Loreto
Full name: Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó Founding date: October 25, 1697 Mission #1 of 27 Catholic Order: Jesuit Founded by: Padre Juan María de Salvatierra Condition: Stone church constructed from 1740 to about 1750. New roof and bell tower added in 1955. Closing date: Closed in 1829. GPS: 26.010278, -111.343278 Access: Mex. #1 Km. 0 (Loreto) east 2 kms. Read more: HERE 2017 photos […]
La Purísima in photos (1906-2017)
Full name: La Purísima Concepción de Cadegomó Founding date: January 1, 1720 Mission #6 Catholic Order: Jesuit Founded by: Padre Nicolás Tamaral Condition: No church ruins, two crypts remain to mark the mission. Closing date: Closed in 1826. GPS: 26.190444, -112.072944 Access: One block north of paved BCS #53, east end of town, 72 miles north of Ciudad Insurgentes. Read more: HERE 2017 photos […]
Baja-526 May 2026 Tour
Baja California is a land of seemingly endless attractions and points of interest. * On May 15-19, Dave Wilcher and David Kier plan to see several sites in the region of San Felipe to Bahía de los Angeles. The following is a list of potential locations to visit. We are not committed to see them […]
Santa Rosalía de Mulegé in photos (1930-2019)
Full name: Santa Rosalía de Mulegé Founding date: November 1705 Mission#4 Catholic Order: Jesuit Founded by: Padre Juan Basaldúa Condition: Stone church constructed 1757 to 1766. Closing date: Closed in 1828. GPS: 26.885339, -111.985979 Access: Mex. #1 Km. 134 west 1 km. Read more: HERE May 2019 photos by David Kier February 2017 photos by David Kier July 2007 photos by David Kier […]
Guadalupe de Huasinapí in photos (1953-2019)
Full name: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Huasinapí Founding date: December 12, 1720 Mission #8 Catholic Order: Jesuit Founded by: Padre Everarado Helen Condition: Ruins from the 1750s. Closing date: Closed in 1795. GPS: 26.918403, -112.405787 Access: Mex. #1 Km. 131.5 (Mulegé) east & north 41 miles. Read more: HERE May 2019 drone photos of mission site by Jimmy Lee Cook May 2019 photos […]
San Borja in Photos (1949-2017)
Full name: San Francisco de Borja Adac Founding date: September 1, 1762 Mission #16 Catholic Order: Jesuit Founded by: Padre Wenceslaus Linck Condition: Adobe ruins from 1759-1773. Stone church from 1801. Closing date: Closed in 1818 GPS: 28.744547, -113.753997 Access: Mex. #1 Km. 52 (south of Punta Prieta at Nuevo Rosarito), east 22 miles or Mex. #12 Km. 45 (L.A. Bay highway), south 21 […]
Calamajué in photos (1949-2026)
Full name: Nuestra Señora de Columna (per 1772 map) Founding date: October 16, 1766 (relocated 30 miles northwest and renamed on May 26, 1767) Mission #17 Catholic Order: Jesuit Founded by: Padre Victoriano Arnés, Padre Juan Diez Condition: Adobe outlines at 1766 site. Closing date: Second site abandoned in 1774 or 1775. GPS/ Access: 29.421194, -114.195100 (first site/ Calamajué), Mex. #5, Km. […]
San Pedro Mártir in photos (1930-2024)
Full name: San Pedro Mártir de Verona Founding date: April 27, 1794 (relocated 7 miles south after just 3 months) Mission #24 Catholic Order: Dominican Founded by: Padre Caietano Pallás, Padre Pablo Grijálva, Padre José Loriénte Condition: Stone footings at first site. Stone walls at second site. Closing date: Abandoned in 1811 GPS: 30.790069, -115.472458 Access: 2 days backpacking or horseback ride, one way. […]
Baja California Mission Albums
The old missions of Baja California are artifacts from the past. Of the twenty-seven missions, eight are intact stone-built churches from the 1700s. The others are in ruins, vanished, or replaced by modern churches in the 1900s. The history is quite interesting and detailed. Several books attempted to tell the story of many or all […]
Santa Catalina in photos (1949 to 2018)
Full name: Santa Catalina Virgen y Mártir Founding date: November 12, 1797 (last Spanish mission founded in Baja California) Mission #25 Catholic Order: Dominican Founded by: Padre José Loriénte, Padre Tomás Valdellón Condition: Footing stones, room outlines Closing date: Abandoned in 1839 GPS: 31.660583, -115.821111 Access: Mex. #3, Km. 91, southeast of Ensenada, east 5.4 miles (90% concrete paved). Read more: HERE The mission […]
San Vicente in photos (1926 to 2025)
Full name: San Vicente Ferrer Founding date: August 27, 1780 Mission #21 Catholic Order: Dominican Founded by: Padre Miguel Hidalgo, Padre Joaquín Valero Condition: Adobe ruins, stabilized in a park setting. Closing date: Closed in 1829. GPS: 31.329972, -116.259167 Access: Mex. #1, south of Ensenada, Km. 88.5, 1 km. west. Read more: HERE May 2025 (Photos by David Kier and Dave W.) June 2017 (Photos […]
Santo Tomás in photos (1919-2025)
Three mission sites with ruins were visible before 2012. Very little adobe ruin remains at the third site, in 2025. Full name: Santo Tomás de Aquino Founding date: April 24, 1791 (moved 1 mile east in 1794 and 3 more miles east in 1799) Mission #23 Catholic Order: Dominican Founded by: Padre José Loriénte Condition: Adobe ruins at final site, nearly […]
Guadalupe (del Norte)
Full name: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Founding date: July 25, 1834 Mission #27 Catholic Order: Dominican Founded by: Padre Felix Caballero (after Mexico’s independence from Spain) Condition: No remains. Footings added at site in 1998 to simulate mission. Closing date: Abandoned in 1840. GPS: 32.091944, -116.574250 Access: Mex. #3, Km. 77. To find the mission, take the paved road going into town, at the […]
Mission Photos
All the missions from north to south (single photo each) Multiple photos of each mission, plus history, below: El Descanso in photos, 1927-2025 San Miguel in photos, 1935-2025 Guadalupe del Norte, 1834-1840 Santa Catalina (coming) Santo Tomás (coming soon) San Vicente (coming soon) Santo Domingo in photos, 1886-2025 San Pedro Mártir (coming) Rosario de Arriba […]
Mission San José de Comondú
Full name: San José de Comondú Founding date: 1708 (relocated 22 miles south in 1736) Mission #5 Catholic Order: Jesuit Founded by: Padre Julián de Mayorga Condition: Stone foundation outline of an adobe church, completed in 1716, and stone ruins of missionary’s home, is at the first site. A cut stone church was constructed from 1751 to 1761 at the […]