In the last blog, I promised you a photo of an even older mission that San Xavier De Bac….and here it is. It is called Tumacacori, although its official name is “ San José de Tumacácori.” It lies about 30 miles south of Tucson and is part of the Tumacacori National Historical Park.
The name "Tumacácori" may have derived from two O’odham words, chu-uma and kakul, having reference to a flat, rocky place. The Jesuit priest, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino established it as a mission in January 1691, making it the oldest mission site in Arizona. For many years, though, it was a visita or visiting station of the mission headquarters at Guevavi. It was until the early 1800’s that the church was actually built. The Franciscans began work in 1800 on an ambitious undertaking - a church that would match the frontier baroque glory of the celebrated Mission San Xavier del Bac. It never quite made it.
Since 1917, over $20 million has been spent on the preservation and ruins of this now-famous mission. And, it is a great place to roam around with one’s camera, especially io the lovely afternoon in winter and early spring. Try it sometime.
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