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History of Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and its Missions
The Mission of Our Lady of Loreto
History: Once upon a time, in and around the location known today as Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico, about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, history of the Baja began with the neolithic hunter-gatherers in this lower Baja Mexico region who were known as the Cochimi and Guaicuri Indians. They left their presence in history in evidence in the form of cave paintings that can be found in the surrounding Sierra de la Giganta mountain range. Loreto is beleived to be the oldest human settlement in Baja Mexico Peninsula. You can see the historical petroglyphs and life-sized mural paintings of human-like forms depicting rituals and ceremonies and daily activities of hunting, even pilgrimages, battles and the like in caves reachable by back packing or hiking or by taking a tour from Loreto.
The Spanish "discovered" the area known today as the city of Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico, in 1553. Back then, the Mexican Baja was considered an island and the Loreto area became famous for its pearls. The indigenous indians had these black, rough pearls in their possession and showed them to the Spanish. The reason the pearls were black and rough was because the indians didn't have metal knives and the only way they could get to the pearls was to throw the oysters into a fire. The oysters would open up or be more easily broken after becoming brittle by the fire. But, the Spanish had metal knives. When they would open up the oyster with a knife, they saw beautiful, lustrous pearls. There was a history of expeditions to Loreto to get the pearls, but they all failed because of trouble with the indians, pirates, and difficulty in bringing supplies into this lower Baja Mexican region. Top
Bell tower stll has orginal bells
Our Lady of Loreto Mission.
The history of Loreto is rich and significant. On October 19, 1697, the Spanish Jesuit priest, Juan Maria de Salvatierra, with a small group of soldiers, disembarked from the galley "Santa Elvira" in the Bay of San Dionisio. They arrived at what is now known to be Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and on October 25, 1697, after a ceremonial procession, claimed the area as Spanish territory. Thus began the permanent settlement in Loreto with the intent of colonization. Within days, construction was begun on the mission, Our Lady of Loreto, with the manual labor of indigenous indians under the management and control of Spanish Jesuit missionaries led by the Spanish Jesuit priest, Juan Maria de Salvatierra. The main street today in Loreto is named Calle Salvatierra. The materials for the construction included mesquite wood, local lime stone and rock. The mission was named La Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó after the mission Our Lady of Loreto in Italy. It is the first of the California missions. The construction of the mission's stone church, which still stands, was begun in 1740. The mission was completed sometime between 1744-52.
Soon after 1750, the Jesuit order was coming under fire due to political and economic problems in Europe which followed them to the Americas. There were rumors that the Jesuits were amassing considerable wealth and power in the Baja. Word of this got back to Spain. King Carlos III had them expelled from Our Lady of Loreto Mission and from the entirety of the Baja at gunpoint and ordered them back to Spain. However, Loreto continued to be the Mexican headquarters in Baja California Sur even after the Jesuit expulsion.
Along with religion, the Jesuits brought diseases that the native people had never been exposed to. By 1767, epidemics of smallpox, plague, typhus, measles and venereal diseases had absolutely decimated the population. Out of an initial population of about 48,000 only 8,000 still remained. The Jesuits were replaced by the Franciscans in 1768 and then by the Dominicans in 1773. The mission came to an end in 1829, by which time the native Indian neophyte population throughout Baja California Sur had become virtually extinct. Top
Father Junipero Serra. It was from this Mexican mission in Loreto in 1769 that the famous Franciscan priest, Father Junipero Serra, began his journey northward through the entirety of the Baja and then into what is now the state of California. He established 17 more missions along the way to as far north as northern California in the United States. Our Lady of Loreto was Father Serra's launching point.
Loreto, Capital of the Baja. During the 132 years after the founding of the Jesuit settlement 1697, Loreto was designated as the Mexican capital of Alta and Baja California, an area that contained both the Baja Peninsula and what is now California in the United States. This status was confered upon Loreto by both the Mexican government and the U.S. government. Loreto remained the Baja Mexico capital until 1829 when a large earthquake (or hurricane) destroyed the town, at which time La Paz became the Mexican capital of the Baja peninsula.
Since then, this site in Loreto has been used as a Mexican prison, a primary and secondary school, and a "casa de cultura". In 1973 the Mexican government expropriated the mission and, by declaration of the government, the visiting general Jose de Galvez ordered the construction of a museum. The mission was restored in 1976 and is still in use today. The museum contains documentation of the history of the indigenous peoples, the colonization of Baja and the activities of the Jesuit missionaries. The mission still has its original bells. The dome of the bell tower can be seen as it rises above the one story skyline of the town. Our Lady of Loreto is an active church providing weekly church services. Tours for the public are conducted daily. Top
La Mision de San Javier. There is another Mexican mission 23 miles west of Loreto named La Mision de San Javier. It was founded by the Sicilian priest, Francisco Maria Piccolo in 1699 at a spring (called Biaundó by the native Cochimi indians) some 17 miles from Highway 1 in Rancho Viejo . The location of the Mission of San Javier was abandoned in 1701 because of a potential Indian revolt, but was reestablished by Juan de Ugarte in 1702. Years later in 1720, the site was moved 6 miles away to the better-watered present location of the community of San Javier. This setting of the San Javier Mission is high in a beautiful valley in the Sierra La Giganta mountains. The energetic Ugarte constructed dams, aqueducts, and stone buildings. Construction of the actual mission was undertaken in 1744 by Miguel del Barco and 14 years later completed in 1758. He is given credit for what is now referred to as "the jewel of the Baja California mission churches".
Due to the ravages of European diseases, the native population declined steadily through the Jesuit period (1699-1768) and then more steeply after the missionaries of that order were expelled from Baja California. By 1817, the mission was deserted. The church has been restored and is now maintained by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History. Remarkably, the church really hasn't changed much over the last 250 years. It is a beautiful and large spectacular mission that is in remarkable condition and draws many tourists every year. The original robes of the priests are on display. Our Lady of Loreto and the San Javier missions are a "must see" when visiting Loreto. Top