Baja California Land of Missions

Baja California Land of Missions

This book contains a detailed history of the activities by the Spanish and others attempting to colonize the peninsula of California from 1535 to 1855. Over 125 photographs, maps, and drawings, provide the reader with a view of the actions of the Spanish Empire using missions to colonize California. The author's research resulted in new discoveries and facts which are included in this look at the history and the present conditions of the twenty-seven peninsula missions; many relocated to multiple sites. The nearly 200 missionaries who served in Baja California between 1683 and 1855 are also named. This book covers the period from the discovery of California in the 1530s through the establishment of all twenty-seven missions in Baja California to when the last missionaries left in 1855. This guidebook is glovebox or backpack friendly and contains the GPS waypoints for the mission sites. The book is made to be easy to use, easy to read and contains a full list of reference books in back, as well as an index. I have written two books and numerous articles about Baja and wish this book was available when I was doing my research. Inveterate Baja buff David Kier has created the consummate guide to the historic missions of Baja California. He explains and/or dispels long-established rumors and guesswork about the missions and the dedicated padres who established them. The fine maps and photos help make this book an easy to digest reference guide. --Greg Niemann, Author, Baja Legends and Baja Fever With his great passion for Baja California history, especially its mission history, author David Kier is well qualified to write a concise yet comprehensive guide to the missions founded on the peninsula by the Jesuit, Franciscan, and Dominican Orders. This handsome and handy volume represents a fine attempt to achieve that goal, provoke discussion, and place the Baja missions in a broader historical and geographical context. --Graham Mackintosh, Author, Journey with a Baja Burro Baja California Land of Missions is a unique and handy summary of existing data about a place and time which defies examination and description… The book chronicles the missions on the peninsula. Readers will learn more about the missionaries, the storied Camino Real, the process, the setbacks, the suffering and those who plan to travel the mission chain will feel the centuries slipping away with this book in hand. --George Bergin, Respected Baja Commentator, La Paz, Baja California Sur Born (1957) and raised in Southern California, I was introduced to Baja California by my parents in 1965 who traveled there in a Jeep Wagoneer for camping, fishing, and exploring. I met many Baja book authors over the years and collected their works. Once I could drive I also traveled in Baja California and made maps and road logs of my trips to share with others. Over fifty years later, that has not changed as Baja continues to be deeply rooted in my mind. I am active on Internet Baja discussion forums and maintain a Facebook page about my mission books: http://facebook.com/oldmissions