I have been scanning pictures from my mothers photo albums and ran across some from a trip we did to Baja. In that collection was this picture. I
think I know where it was taken but would like some confirmation. It was taken in March 1974 as listed in the album. I believe my father took the
picture while my wife and I were out diving.
TMW - 7-9-2017 at 10:07 AM
I have never seen a mission in Baja that looked like that. But I have not been to all of them.AKgringo - 7-9-2017 at 10:14 AM
Well it definitely is a church, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was a mission. Nice looking structure though, and I am curious about the
location.DENNIS - 7-9-2017 at 10:37 AM
DK knows.David K - 7-9-2017 at 10:45 AM
Not one of the Baja missions or new church on a mission site in Baja.
In addition to the 25 Spanish missions, there are two more 'Mexican' missions: El Descanso and Guadalupe (del Norte) founded by Dominican priest after
Mexico's independence from Spain. They are both located near Mission San Miguel on the map above, which some historians consider the two as simply new
locations for that mission.
[Edited on 7-12-2017 by David K]wiltonh - 7-9-2017 at 10:56 AM
It is definitely in Baja. It was built in 1730 if that helps. It has been refurbished and has bi-lingual masses at 12 noon each Sunday.wiltonh - 7-9-2017 at 11:03 AM
DK
I think one of the arrows on your map points at this building.chippy - 7-9-2017 at 11:08 AM
The only mission I could find built in 1730 is in San Jose del Cabo. David K - 7-9-2017 at 11:10 AM
It is definitely in Baja. It was built in 1730 if that helps. It has been refurbished and has bi-lingual masses at 12 noon each Sunday.
I want to help you find out!
In 1730, one mission was founded, San José del Cabo, the 12th California mission.
Mission churches in Baja that look like your photo were not constructed before 1740. They were made of sticks, palm leaves, then adobe.
Churches made of adobe or stone were constructed after the founding. In the case of the stone missions, often many years after.
For example, San Javier was founded in 1699, but then the mission was moved in 1710. It wasn't until 1744 that construction began on the church we see
today and lasted to 1758.
Loreto (1697) began construction of the stone church in 1740.
Comondú (1708) was moved in 1736, 22 miles south. The stone church there was started in 1754.
Stone mission at Mulegé was completed in 1766.
San Luis Gonzaga (founded 1737) stone church was built from March 1753 to December 1758.
San Ignacio, founded in 1728 by the Jesuits, has a grand church but was not completed until 1786 by the Dominicans. David K - 7-9-2017 at 11:13 AM
I think one of the arrows on your map points at this building.
Cool, but I have photos at every site posted here and in my book (Do you have my book yet?) and I don't remember seeing a mission church like your
photo. ??
Let's keep searching!wiltonh - 7-9-2017 at 11:19 AM
I am quite sure that the church listed above is the one described in this link. There are several pictures where it is painted differently and it
appears that a blue gate or wall has been added on the right side.
So DK is this not considered a mission? If so what is it?
I am quite sure that the church listed above is the one described in this link. There are several pictures where it is painted differently and it
appears that a blue gate or wall has been added on the right side.
So DK is this not considered a mission? If so what is it?
Hi again,
That web info is flawed... if you scroll down a bit after it claims to be a 1730 church, you can read the editor's correction. They were trying to
flash it up, connecting it to the mission of San José del Cabo (1730), but there in no connection. A mission was a specific enterprise, sanctioned by
the Spanish government and operated by one of the three Catholic Orders who were in Baja California (called only 'California' before 1769).
San Lucas was only a safe bay, but the fresh water for growing crops (and Indian population) was at San José del Cabo, so that is where the mission
was founded.
I only wish to provide accurate details of what we know about what went on in Old California history. I use the written words of the missionaries
whenever possible to find the names, dates, and locations of the missions. In my 2016 book, Baja California Land of Missions, I have provided details
from these sources and organized it in such a fashion that the confusion of what was a mission and when and where it was, so often published in error
(innocently, in most cases), is made much easier to understand.
I have shared all of that data freely in Nomad posts the past 3 years while I was writing the book and after it was published. It is just handy to
have it all together in book form, and it fits in the glovebox!David K - 7-9-2017 at 02:46 PM
I am quite sure that the church listed above is the one described in this link. There are several pictures where it is painted differently and it
appears that a blue gate or wall has been added on the right side.
So DK is this not considered a mission? If so what is it?
It is a parish church, not a mission church. It is also new, relatively speaking. It was not in San Lucas in 1966, which was just a collection of
fishing shacks and homes + the fish cannery and one hotel, The Hacienda.
Here are pages from my 2016 book on Mission San José del Cabo, and shows how I treat most of the 27 missions in Baja... Enjoy!
David K - 7-9-2017 at 02:50 PM
Here is the modern church (at least back to 1950s) on the final mission site at San José del Cabo:
wiltonh - 7-9-2017 at 03:23 PM
It looks like the web lied again. What an astounding thought.
I had never seen that building before and used Google Image search to look up a match. It took an hour our two but I did find the picture. One of
the reasons it took so long was I had mission in the description and you needed a lying web page for that to match.
Thanks for clearing things up DK.David K - 7-9-2017 at 04:10 PM
The pleasure was all mine, amigo! Thanks for putting me to work on it! AKgringo - 7-9-2017 at 04:15 PM
A question asked, and answered.
I love a happy ending!bajabuddha - 7-9-2017 at 04:32 PM
...give it time........ AKgringo - 7-9-2017 at 05:11 PM
"Don't stir it!", your wise words!BajaMama - 7-12-2017 at 04:55 AM
If you look at the photo on the link http://www.loscabosguide.com/parroquia-de-san-lucas/
that reads "Iglesia San Lucas (Cabo) you will see the cap on the hill to the left also appears in the 1974 photo. Also, the front planter area looks
the same. Amazing the changes since 1974, but I think it is the same church.
What Mission is This? Here is an ID of the mission sites
David K - 7-12-2017 at 12:23 PM
The most recent images I have of the missions to assist in IDing the building or ruins at all 27 missions (nearly half were at more than one
location).
The year of the mission founding is included. The year the structure was made, was often well after the founding date.
1) LORETO, 1697
2) SAN JAVIER, 1699
3) LIGUI/MALIBAT, 1705
No ruins, all washed away. They were about 500' east of this sign.
4) SANTA ROSALIA de MULEGE, 1705
5) SAN JOSE de COMONDU, 1708
6) LA PURISIMA, 1720
No church ruins, only two tombs from east side of mission church remain.
7) LA PAZ, 1720
No church ruins from 1720-1748, only this plaque on the side of a building in La Paz.
In 1748, the mission moved to Todos Santos. This is a 1919 photograph of the 1825 mission church (that remains today on the town plaza), by Joseph
Slevin.
8) GUADALUPE, 1720
Only wall stones and foundation stones. BajaOkie photo.
9) DOLORES, 1721 . BajaOkie photo.
10) SANTIAGO, 1724
Modern church on mission site.
11) SAN IGNACIO, 1728
12) SAN JOSE del CABO, 1730
Modern church on the final mission site.
13) SANTA ROSA, 1733
Modern church near mission site, north side of Todos Santos, Jack Swords photo. No original ruins, now under a playground. In 1748, the La Paz mission
moved to this spot and replaced Santa Rosa as the mission in Todos Santos.
14) SAN LUIS GONZAGA, 1737
Jack Swords photo.
15) SANTA GERTRUDIS, 1752
16) SAN BORJA, 1762
17) SANTA MARIA, 1766 (founded at Calamajué, moved after 7 months)
Photo at final site, established May 1767.
TO BE CONTINUED!
[Edited on 7-12-2017 by David K]
After the Jesuits...
David K - 7-12-2017 at 04:37 PM
Santa Maria was the final Jesuit mission before they were replaced (in 1768) bu the Franciscan Order, led by Junipero Serra.
The Franciscan founded only one mission in Baja California: San Fernando de Velicatá (a site the Jesuits planned to build their next mission at). The
Franciscans also built the adobe buildings at Santa Maria, we see the ruins of today. After 5 years of administration, the Franciscans handed off the
entire peninsula to the Dominican Order, who had campaigned to have a hand in California mission operations.
SAN FERNANDO, 1769
The Dominicans arrive to take over Baja missions in 1773. They also have 200 miles of 'virgin' territory between San Fernando and San Diego to
establish their own missions.
EL ROSARIO, 1774
SANTO DOMINGO, 1775
SAN VICENTE, 1780
SAN MIGUEL, 1787
Photo by Jack Swords
SANTO TOMAS, 1791
SAN PEDRO MARTIR, 1794
Photo by Jack Swords
SANTA CATALINA, 1797
An archeological dig in 2007 to find foundation stonework, under melted adobe walls. Photo by Lee Panich
The Spanish Period in Baja California was over in early 1822, Mexico won their war for independence the year previous. Two more missions were founded
by a lone Dominican priest who continued to operate the northernmost missions in Baja California. Some historians dispute if the following two were
missions or simply new locations for Mission San Miguel...
26) EL DESCANSO, 1830 (location established by 1810 as a new site for the flooded San Miguel)
Photo by Jack Swords
27) GUADALUPE (del Norte), 1834
The missions offer a look back to the endeavors made to colonize the peninsula and the activities of man in a most rugged and remote land.
Have all the data at you finger tips, glovebox-friendly: www.oldmissions.com
. BajaOkie photo.
