BajaNomad

La Virgen Shrine-Catavina-The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

tripledigitken - 10-22-2010 at 07:49 PM

This shrine is a popular spot to pull over and visit, but it has seen better days.........

The Good









The Bad-a broken into donation box



The Ugly-graffiti




[Edited on 10-23-2010 by tripledigitken]

dtbushpilot - 10-22-2010 at 08:04 PM

I vividly remember discovering her about 15 years ago when I stopped there to stretch my legs. There was this beautiful painting with a couple of candles, it was my first Baja trip and I was so impressed with my find. There was no sign, no collection box, no graffiti......so sad to see what it has become....dt

David K - 10-25-2010 at 03:18 PM

Entire La Virgen boulder shrine over the years:



April, 1956 by Howard Gulick:



April, 1959 by Howard Gulick:



May, 1961 by Howard Gulick:






Jump to Feb. 2003, by Neal Johns:

David K - 10-25-2010 at 03:37 PM

A new shrine was made 2 miles west along the new highway, the above photos are along the old main Baja road... between San Agustin and Santa Ynez.



Here is my '74 update to the '62 map showing the new highway location:

mcfez - 10-25-2010 at 05:40 PM

A nice sacrifice temple for these graffiti jerks would be good there......

That box still broken?

La Virgen from space!

David K - 10-26-2010 at 07:32 AM





bajaboolie - 10-27-2010 at 02:32 PM

We stopped by on October 15th and my pictures show the box was broken then. Does anyone know the history of why this shrine exists here? How is the condition of the old one? Maybe I'll take the trek to see that one. Interesting to see where the old road was, too. I have vague recollections of driving on that road when I was a child.

David K - 10-27-2010 at 03:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajaboolie
We stopped by on October 15th and my pictures show the box was broken then. Does anyone know the history of why this shrine exists here? How is the condition of the old one? Maybe I'll take the trek to see that one. Interesting to see where the old road was, too. I have vague recollections of driving on that road when I was a child.


In the first edition of the Lower California Guidebook by Howard Gulick and Peter Gerhard, 1956 (field research in 1954) as well as the second edition in 1958, no mention of La Virgen or placement is made of it on the map.

On the third edition, 1962:
"228.3 mi. from Ensenada, La Virgen, a little shrine in a large rock. A resident sells coffee, sodas, and sometimes gasoline."

In Howard Gulick's photos (above), the 1956 photo shows only a shrine... but in 1959, a residence is there. Later, it was made across the road from the shrine. When Mex. 1 was built to the west in 1973, that ended the customers coming by!

Here is Cliff Cross' map from his 1970 Baja Guide showing La Virgen (the Agua Dulce spring is incorrectly located on the opposite side of the main road):



I have made a post here in the past on finding the old Baja main road, if you are interested... I traveled the entire length with my parents in 1966.

bajaboolie - 10-28-2010 at 06:57 AM

Great map, DavidK. And the info in the guidebooks are interesting, too. On those long hours on the road, I have often thought about where the old road is and wondered about its condition. Doing a search would be a fun adventure...don't have the time now, as vacation time is stretched thin. But that's a really cool idea. If you do it, I'll be following closely! I guess nothing in those guidebooks says why the shrine was built...probably just a reverence for Our Lady of Guadalupe by a local person, nothing lofty like a miracle occurance! :lol::lol:

David K - 10-28-2010 at 07:28 AM

Thank you! I bumped up the thread of the last time I posted the old road and photos and maps post... here is the direct link, see what you think!: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=37127

tripledigitken - 10-29-2010 at 02:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by mcfez
A nice sacrifice temple for these graffiti jerks would be good there......

That box still broken?


Yes, as of last week when I took those photos.

Ken

David K - 4-19-2011 at 03:58 PM

Good stuff... along the old road!