Tumacácori Mission and Tumacácori National Historical ParkArizona's First Spanish Mission Gives Haunting Glimpse into State's Historic PastJust as the last raindrops fell from a powerful summer monsoon thunderstorm, we had our first view of Tumacácori Mission church. Our midweek visit made us the only visitors there.
The sky was steel gray and rain had washed all the plants clean so that they glowed a vibrant green. The sound of water dripping from every surface echoed around the grounds and the musky smell of mesquite permeated the air. The church stood quiet, its adobe blocks turned a deep terracotta color by the rain. As we approached the church, we heard the faint, otherworldly sound of chanting monks. For a brief moment, we had the eerie sensation of being witness to a ghostly Latin mass. We imagined a Jesuit padre from long ago standing at the altar, a small group of Native people kneeling behind him, gazing at the once brightly painted frescoes. Of course, the music came from a recording piped through a hidden sound system. Nevertheless, Tumacácori Mission’s palpable sense of history beguiles. Though much of the Tumacácori area has changed, the park still has a haunting sense of the past flowing into the present.
Tumacácori Mission was Arizona’s first Spanish mission. Today, it is protected within the boundaries of Tumacácori National Historic Park (pronounced Too muh kä' ko re). This is one of only four Arizona missions that have survived into this century. Tumacácori Mission and park make a good Arizona vacation outing for those seeking a glimpse of historic Arizona. The park is located an easy 25 minute drive south of Tucson along Interstate 19; only 18 miles north of the Mexican border in Santa Cruz County. So far, this area of the state has retained much of its rural and historic character. Set in scenic mesquite highlands, the temperatures are generally five to ten degrees cooler than Tucson or Phoenix, so it’s a great destination for the summer months. History of the MissionTumacácori Mission lies within the historic Pimeria Alta or "Land of the Upper Pimas" - a term referring to the Native American tribes of this region.The Pimeria included most of present-day southern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico. The Jesuit priest and explorer Father Eusebio Francisco Kino founded Tumacácori Mission on the site of a Native American village, just as he did with the more famous San Xavier del Bac Mission in Tucson. Kino arrived in the Santa Cruz Valley in 1691.
He stopped at Tumacácori, a Sobaipuri village on the east side of the Santa Cruz River, at the request of its residents. The Sobaipuri were a linguistically related branch of the Tohono O’odham people. They were an agrarian culture who relied on the waters of the nearby Santa Cruz and San Pedro Rivers to farm their crops of corn, beans and squash. Kino performed the first mass for the villagers under a brush-covered ramada. He was so impressed with the tribe and their land that he decided to expand the missionary effort there. Eventually, this expansion would dramatically alter the land and the lives of the Sobaipuri. The history of the Santa Cruz River Valley is extensive and reads like the script for a Hollywood movie with:
Due to Apache raids and lack of funds, Tumacácori Mission was abandoned in the 1840s before the area became part of the United States. What You’ll SeeTumacácori National Historic Park actually preserves three of Arizona's Spanish Colonial missions.
Split into three separate units totaling 360 acres, each unit protects one of the missions and some surrounding acreage. San José de Tumacácori Mission and Los Santos Ángeles de Guevavi Mission were established in 1691. They are the two oldest missions in Arizona. San Cayetano de Calabazas Mission was established in 1756. The Tumacácori unit is always open and visitors can tour the mission church, cemetery and outlying structures. Though the Park Service has kept the mission in a state of arrested decay, Tumacácori Mission is remarkably preserved. The park’s museum is the best place to start your tour as it gives you a historical context in which to place the Tumacácori Mission ruins and their significance. Dioramas, historical artifacts and paintings illustrate what mission life was like for the people who lived here long ago. Displays include:
One room is devoted entirely to Father Kino who established more than 20 missions among the O’odham Indians of the Pimeria Alta between 1687 and 1711. In the Model Room, we viewed a small scale replica of how the mission complex would have looked.
In addition to the church, there was housing for the O’odham and the priest, class rooms, workshops, a cemetery and a mortuary chapel. An irrigation system known as an acequia provided water to the mission gardens, orchards and grazing lands. From the back of the museum, a dirt path takes you to each of Tumacácori National Historic Park’s sites including the mission church, the granary, the mortuary chapel and the convento. Behind the church, we came upon the cemetery and mortuary chapel. Both hold burials from the early 20th century. Mission-era graves are also there but all evidence of their existence is long gone due to weather, treasure hunters and cattle. Families who moved into the area at the end of the 19th century used the cemetery as a corral during cattle drives. The thick-walled granary is also still intact. The priests stored a variety of foods in it for distribution to the village’s inhabitants, such as wheat, fruit and meats. Outside of the granary is a large courtyard which was the center of daily life at Tumacácori Mission. Here a square of buildings surrounded a plaza where there once was an ironworker’s shop, a carpentry shop, a weaving room, a leather shop and a grain grinding mill.
From the granary and courtyard, visitors can walk north of the mission to view the lime kiln. Villagers would collect tons of limestone boulders in the Santa Rita Mountains to the north and bring them back to the mission via ox cart - a thirty mile journey that would take them through some of the most dangerous Apache country. They then processed the limestone in the kiln, turning it into lime plaster which was used to coat the adobe blocks to protect them from moisture. The convento sits east of the church. It was the priests’ quarters and has been much used throughout the centuries. This was where the first priests who accompanied the legendary Anza Expedition stayed for 8 days in 1775 before departing from the nearby Spanish presidio of Tubac for California. Beyond the mission area is a reproduction of a Muuro-Ki, a traditional O’odham house.
Constructed of mesquite timbers, ocotillo sticks, saguaro ribs and mud, it also has a mesquite ramada porch and a comal for cooking. Kis have been used by the O’odham for centuries as they are specially built to offer protection from the desert heat. However, with the advent of manufactured materials and air conditioning, few kis remain today. Unfortunately, just ruins remain of the other two missions. Due to their fragile nature, you can only see San Cayetano and Guevavi with a Park guide during the monthly tours held in winter. If you’re curious to know more about these sites, there is one room in the museum devoted to interpretive displays about these two missions. HighlightsThe church is definitely the highlight of Tumacácori National Historic Park.
Unlike most mission churches, Tumacácori Mission’s church was built in the shape of a long hall rather than the typical cross shape due to a lack of funds. When it was originally completed, it was painted in bright colors. The church’s interior was once ornately decorated with rich Catholic imagery. Mexican baroque statues, paintings of the apostles, carvings depicting Stations of the Cross and symbols of the Virgin Mary were all designed to capture the imagination of converts. There were no pews, so people would have stood or knelt during services. Above the main door, a choir loft held 8-10 choir members and the same number of musicians. The sanctuary still has its original paint, picture frames and extensive stenciling. The ceiling and walls are also adorned with paintings though they are now quite faded. This church, though not the first on the mission grounds, was the most elaborate. The Franciscans began the church in 1800, long after Father Kino’s death.
Built by Indian and Spanish laborers, constructing the church was a long process due to lack of funds and Mexico’s war for independence. In 1828, Mexico decreed that all Spanish born residents had to leave the country and Tumacácori lost its last resident priest. At this time, the church was still not complete and the bell tower was never capped with its dome. As there were few Mexican-born priests left to care for all of the missions, Tumacácori became a visita – a mission without a resident priest. Favorite FeatureWhile the church is the main feature, we also liked spending time in the garden.The National Park Service has revived the courtyard and garden at Tumacácori Mission to reflect how most mission gardens would have appeared.
Rosemary, apricots, pomegranates, olives and grapevines are just some of the examples of the plants introduced to this area by the padres. Tumacácori Mission’s current garden also has plants native to the region such as agaves and beargrass. Next to the east wall, there is a fig tree that is a descendant of one of the original fig trees first brought to Tumacácori by Father Kino. As Tumacácori Mission is located near the Santa Cruz River, the mission grounds and gardens attract a wide variety of wildlife including javelinas and coyotes. We recommend taking the time to make the short ¼-mile hike to the river. The cottonwood-willow tree riparian habitat along its banks attracts many bird species. Depending upon the time of day and the season, you may see
Visitor AmenitiesThe park’s bookstore has a great collection of books on the cultural and natural history of the area and on the missions as well as a small offering of Southwestern crafts and souvenirs.On the first Saturday and Sunday of December, the Tumacácori National Historic Park hosts the annual La Fiesta de Tumacácori which celebrates the Tohono O’odham, Apache, Yaqui, Mexican and Southwestern cultures of the area.
Day-long activities include 50 food and crafts booths, Native American music and dances, children’s activities and a Mariachi mass preceded by a traditional procession. There are no services at the park, so we recommend driving north up the road a few miles to the equally historic town of Tubac. Here you’ll find food, gas and a wonderful collection of shops and art galleries featuring everything from Native American jewelry to Mexican pottery. Make time to visit the fascinating Tubac Presidio State Historical Park which preserves Arizona's first Spanish fort. Fast Facts: Tumacácori Mission and Historical ParkWhat to Know Before You Go:
Location: 45 miles south of Tucson along Interstate 19. Exit 29 access is from the Frontage Road. Address: P.O. 8067, Tumacacori, AZ 85640 or 1891 E. Frontage Road, Tumacácori, AZ 85640 Phone: 520-398-2341 Hours: Open daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission Fee: $3.00 per person age 16 or older and is valid for seven days. America the Beautiful Interagency Passes are accepted. Amenities: Visitor Center and museum; picnic tables. Gas, restaurants and general stores are in the nearby town of Tubac. Activities:
This information was accurate at the time of our visit. All contact information, availability, access, events, directions, and prices should be confirmed directly with the park before making reservations and/or travel plans. Back to Arizona Missions page from Tumacácori Mission page
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