Founded in 1699, San Javier was the second
mission on the peninsula. After 11 years of making do
with sufficient water, the site was moved down
the canyon to its present location.
Padre Miguel del Barco wrote of... "various
interruptions because of the difficulty of finding a
satisfactory master builder who would go to such a remote
location." Skilled craftsmen were essential for
developing mission society. They were usually people of
European ancestry and were called "gente de razon"
or people of reason. |