This site is owned, designed, and operated by Kenneth A. Larson who has over a quarter century of experience in design and construction of scenery for the Entertainment Industry and Theme Parks using Computer Aided and Traditional approaches to Design. Ken also has experience in other areas of Design.

Explanation.

San José de Tumacácori

Personal Observations

Mission Art & Photo-Art

Address and Directions

Photography Gallery

Entry.

Front facade of church. Left image, seen through an archway from the Museum. Right inage shows the west side.

Front facade of church. The taller structure on the right is what is left of the bell tower.

Front facade of church. In the left image the west side is seen and in right image, the east side is also seen.

Front facade of church. In the right image, the west side is also seen.

Front facade of church. Just off the right side of the images are the Convento, outline of the Jesuit Church, and the Muuro-Ki.

Front facade of church. In the right image, the east side is also seen.

Front facade of church. The church faces south and the west side is also seen here.

Front facade of church. South side faces the Museum.

Front facade of church. Closer view of the church facade.

Front facade of church at left and bell tower at right.

Front of church, close-up on upper details.

Front of church, upper details.

Front of church, close-up of door details.

Front of church, detail at arched doorway.

Exterior east side of church. Bell tower in the left image and the doom in the right image.

Exterior east side of church. The east wall in the left image and the bell tower in the right image.

Bell tower. The top of the bell tower is quite damaged.

Front facade, bell tower.

Bell tower of the church. More detailed photos of the top of the bell tower.

Church, exterior of the west side. In both images, the outer wall of the cemetery can be seen on the left side.

Church, exterior of the west side. In the left image, the west side of the church with the top of the bell tower. The right image is the church dome.

Church dome from north side.

Church east exterior. Seen are the dome and the Granary.

Church interior, baptismal.

Church interior, door header.

Church interior, looking toward back (south).

Church interior, looking toward back (south).

Church interior.

Church interior.

Church interior, dome.

Church interior.

Church interior, bench.

Church interior.

Church interior.

Church interior.

Church interior, door header.

Church interior.

Church interior.

Church interior, cross.

Church interior, steps and door.

Exterior, west side.

Doorway to the Cemetery.

Church and cemetery. The cemetery is surrounded by a wall.

Church and cemetery.

Cemetery, exterior, west side.

Cemetery showing a piece of the round structure and the west entry.

Cemetery. Circular structure.

Cemetery showing a piece of the round structure and the west entry.

Detail of the circular structure.

Doorway into the circular structure.

Doorway into the circular structure.

Interior of the circular structure.

Interior of the circular structure.

Outer wall of the Cemetery.

This wall surrounds the Cemetery.

From the Cemetery looking up to the Church dome.

Corner of the Cemetery.

Flowers at one of the graves.

Church doom from the Cemetery.

Church dome.

Outside the Cemetery wall, northeast corner looking back toward the Church.

Church and Granary.

Church and Cemetery in back, other small buildings such as Granary in front.

Church at left in images and Convento at right in the images..

Convento, southwest corner with work area in the forground.

Convento, southwest corner. Unlike most other Missions in other states, this site is open.

Convento, southwest corner with work area in the forground.

Convento, northwest corner.

Convento, west end.

Convento, southwest corner.

Convento, interior of the western room.

Convento, interior of the eastern room looking west toward the Church.

Convento, interior looking at weathered wall.

Fountain.

Granary.

The outline is the site of the Jesuit Church. The newer church is beyond.

Jesuit Church with the newer church is beyond.

Jesuit Church with the Convento beyond.

Outer wall.

Wall.

Path.

Muuro-Ki.

Muuro-Ki.

Muuro-Ki.

Museum, exterior.

Museum, exhibits.

Museum exhibits.

Exhibit, friar at a writing desk.

Small sculpture.

Fiesta Grounds.

Fiesta Grounds.

The Lime Kiln is north of the cemetery at the end of a short path. To protect the adobe block walls, they were covered with lime plaster. Lime plaster was made by heating limestone to remove the water. When the water was put back and the plaster spread on the walls, it hardened back into a limestone like surface. This had the added benefit of making the gleaming white Missions stand out in the desert. The source of the limestone is unknown but may have come from the Santa Rita Mountains 25 miles to the north. This kiln is small and was probably used to make plaster for patching. If there were larger kilns for the main construction, the location of those has not been found.

I watched a long Red Racer snake disappear into this hole.

Trail sign.

USD survey marker.

Survey marker.

Sources:

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