1974 Score Baja Internacional
In July of 1974, at the invitation of the government of Baja California and Ensenada businessmen, Mickey Thompson brought his SCORE organization (originally developed for Short Course Off Road Events, with grandstand viewing) to Mexico for the first of many point-to-point desert races on the peninsula (and in the U.S.). Mexico had cancelled NORRA’s permit […]
Santa Gertrudis in photos (2001, 2012, 2017)
> To see where Mission Santa Gertrudis is, see maps and directions at bottom of page << This mission has a unique and sometimes confused history as it had originally been planned to be named Dolores del Norte. That name appeared on Jesuit records and maps of the early to mid 1700s. Padre Fernando Consag […]
San Fernando in photos 1974-2017 (with 1926 photos)
>>To see where Mission San Fernando de Velicatá is, see maps and directions at bottom of page<< 2017 1 mile west and south, down the arroyo, and past the petroglyphs, is the mission ‘pila’ or reservoir. Below, two photos showing the water canal that once brought water here from upstream. INAH Plans: reservoir and canal: […]
Santa María (2022, 2010, 2007, 2003, 1999)
The following are my photos from five visits to Mission Santa María, from the photo albums of VivaBaja.com, showing the man-made artifacts from the 1700s (mainly in 1768 by the Franciscans who replaced the Jesuits in California, who founded this mission in October 1766 (at Calamajué) and moved it here in May 1767, for better […]
Travel log on El Camino Real,1792
Longinos Martínez, José (c. 1755–1803) José Longinos Martínez (b. ca. 1755; d. 1803), naturalist in New Spain (1787–1803). A native of Calahorra, Spain, Longinos studied botany at the Royal Botanical Garden in Madrid before traveling to Mexico in 1787. Longinos preferred the study of animals and spent his time in Mexico studying birds, butterflies, fish, and mammals. He traveled through […]
Auto Club maps of San Felipe South area (1930-2010)
Not all years included, see message at bottom. Maps shown for historical education. 1930: 1934: 1955: 1959: 1962: 1967: 1971: 1973: 1974: 1975: 1978: 1979: 1980: 1982: 1983: 1984: 1985: 1987: 1988: 1989: 1990: 1991: 1992: 1994: 1995: 1996: 1997: 1998: 2000: 2001: 2003: 2004: 2007: 2010: Missing some Auto Club Maps, can you […]
Gulick’s 1954 El Camino Real Maps and Notes
Gulick, Howard E. “The Baja California Mission Trail – Loreto to El Rosario.” *Unpublished paper made available by the author. Encompasses intelligent and informed suppositions about the route of El Camino Real. Although it is supplanted by first-hand field research, it remains a model preliminary study, marshalling all manner of indirect evidence of the trail. […]
Rock Art: Petroglyphs, Pictographs, Geoglyphs
The stories these forms of communications would be wonderful to know! What do we mean by petroglyphs, pictographs, and geoglyphs? *Petroglyphs are rock carvings (rock paintings are called pictographs) made by pecking directly on the rock surface using a stone chisel and a hammerstone. When the desert varnish (or patina) on the surface of the […]
Photographs
See over 1,600 location photos on this interactive map. Zoom in to reveal multiple photos at specific locations. CLICK HERE to quickly find photos at Baja locations (1999-2022)! Baja California Travel and Camping Photos (1965-2022): 1965-1999 Photos “David’s Old Baja Photo Album” 1999 – 2004 Baja Trip Photo Albums (28 albums) 2005 – 2007 Baja Trip […]
San Borja (2017, 2016, 2009, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001)
The following are photos at San Borja from my seven visits there, off my photo albums. >> To see where this mission is, maps and directions at the bottom of this page << Feb. 2017 Sept. 2016 July 2009 Jan. 2004 July 2003 Apr. 2002 Apr. 2001 GPS: 28.744547, -113.753997 Directions: […]
Viva Baja Index (frequently updated)
A Agua Caliente […]
Edward H. Davis 1926 Photos
Edward H. Davis photographed the Baja California Native people and mission sites during his 1926 expedition. His San Diego County and other photo collections are preserved on many sites like SanDiegoHistory.org The next three photos show how adobe ruins vanish when unprotected from the elements: +24 years= +73 years= +84 years= +93 […]
Rancho San Gregorio 1960, 2001, 2022
San Gregorio is an old ranch in central Baja California, 8.6 miles (14 kms.) southeast from San Borja. In the canyon are many fruit trees (including citrus and guava) that are watered from a natural spring. It is such a picturesque location, it made the cover of a popular 1980 guidebook. We appreciate ranch owner […]
Historic Images
J. Ross Browne from 1868 Margaret Brown Baldwin Photos from ~1900 Margaret Wood Bancroft Photos from early 1930s Margaret Wood Bancroft 1934 Lost Mission Search Peveril Meigs’ Northern Baja Photos (1925 to 1936) Edward H. Davis Baja California Photos of 1926 (under construction) *Marquis McDonald’s Color Mission Photos of 1949-1950* *Correction Guide to the enlarged […]
Slow Baja
Listen to the SLOW BAJA PODCASTS (Great interviews with dozens of Baja-loving folks who have done some incredible things). Below episodes are with Viva Baja host David: June 14, 2020: AUTHOR DAVID KIER REFLECTS ON FIFTY YEARS OF BAJA TRAVEL January 17, 2021: ON A MISSION WITH DAVID KIER June 15, 2021: MEET THE BENCHMARK MAPS […]