El Descanso in photos (1927-2025)

Full name: El Descanso

Founding date: 1830 (near the 1810 relocated San Miguel mission site) Mission #26

Catholic Order: Dominican

Founded by: Padre Felix Caballero (well after Mexico’s independence from Spain)

Condition: Floor and footings exposed and protected, next to the modern church.

Closing date: Abandoned in 1834

GPS: 32.205433, -116.905558

Access: Mex. #1, Km. 49, south of Tijuana, 1/2 mile east.

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May 2025 (Photos by Dave W. & David Kier):

October 2017 (Photos by David Kier):

Foundations located behind the modern church date to 1830 and are partially protected by this steel awning.

July 2003 (photos from Jack Swords ©):

17 July 03, Jack Swords
17 July 03, Jack Swords
17 July 03, Jack Swords

1949 (photo by Marquis McDonald)

 

1927 (photo by Peveril Meigs)

The ‘Fort’ was actually the ruins of the 1810 moved mission of San Miguel (San Miguel la Nueva at El Descanso), which returned to the previous ‘Misión Vieja’ site around 1814. A cemetery was later establish on the ruins.

Up, at the ‘fort’, in 2003 (Jack Swords photo)

2003 Jack Swords photograph of the 1810-1814 mission site for San Miguel (la Nueva), identified as the ‘fort’ in a 1927 photo.

1927 Site plan

Regional Map

Access the mission from the ‘Free Road’ (Mex. 1) at Km. 49, go east 1 km. 

Photos of the next mission, south (San Miguel): https://vivabaja.com/san-miguel/