By David Kier For over seventy years, from 1697 to 1768, the Jesuit Order of the Catholic Church had near-autonomy in the occupation and Christianization of the California Peninsula. They had founded 17 missions, in all directions from the first permanent headquarters, at Loreto. In the 1750’s they had begun to move northward in order… Read more »
By David Kierwww.vivabaja.comCo-author of ‘The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California, 1697-1834’ The Dominicans were anxious to complete their charge to establish five missions in the void between San Fernando de Velicatá and San Diego de Alcalá. The Dominicans called this region La Frontera and after 13 years, they only could create three new missions…. Read more »
By David Kierwww.vivabaja.comCo-author of ‘The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California, 1697-1834’ The San Vicente mission was founded on August 27, 1780 by Padre Miguel Hidalgo and Padre Joaquin Valero 20 leagues (about 50 miles) north of Santo Domingo. The location was well watered and at an important intersection of routes north to San Diego… Read more »
By David Kier www.vivabaja.com Co-author of ‘The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California, 1697-1834’ One year following the founding of their first mission (El Rosario), the Dominicans were ready to begin the second mission of their California service. Padre Manuel Garcia and Padre Miguel Hidalgo traveled twenty leagues (about 50 miles) north to a site… Read more »
By David Kier www.vivabaja.com Co-author of ‘The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California, 1697-1834’ El Rosario was the first California mission founded by the Dominican Order, just one year after assuming responsibility over a dozen Jesuit founded missions, and one founded by the Franciscans. The site for El Rosario was known to the Cochimí Indians… Read more »