Thursday, May 14, 2015

2015: Tucson: Tumacácori (5/14/2015)

Thursday, May 14, 2015 (continued)
From Tubac to Tumacácori, we didn't even have to get on I-19.
The Tumacácori National Historical Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987. The Mission San José de Tumacácori was founded by our same Jesuit Eusebio Francisco Kino in 1691 at another O'odham/Pima village, making it the oldest mission in Arizona. After the Pima revolt in 1751, the mission was moved to its present site, closer to the presidio/fort in Tubac. It was abandoned in 1848.
Here, guide books said to skip the video, and we borrowed the useful booklet for the self-guided tour. I was also pointedly asked if I was eligible for the Senior US Parks Pass. Darn, not for another couple years!
The museum is in a historic 1937 Mission Revival style building.
This man startled us as as we rounded the corner in the musuem
The first mission church was completed in 1756, and the current church was built 1800-1822 during the time of Franciscans.
Tumacácori Mission church
Tumacácori Mission church
The church façade was once painted in bright colors, and there are Moorish influences in the columns. The bell tower was never completed.
Church interior with side altars
Tamiko at the mortuary chapel in the cemetery (KAH)
Cemetery with niches for Stations of the Cross
The graves in the cemetery date from later after the turn of the 20th century.
Storehouse
We thought we found another cemetery...
Lime kiln
Lime plaster was used to protect the buildings made of sun-dried adobe bricks.
Convento ruins
The convento/cloister was the residence of the priest(s).
Convento fireplace
Tamiko with the Melhok Ki and its ramada/shade shelter
Ki is the O'odham word for house, and melhok is ocotillo. This structure is made from mesquite timbers, ocotillo sticks, and mud. Ocotillo is a cactus with long thin stems covered with thorns.
Ocotillo sticks
Compuerta
Water was carried nearly a mile from the Santa Cruz River to the mission via an acequia/irrigation ditch. The compuerta was made with burnt adobe bricks, and channeled the water towards the orchard; or perhaps it was used to do lavandería/laundry or to fill the ollas/earthenware jars for storing water.
Pomegranates
Peach
The orchard is now made up of heritage trees started from seeds and cuttings of the oldest trees that could be found in Arizona.
We decided to follow the trail to the Santa Cruz River as our hike in a riparian (relating to riverbanks) ecosystem, as we were running out of time for the day!
Argemone albiflora/White prickly poppy
Santa Cruz River with Fremont cottonwood and willow trees
Next: Patagonia.

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