A road trip exploring Southern Arizona history.
In early February, I decided to take a three-day trip down to the Tucson, Arizona, area. There is much to explore outside of the city, so it made a perfect jumping off point for an adventure to the south.
My first stop was Coronado National Memorial, right on the Mexican border. It is dedicated to the explorer/conquistador Francisco Vasquéz de Coronado. He was the first Spanish explorer to this area of the southwest. In proper conquistador fashion, Coronado started pointless wars with the locals and stole their stuff while searching for the gold he never found. The memorial mainly consists of some mountains that are excellent for hiking.
I cheated. I drove up a windy dirt road to the top and hiking a short bit from there.
The views were great.
Looking out towards Coronado National Forest.
That’s just Mexico beyond those hills.
My second stop of the day was the famous gunslinger town of Tombstone, which was so great it gets its own update.
My third stop was Tumacácori National Historical Park. It has three Spanish missions, but only one is open to the public, Mission San José de Tumacácori. The mission was established originally in 1691 at a different location. The current mission was re-founded here in 1757. This was an important location where Europeans and several Native American tribes, the O’odham (Pima), Yaqui and Apaches, had contact. Construction on the current church was begun around 1800 but it was never finished due to the Mexican Wars for Independence. The mission was abandoned by 1848, falling into disrepair. The church was restored in 1908.
The partially restored church with its white dome. It was constructed in the Spanish Colonial style.
At some point, the roof was removed from the church, causing the interior plaster work to fall apart.
The mission was almost a self-sustaining village, complete with adobe storerooms.
The ruins of the Convento where the priests most likely lived.
My fourth and last stop of the day was another mission church, San Xavier del Bac, but unlike the last one, this one is still in use. San Xavier is about 10 miles from downtown Tucson on the Tohono O’odham San Xavier Indian Reservation. The mission was founded in 1692. The current mission buildings were built between 1783-1797. The mission is probably the oldest European structure in Arizona and is considered an excellent example of Spanish Colonial architecture.
San Xavier almost went the route of the church at Tumacácori. It was abandoned after the priest was expelled during the Mexican wars of Independence. The church was beloved by the local tribe, they worked hard to preserve the church and finally after 22 years, a priest arrived to hold services in a newly restored church.
The very cool looking San Xavier, no other church like it.
There is some serious detail going on there.
The newly restored interior of the church.
The altar is super detailed.
I had a pretty interesting day south of Tuscon. I really enjoyed the missions, as well as Coronado National Memorial. These places are a reminder that not all of the modern United States was colonized by the British; the French had the Mississippi and the southwest belonged to Spain and then Mexico.
Check out my next update where I explore the tourist trap that is Tombstone, Arizona.
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Check out all my other posts on the great state of Arizona!
