conditions)

Some historians consider the missions of Descanso and Guadalupe just new locations for Mision San Miguel. Because there was no seperate funding, they aren't really seperate missions.



[Edited on 2-23-2009 by David K]

And just when we thought the information about the old dead rocks couldn't be anymore useless!

Just kidding. It could be useful. Somehow. To somebody, somewhere, someday.
Couldn't it?

See! I know there would be atleast one person interested in piles of rocks way out in the middle of no where.

It's the "middle of nowhere" that is the main draw------the "piles of rock" are just the excuse to actually go there.

It's ALL good!!!



BArry

Maybe you could return the souvenir stones and bricks you took home ?

Quote:

Originally posted by Diver Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck My first Baja trip was a 4x4 trip through Orange Coast College and we went to a lot of the missions. Maybe you could return the souvenir stones and bricks you took home ?

I didn't know they were like historical and stuff. David K wasn't there to tell me.

I spent several days camping at La Grulla in 1954 and we walked and rode horses all over that meadow-------never saw any "ruins" that I can remember.

(which, or course, means nothing)

Barry

Wikimapia's source from some of the info is Ed Vernon, the author of a great (the best) book on the missions... http://www.bajacaliforniamissions.com/

However, there is disagreement between Ed and one of his sources of information... our own Nomad 'academicanarchist' (Dr. Robert Jackson).

While it is certain the first mission location is off the road to La Bocana, by the oak tree camp area.... and the final site is next to Hwy 1 and the El Palomar campground... the question is about a new mission building constructed on the north side of the canyon, near the 'first site'... Meigs sketched in in 1926 and labeled it the mission church and the 'first site'.

It was built perhaps in 1794 per one document, and then destroyed by road crews grading the road to La Bocana, in recent history.

The problem Dr. Jackson has with Ed calling it a 'second site', is that the church is only one part of a 'mission'... and only because the church was relocated (less than a mile away)... doesn't mean the entire 'mission' was moved. In fact, the records show only one move was authorized by Dominican leaders.

So, while I have great respect for Ed... I tend to agree with Robert on this mission having only two unique mission sites. Ed's belief came from the writings and sketches of Peveril Meigs that didn't identify a site, on the south side of the creek... only the adobe that was later destroyed by road crews on the north side.... what Ed believes to be a 'second site'.

Naturally, none are alive to know this first hand, so we history buffs have to come to some concussions based on the facts available and observations.

Baja Angel and I visited both sites in 2005:

First site, founded in 1791



The first location of the Santo Tomas mission is 3.9 miles from Hwy. 1, just 1/4 mile off the Puerto Santo Tomas/ La Bocana graded road, at 31 34.18, 116 28.80 (NAD27).

In 1799, the mission was moved to its final location (where the town grew from):



Once a large mission complex, only a few low adobe walls remain 156 years after it was abandoned. Located just east of the highway and north of the El Palomar campground in Santo Tomas at 31 33.50, 116 24.77 (NAD27).

[Edited on 2-10-2015 by David K]

Mission Fact Sheet (Part 1, Jesuit Missions)