The Spanish Jesuits, Franciscans, and Dominicans established 27 missions on the Baja California peninsula during their time colonizing the “New World.” Many of the Baja missions have been reduced to not much more than piles of rubble or a few adobe remains, but there are a few that have remained intact over the centuries. Here are… Read more »
Discover Baja is pleased to present a lecture by David Kier, author of the new book “Baja California Land of Missions” on Thursday, July 14th, 2016 at 7:00pm in San Diego. Join us as we learn about where and when the Spanish missions were founded on the Baja peninsula. The missions are an important part of… Read more »
We’re pleased to announce the release of “Baja California Land of Missions,” a new book written by David Kier about the Spanish missions on the Baja peninsula. This 243-page work is a detailed history of the activities begun by the Spanish Empire, commissioning several orders of Catholic priests, and others, in an attempt to colonize… Read more »
Missions, Architecture, Historical Sites, Rock Art and Nature! October 20th – October 29th, 2015 Join famous Baja author and Baja Missions expert, David Kier, on this Discover Baja and Baja Custom Tours special trip to see many of the famous Baja Spanish Missions, other historical sites, and loads of natural/eco sites! This 10-day/9-night, all-inclusive trip… Read more »
Join famous Baja author and Baja Missions expert, David Kier, on this MexMike Baja Custom Tours special trip to see many of the famous Baja Spanish Missions, other historical sites, and loads of natural/eco sites! This 10-day/9-night, all-inclusive trip will feature the best of Baja from Tecate to Loreto, highlighting many of the missions, ghost towns, rock… Read more »
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 Kier To replace the removed Jesuits at their missions in California (Baja California today), sixteen members of the Franciscan Order led by Fr. Junípero Serra came to Loreto and in April, 1768 received their assignments. The Jesuits were operating 14 missions of their 17 at the time of the expulsion, in February, 1768…. Read more »
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 history of El Descanso is told without the usual documentation available for most missions. From the few notes and letters that have survived, we know that Padre Tomás de Ahumada arrived to his new post at Mission San Miguel in mid… Read more »
By David Kierwww.vivabaja.comCo-author of ‘The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California, 1697-1834’ The Mission Santa Catalina story begins with the actions of Padre Juan Crisóstomo Gómez while serving as Dominican President from 1790 to 1793. Padre Gómez had recently completed the construction of the great stone church of Mission San Ignacio, and also had practiced… Read more »