Jesuits at Baja California Missions, 1697-1768. By David Kier ©2015 During the seventy years of their administration of the California missions, Jesuit priests founded, operated, and managed 17 missions. Eight missions were moved after their founding, usually to better water supplies. Four of the missions that were moved over 15 miles from their founding site… 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’ The 17th and final Jesuit California mission was founded by Padre Victoriano Arnés and Padre Juan José Diez, at a site called Calagnujuet. The Cochimí name was soon modified to Calamajué (Cala-ma-WAY). In Johann Jakob Baegert’s 1772 book, ‘Observations in Lower… Read more »
By David Kier www.vivabaja.com Co-author of ‘The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California, 1697-1834’ Mission San Luis Gonzaga is on the Magdalena Plain of Baja California Sur. In 1721, it was originally established as a visita, or satellite visiting chapel of the mission of Los Dolores Apaté. The Guaycura Indian name for the oasis was… Read more »
By David Kier www.vivabaja.com Co-author of ‘The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California, 1697-1834’ In 1724, Padre Jaime Bravo of the mission at La Paz heard of a ranchería (settlement) of Uchití natives (a Guaycura Indian group) some 50 miles to the south and two miles from the Pacific Ocean. Padre Bravo found the… Read more »
By David Kier www.vivabaja.com Co-author of ‘The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California, 1697-1834’ The 12th California mission was planned for the land of the Pericú and to provide support for the Manila galleons. The Jesuit Visitador General, Padre José de Echeverría chose Padre Nicolás Tamaral from the La Purísima mission to open the new… Read more »
By David Kier www.vivabaja.com Co-author of ‘The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California, 1697-1834’ The sixth California mission was founded on January 1, 1720 by Jesuit Padre Nicolás Tamaral at a site originally discovered in 1712 by Padre Piccolo while exploring southwest from Mulegé. The mission prospered for several years and the Cochimí Indian… Read more »
By David Kier www.vivabaja.com Co-author of ‘The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California, 1697-1834’ The fifth California mission was founded by the Jesuit Padre Julián de Mayorga about 30 miles northwest of Loreto and on a stream that flowed west to the Pacific Ocean. The new mission name was a combination of the Indian name… Read more »
By David Kier www.vivabaja.com Co-author of ‘The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California, 1697-1834’ Traveling north from Loreto in November of 1705, the Jesuit Padre Manuel de Basaldúa founded the mission of Santa Rosalía at the Cochimí settlement of Mulegé. Santa Rosalía de Mulegé mission is located on a rare desert river, about two miles… Read more »
By David Kier www.vivabaja.com Co-author of ‘The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California, 1697-1834’ San Juan Bautista de Ligüí mission was founded by the Jesuit Padre Pedro de Ugarte in November of 1705 among the Monqui Indians. Located near the beach 22 miles south of Loreto, Ligüí was the Monqui name for the location. In… Read more »