Tumacácori National Historical Park

This Spanish Catholic mission stands near the site first visited by Jesuit missionaries in 1691. Located in the Santa Cruz River Valley of southern Arizona, Tumacácori became one of a chain of missions established to serve the indigenous O’odham people and extend Spain’s presence into the northern frontier of New Spain.

This site includes this restored Franciscan church of Mission San Jose de Tumacacori, one of the finest surviving examples of Spanish colonial architecture in the American Southwest. Construction of the church began around 1800, although time and the elements have taken their toll, the facade and bell tower still convey the beauty of the original structure. The church remains a place used for special religious services and community events.

Tumacácori served as the center of a mission community where Native residents lived, farmed and learned new agricultural and craft skills introduced by the missionaries. Life here was shaped by a blending of Spanish, Mexican and Indigenous traditions. When Mexico achieved its independence from Spain in 1821, support for the missions declined, and by the mid-nineteenth century, the community had largely dispersed.

In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt designated Tumacácori National Monument, making it one of the earliest historic sites protected by the federal government.