David K
Honored Nomad
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Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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EL CAMINO REAL in Baja Part 1, + Link added to new web page: ECR for all parts.
NEW WEB for all the articles/ parts in one place: http://vivabaja.com/ECR
Here is the original post of Part 1:
?El Camino Real? means The Royal Road or as Harry Crosby calls it ?The King's Highway?. There actually are many Camino Reals in the New World, built
after the Spanish conquered most of the Western Hemisphere.
The purpose was to connect important points and population centers in the new territories. Gold and other treasures, including tax revenues, were
transported back to the king, in part on the various ?Royal Roads?.
In California, we are most familiar with El Camino Real as the route Franciscan padre Junipero Serra traveled when he established a chain of missions
here, beginning in 1769. Today, four-lane paved expressways bear the name El Camino Real wherever the new street was built on or near the old trail.
Junipero Serra and the El Camino Real both began not in San Diego, but 700 miles further south, in LORETO.
In fact, long before Serra and his Franciscan brothers came to Baja California, the chain of missions and the connecting Camino Real were well
established by the Jesuit Order (Society of Jesus) of the Catholic Church, starting in 1697!
After the end of the mission period in Baja, much of the Camino Real continued to be the main route of transportation until the automobile arrived on
the scene.
Highway 1, from El Rosario to Tijuana is built on or very near the original trail with only a couple of exceptions.
Three modern travel writers have documented the El Camino Real to help us find the old trail as it winds through Baja. Unlike Alta California, almost
no signs or paved roads show the route in Baja from Loreto to El Rosario.
The first modern travel account was written by Arthur North, in 1905, named Camp and Camino in Lower California. North is considered to be the
first ?tourist? to travel the length of Baja for adventure and research.
The next detailed account is an unpublished report (with maps) by Howard Gulick in 1955. Gulick was researching Baja for his future Lower
California Guidebook. He noted the location of older trails he saw crossing the newer auto dirt roads both from the ground and from aerial photos
he was privileged to take. Gulick and co-author Peter Gerhard rode with mules on sections of El Camino Real, as well.
The unpublished report and personal conversations with Gulick was of great assistance to the third author, Harry Crosby in his research for The
King's Highway in Baja California, published in 1974. Crosby traveled the entire route of the old trail by mule with local guides. His book
contains many photos and maps of the entire Camino Real.
From the above named authors, I will attempt to provide you with details of the location of El Camino Real in the following installments. Have your
Baja Almanac handy. http://www.baja-almanac.com
[Edited on 10-11-2003 by David K]
[Edited on 7-19-2004 by David K]
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Debra
Super Nomad
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Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Port Orchard Wa./Bahia de Los Angeles BC
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Thanks David
I'm going to use this as a 'unit study' for Brendan.
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Capt. George
Super Nomad
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Registered: 8-21-2003
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GREAT READ
Keep em coming, thanks David...
Capt. george
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Finding El Camino Real...
The above was part one. The whole multi part series is now at one handy place, with maps. http://vivabaja.com/ECR for your lazy Sunday reading pleasure! LOL
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
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Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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Good work David
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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BajaCactus
Senior Nomad
Posts: 663
Registered: 5-22-2004
Location: Km. 55, carretera transpenisular, El Rosario, B.C.
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Great!!!
Great info David.... can you imagine how it was to travel on those roads..!!!
I have been told that my great-great grand father came from Comondu to El Rosario around 1900... on foot... !!!!
BajaCactus
"Where Baja is so much more than a dream..."
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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That's fantastic Antonio... any more details of his journey?
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BajaCactus
Senior Nomad
Posts: 663
Registered: 5-22-2004
Location: Km. 55, carretera transpenisular, El Rosario, B.C.
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Mood: Helpful
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I wish.....
Not yet... I would love to know more about it, but I do not have much info on it....
I am organizing a formal and objective historic investigation on El Rosario.... hopefully with it I will learn a lot about my family
My great-great grandfather's oldest sun stills lives.... he is a bit older than Mama Espinoza.. and his mind is incredible sharp.... when we do this
investigation we will interview him.... I am looking forward to hear all his stories....:
BajaCactus
"Where Baja is so much more than a dream..."
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