The Mission Trail, part 8

After looking at the lime kiln, I continued down the trail to the next signpost. Just to the north of the lime kiln is the fiesta grounds, which is still used on occasion by area residents. I then headed backs toward the mission where I saw the rectangular foundation of a former Jesuit church that was next door to the Catholic mission, on the east side. Construction was started in 1753, but the completion date is unknown. What is known is that this smaller church was in use by the summer of 1757. This church was used for 10 years until the Jesuits were expelled from the area.
Near the Jesuit church foundation are the ruins of the convento, or priests' quarters. What is left of it is a good example of adobe brick construction techniques. The remaining walls very in height from a few inches to three feet. After it was no longer used as a residence for priests, it was used as a schoolhouse.
Farther south from the convento ruins is a muuro-ki. It is a traditional Tohono O'odham dwelling. it is not original but a reconstruction. It is built out of mesquite timbers, ocotillo branches and mud.It has a grass, or thatch, roof. This type of dwelling is still used extensively on the Tohono O'odham Reservation west of Tucson. It was built by O'odham people using traditional hand tools in 1997. It has a detached cooking area like the ones that are still in use on the reservation. The traditional Tohono O'odham cooking area is circular and is enclosed with branches from ocotillo plants. These cooking areas do not have roofs.
The last stop on the park trail is at the remnant of an acequia, or irrigation ditch. There is only about 15 feet of the ditch still visible. It once led from the nearby Santa Cruz River and diverted water to the mission community. There is also a "compuerta" or diversion box, which is where water was turned out of the ditch to water the nearby orchard to the east. This orchard is still in use today, all of the trees are still alive and still producing fruit!
Between the fiesta grounds and the acequia, I found a side trail that leads to a gate. This is the other end of the 4 1/2 mile that leads from Tubac Presidio.
I found my visit to Tubac and Tumacacori to be very interesting. Both places offer a great glimpse of life in the 17th and 18th centuries.
After leaving Tumacacori, I headed south toward Nogales, which is on the border with Mexico. That will be the topic of the next edition of this blog.