Tumacácori National Historical Park
Encyclopedia
Tumacácori National Historical Park is located in the upper Santa Cruz River Valley of southern Arizona
. The park protects the ruins of three Spanish mission communities, two of which are National Historic Landmark
sites, and it also contains the Tumacácori Museum, a historic landmark building built in 1937 that is also a National Historic Landmark
. The park consists of 360 acres (1.5 km²) in three separate units.
The Spanish Colonial architecture Franciscan
church at San José de Tumacácori
dates to the late 18th century. The earlier Jesuit missions that were established at Tumacácori and Guevavi in 1691 are the two oldest missions in southern Arizona.
The third unit, San Cayetano de Calabazas
, was established in 1756. The Guevavi and Calabazas units are not open to the general public and can only be visited on reserved tours led by park staff. The main unit of the park, the Tumacácori Mission, has a visitor center and museum and is open to the public every day except Christmas and Thanksgiving.
A 4.5 miles (7.2 km) segment of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
lies along the Santa Cruz River between Tumacácori National Historical Park and Tubac Presidio State Historic Park
.
The site was originally proclaimed Tumacácori National Monument on September 15, 1908, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on October 15, 1966. On August 6, 1990, it was redesignated a National Historical Park
and the Guevavi and Calabazas units were added to the park.
. It was established one day before the Guevavi Mission, making it the oldest Jesuit mission site in southern Arizona. The mission was originally called San Cayetano de Tumacácori. It was established at an existing native O'odham or Sobaipuri settlement on the east side of the river.
After the Pima rebellion of 1751, the mission was moved to the present site on the west side of the Santa Cruz river and renamed San José de Tumacácori. By 1848, the mission was abandoned and began falling into severe disrepair. Preservation and stabilization efforts began in 1908 when the area was declared a National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt
and continue today.
.
The museum building, a fine example of Mission Revival style architecture
, with Spanish Colonial Revival details, was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1987.
The museum and park are on the NPS Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
, as the site was on the route of the 1775-1776 Juan Bautista de Anza
Expedition from New Spain
to Las Californias
.
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. The park protects the ruins of three Spanish mission communities, two of which are National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
sites, and it also contains the Tumacácori Museum, a historic landmark building built in 1937 that is also a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
. The park consists of 360 acres (1.5 km²) in three separate units.
The Spanish Colonial architecture Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
church at San José de Tumacácori
Mission San José de Tumacacori
Mission San José de Tumacácori is a historic Spanish mission preserved in its present form by Franciscans in 1828. Mission San Cayetano del Tumacácori was established by Jesuits in 1691 in a different location, as has been discussed by Seymour who has documented and excavated this original native...
dates to the late 18th century. The earlier Jesuit missions that were established at Tumacácori and Guevavi in 1691 are the two oldest missions in southern Arizona.
The third unit, San Cayetano de Calabazas
Mission San Cayetano de Calabazas
Mission San Cayetano de Calabazas, also known as Calabasas, was founded by Jesuit missionary Father Francisco Xavier Pauer in 1756 when he relocated at least seventy-eight Pima Indians to the site from their village of Toacuquita in what is now Arizona, near Tumacácori...
, was established in 1756. The Guevavi and Calabazas units are not open to the general public and can only be visited on reserved tours led by park staff. The main unit of the park, the Tumacácori Mission, has a visitor center and museum and is open to the public every day except Christmas and Thanksgiving.
A 4.5 miles (7.2 km) segment of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
thumb|325px|MAP: [[Juan Bautista de Anza]] National Historic Trail routes in [[Arizona]] and [[California]].The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail is a National Park Service unit in the United States National Historic Trail and National Millennium Trail programs...
lies along the Santa Cruz River between Tumacácori National Historical Park and Tubac Presidio State Historic Park
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, located in Tubac, Arizona, USA, preserves the ruins of the Presidio San Ignacio de Tubac and various other buildings, thereby presenting a timeline of human settlement in this Southern Arizona town...
.
The site was originally proclaimed Tumacácori National Monument on September 15, 1908, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on October 15, 1966. On August 6, 1990, it was redesignated a National Historical Park
National Historical Park
National Historic Sites are protected areas of national historic significance in the United States. A National Historic Site usually contains a single historical feature directly associated with its subject...
and the Guevavi and Calabazas units were added to the park.
History of San José de Tumacácori Mission
The Tumacácori Mission was established in 1691 by Father Eusebio Francisco KinoEusebio Kino
Eusebio Francisco Kino S.J. was an Italian Roman Catholic priest who became famous in what is now northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States in the region then known as the Pimaria Alta...
. It was established one day before the Guevavi Mission, making it the oldest Jesuit mission site in southern Arizona. The mission was originally called San Cayetano de Tumacácori. It was established at an existing native O'odham or Sobaipuri settlement on the east side of the river.
After the Pima rebellion of 1751, the mission was moved to the present site on the west side of the Santa Cruz river and renamed San José de Tumacácori. By 1848, the mission was abandoned and began falling into severe disrepair. Preservation and stabilization efforts began in 1908 when the area was declared a National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
and continue today.
Tumacácori Museum
Tumacácori Museum was built in 1937 within what was then Tumacácori National Monument and is now Tumacácori National Historical Park. Designed by Scofield Delong, it contains interpretative displays relating to three historic missions preserved within the park, The Museum was re modeled in 2009, updated theries and time line. and includes artwork created by artist Herbert A. CollinsHerbert A. Collins
Herbert Alexander Collins, Sr., was a Canadian-born American artist. He was known nationally in the United States as a landscape and portrait painter.-Early years:...
.
The museum building, a fine example of Mission Revival style architecture
Mission Revival Style architecture
The Mission Revival Style was an architectural movement that began in the late 19th century for a colonial style's revivalism and reinterpretation, which drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century Spanish missions in California....
, with Spanish Colonial Revival details, was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1987.
The museum and park are on the NPS Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
thumb|325px|MAP: [[Juan Bautista de Anza]] National Historic Trail routes in [[Arizona]] and [[California]].The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail is a National Park Service unit in the United States National Historic Trail and National Millennium Trail programs...
, as the site was on the route of the 1775-1776 Juan Bautista de Anza
Juan Bautista de Anza
Juan Bautista de Anza Bezerra Nieto was a Novo-Spanish explorer and Governor of New Mexico for the Spanish Empire.-Early life:...
Expedition from New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
to Las Californias
Las Californias
The Californias, or in — - was the name given by the Spanish to their northwestern territory of New Spain, comprising the present day states of Baja California and Baja California Sur on the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico; and the present day U.S. state of California in the United States of...
.