San Ignacio in photos (mission & river, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2016. 2017, 2019)

The mission of San Ignacio de Kadakaamán, was founded in 1728 by Padre Juan Bautista de Luyando, and was the eleventh Spanish mission in California. San Ignacio was the northernmost mission for the next twenty-four years and today is the northernmost Spanish mission in the state of Baja California Sur.

The site for San Ignacio was visited in 1716 by Jesuit Padre Francisco Maria Píccolo on an expedition from the mission at Mulegé. Píccolo had heard of a large settlement of Cochimí Indians and much fresh water at their home, called Kadakaamán. Once there, Píccolo found hundreds of natives awaiting conversion. Padre Píccolo named the river and location San Vicente, but that name later would be changed with the founding of the mission, twelve years later. In 1728, Padre Luyando and two soldiers first built a chapel and a house of sticks and reeds. Later those were replaced by larger rooms made of adobe and stone. Corn, wheat, olives, figs, sugarcane, pomegranate, cotton, Arabian date palms, and 500 grapevines were soon planted at San Ignacio. During 1733, Luyando’s final year at San Ignacio, his grapevines produced the mission’s first vintage.

Many expeditions were initiated from San Ignacio in search of new mission sites. The most famous was in 1746 and led by Padre Fernando Consag to the Colorado River Delta. This expedition finally put an end to the idea that California was an island. The Jesuits now had a new directive to expand north. Santa Gertrudis, the first new mission north of San Ignacio, was founded in 1752.

2019, May

2017, August

June (2017)

February (2017)

2016, September

A large stone building with a clock tower Description automatically generated

A close up of a logo Description automatically generated

A body of water surrounded by trees Description automatically generated

2015, July

2009, July

2007, July

Other visits to San Ignacio were in 2012, 2001, 1985, 1976, 1974, 1973, and 1966.