U. S. Mission Trail / The Mission Trail Today - The Spanish Missions in Arizona

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Select photographs of my many visits to The Missions of the United States South and Southwest built by Spain and Mexico between 1565 and 1823.
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Explanation.

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Arizona's First Mission

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Arizona Missions Main Page

There are two main clusters of Spanish Missions in the present day U. S. state of Arizona. The best examples are south of Tucson, the other cluster are two missions that are actually on the California side of the Colorado River near Yuma. Although these latter two missions were in California, they were Arizona adminstered Missions and not related to the better know missions along the California coast.

The Santa Cruz River Valley was home to many of the Arizona Missions, from Tucson south into Mexico where most of the Missions are today. Mission San Xavier del Bac and Mission San José de Tumacácori are the best preserved, along with Presidio San Ignacio de Tubac. Two other Missions are in ruin with limited access - US Mission Trail is still tryng to visit these two. There is a restoration/recreation effort for a site in Tucson and the rest are in Mexico.

This section to be eidted. A work in progress. Still researching this list. More than twenty (maybe 25) Missions were established in the Pimería Alta (the region now known as Southern Arizona and Northern Sonora, Mexico) by Father Kino and other Jesuits, and later expanded upon by Franciscan missionaries. Only four Arizona missions remain, two in ruin.

Mission Nuestra Señora de los Dolores founded on March 13, 1687. This was the first mission founded by Father Kino. By 1744, the mission was abandoned. The cemetery remans on the site of the Tumacácori National Historical Park in Southern Arizona.
Mission San Cayetano de Tumacácori was founded in 1691, then moved in 1751 and renamed Mission San José de Tumacácori. The farming land around the mission was sold at auction in 1834 and the mission was abandoned by 1840. The remains are part of the Tumacácori National Historical Park in Southern Arizona.
Mission Los Santos ángeles de Guevavi was also established by Father Kino, one day after Tumacácori, in January 1691. Near Tumacácori, Tumacácori National Historical Park.
Mission San Pedro y San Pablo del Tubutama, first founded by the Jesuits in 1691. The present structure is located on a part of the Tumacácori National Historical Park in Southern Arizona. Or in Mexico.
Mission San Xavier del Bac, located South of Tucson, active religious use, founded in 1699. Nicknamed "White Dove of the Desert"
5a) Mission San Agustín, also known as San Cosme y Damian de Tucson, was established by Father Garcés as a visita or daughter church of San Xavier del Bac in the O'odham village of Chuk-Son in 1770. This community became Tucson in the following century.
Mission San Cayetano de Calabazas was established in November of 1756 by Jesuit Father Francisco Pauer. Near Tumacácori, Tumacácori National Historical Park.
Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción was founded in October, 1780 by Father Francisco Garcés. In California near Yuma, Arizona, exact site is disputed.
Mission San Pedro y San Pablo de Bicuñer was founded in January, 1781 by Father Francisco Garcés. In California near Yuma, Arizona.

There were also presidios, one was San Ignacio de Tubac.

Sources:

This page last updated: Sunday, 03-Jan-2021 21:00:58 CST

Note:This is not the official site for any of the places shown in US Mission Trail. US Mission Trail is not responsible for accuracy of the information. Hours of operations, prices, and exhibits are subject to change without notice.

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