GOT MISSIONS?

David,

Just out of curiosity.... how many of these have you been able to make it to the site of personally? And which of these today would, say, make your top 3 list (or top 5?) of those you've visited - and why?

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Originally posted by BajaNomad David, Just out of curiosity.... how many of these have you been able to make it to the site of personally? And which of these today would, say, make your top 3 list (or top 5?) of those you've visited - and why?

MISSION HISTORY TID BITS of interest!

Sorry about cross-posting. Just wanted to add to David's extensive website with this link to a Google Earth file.

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Originally posted by bryanmckenzie Sorry about cross-posting. Just wanted to add to David's extensive website with this link to a Google Earth file.

MISSIONS BY THE DECADE 1697-1706, etc.

How about some questions or requests?

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Originally posted by David K How about some questions or requests?

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Originally posted by mtgoat666 Quote: Originally posted by David K How about some questions or requests? dk: i appreciate that you got mission fever. will you post your 4th grade mision project? i am curious to see the genesis of your passion.

Being many, many years older than you... our 4th grade study was on Japan. However, in high school (10th grade) I took an elective class called California History... In which I did a report on the first California missions (those in Baja), and I got an A-, thank you very much!

How do you remember that??

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Originally posted by DENNIS Quote: Originally posted by David K our 4th grade study was on Japan. How do you remember that??

It is weird, but my long term memory is pretty great... I remember all our Baja trips from the 60's (age 7-12) with detail...

However, somebody I met last week, if you asked me their name... not a clue!!??

Missions that moved to a new location!

Missions that remained at the original site

You will be tested on this!

North to South, Baja Norte Missions:

Missions you can drive to, north to south...

Descanso (exit Hwy. 1 near Cantamar):


2nd site, built in 1830. Floor recently uneartherd and covered, next to newer church.

Guadalupe (exit Hwy. 3 in Guadalupe/ Fro. Zarco):



1834, the last mission founded in all the Californias

San Miguel:


On Hwy. 1 in La Mision, 2nd site founded in 1788.

Santa Catalina (5 mi. from Hwy. 3 at Independencia, by Santa Catarina village:


1797, the last Spanish-era mission founded.

Santo Tomas (Hwy. 1 in Santo Tomas, next to El Palomar park):


3rd site (1799). The previous 2 sites are along the road to La Bocana/ Pto. Sto. Tomas, approx. 3 miles west.

San Vicente:


1780. A mile west off Hwy. 1, in San Vicente.

*Not included: Mision San Pedro Martir (requires a 2 day hike one way to reach)*

Santo Domingo:


2nd site, 1793. 5 miles east of Hwy. 1 near Colonia V. Guerrero, north side of bridge.

El Rosario (Arriba):


1774, 1st site. Just off Hwy. 1 in El Rosario

El Rosario (Abajo):


1802, 2nd site. 2 miles from Hwy. 1, south side of river valley.

San Fernando Velicata:


1769, first California mission founded by Franciscan Junipero Serra. 3 miles off Hwy. 1 at El Progreso

The remaining missions in Baja Norte are several dirt miles from Hwy. 1...

Santa Maria de los Angeles:


1767, 2nd location for the final Jesuit founded mission. Extreme difficult 4WD road, 15 miles from Santa Ynez off Hwy. 1.

Calamajue:


1766, 1st location for final Jesuit mission. 14 dirt miles from Coco's Corner (Coco's is 13 miles from Hwy. 1 at Laguna Chapala)

San Borja:


1762-1773 adobe ruins behind stone church built up to 1801. 22 miles off Hwy. 1 at Rosarito or same from L.A. Bay highway.

Santa Gertrudis:




Founded in 1752, the original name planned for this mission was Dolores del Norte. The benefactor requested Santa Gertrudis. 37 miles from Hwy. 1 via Guillermo Prieto or 48 miles via El Arco.

For satellite views of all mission sites and GPS waypoints, go to http://vivabaja.com/missions4

For more details, historic photos, etc. go to http://vivabaja.com/bajamissions

Get the book with all the missions: http://oldmissions.com


[Edited on 9-21-2013 by David K]

Missions along Hwy. 1 in Baja Sur

Heading south into Baja California Sur, take the paved side road a mile+ into San Ignacio:


Founded in 1728, stone church completed in 1786.

Mulege (Mision Santa Rosalia de Mulege):


Founded in 1705, stone church completed in 1766. Located to the right of Highway 1 where it crosses the river.

Loreto:


California's FIRST mission, founded in 1697 stone church completed in 1752. Earthquake destroyed much in 1877 and bell tower replaced in 1950's. Located in the center of town.

Ligui (San Juan Bautista de Ligui/ Malibat):


East of Hwy. 1 along the road to Playa Ligui at the Ensenada Blanca road jcn., nothing remains after flash floods destroyed the site in 2001. A cross was placed nearby to mark the area by the mission site.

Just over 20 miles west from Loreto via a paved road (not completed) is the magnificent original stone mission of San Javier:


California's second mission founded in 1699, this stone church was built from 1744 to 1758.

San Luis Gonzaga:


Founded in 1737, the stone church was built in the 1750's. Located 23 dirt miles east from Hwy. 1, south of Ciudad Constitucion.

Sadly, none of the remaining missions to the south can be seen in their original construction. Their sites have been either lost or built over by modern buildings or churches.

They are the missions of La Paz, Santiago, San Jose del Cabo and Todos Santos (where 2 missions were established: Santa Rosa and the 2nd location for the La Paz mission). See http://vivabaja.com/bajamission for more details and photos.

Other missions along different roads in Baja Sur include Guadalupe de Huasinapi, La Purisima (2 sites), San Jose de Comondu (2 sites), and Los Dolores (2 sites)!

[Edited on 6-16-2011 by David K]

The Other Baja California Sur Missions

Guadalupe de Huasinapi:



La Purisima:



San Jose de Comondu:



Los Dolores (Apate):



Los Dolores (Chilla/ La Pasion):




Little or nothing remains from the original mission church buildings at La Paz, Todos Santos, Santiago or San Jose del Cabo. In La Paz, a plaque marks the possible site and modern churches cover other sites.

[Edited on 7-21-2011 by David K]

Mission Location Maps

The Jesuit Missions (1697-1767):






The Franciscan and Dominican Missions (1769-1849):

VISITAS... 4 examples

The missions had 'vistas' or visiting stations in their territory to serve the native population who all could not live at the head mission.

A visita was often very much like a mission except it did not have a preist full time. The mission's priest would travel to the visitas in his territory to perform services. Many visitas were extensive enough to appear like missions to modern travelers, and often they were incorrectly called missions on maps and in books. In fact, they belonged to a mission until the time came when they themselves became a seperate mission and had a priest of their own.

The Pilar de la Paz mission visita of 'Todos Santos' became a seperate mission of 'Santa Rosa de las Palmas' and after many years, the La Paz mission closed at La Paz and moved to Santa Rosa, replacing that mission. The mission was usually always called Todos Santos, as it was the original location name.

The Los Dolores Apate mission visita of La Pasion (at the place the Indians called Chilla) became the Los Dolores mission when that mission moved out of the canyon near the gulf. The mission was usually called La Pasion after the move, but officially it was Los Dolores Chilla.

The next mission to be founded north of San Ignacio was proposed to be called Dolores del Norte, and the Jesuits documents and a map published in 1757 (from ~1747 data) lists it... When the Jesuits obtained funds of that mission, its benefactor requested it to be called Santa Gertrudis. The idea of a lost mission of Dolores del Norte persisted. The adobe visita of Santa Gertrudis in San Pablo Canyon has been called Dolores del Norte in some books and even by INAH (Mexico's Dept. of Archeology). The people of San Francisco de la Sierra believed the old mission period walls in their village were the remains of Dolores del Norte when visited by Choral Pepper with the Erle Stanley Gardner expedition, in the early 1960's.


Visita San Pablo, Marquis McDonald photo in 1949


Phillip Lang photo in 2010


The last Jesuit mission (1766) was founded at the San Borja visita of Calamajue, but in a few months moved north because the water became unfit to grow crops. When re-established at the new site in 1767 the name chosen was Santa Maria de los Angeles. The Jesuits built palm huts at the new site. Only a few months passed before the Jesuits were expelled from the New World. The Franciscans in 1768 built the adobe church and side building we see ruins of today. Following the Franciscan founding of Mision San Fernando Velicata in 1769, Santa Maria was reduced in status to a visita the same year.

See more on visitas here: http://vivabaja.com/missions3/

Missions on the peninsula at various points in time

Your list, maps, directions, etc. are very good for anyone who wants to explore the working missions and the ruins of others.

But, I can't believe you said that! For the Native Americans, the Mission system was hardly a picnic. The romanticized so called history of this system usually ignores the reality.

I was not questioning what anyone ate----it is the overall romanticized history you want to believe about the mission system. But never mind----if that is what you choose to believe, so be it.

[Edited on 2-28-2012 by DianaT]

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Originally posted by DianaT Quote: Originally posted by David K If you think the Cochimi did not eat mice and lizards, then it is YOU who need to read more if you refuse to believe my words here. The mission system was Spain's method to occupy the territory ahead of the Russians or British, and convert the native population into good Spanish citizens. The diseases the natives couldn't resist were introduced by the Europeans and killed them. It was not the intention of the padres and it led to the systems failure in most of Lower California. [Edited on 2-27-2012 by David K] I was not questioning what anyone ate----it is the overall romanticized history you want to believe about the mission system. But never mind----if that is what you choose to believe, so be it. [Edited on 2-28-2012 by DianaT]

Speaking of books... very soon, a NEW book on ALL the California missions (Baja & Alta)... 48 missions will be published! The missions will be listed in the order they were founded from 1697 to 1834.

Mission Churches in use today, and what remains at other sites:

You all will be the first to know when the new book is published and for sale, hopefully soon!

Until then, there are plenty of books on the missions, and some of them are even correct!

I will show you some of my library collection in another thread in this forum, stand by!

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Originally posted by David K Quote: Originally posted by Ken Cooke I want a signed copy of this book when it is available! Keep up the good work, David K!! You all will be the first to know when the new book is published and for sale, hopefully soon! Until then, there are plenty of books on the missions, and some of them are even correct! I will show you some of my library collection in another thread in this forum, stand by!

Your library is almost as extensive as Neal Johns'.

When did you acquire so many Baja books?? I still have my 'Got Baja' magnet and 'VIVA BAJA' bumper stickers. I'll need these when you are famous and go on Oprah.