This was the 5th of the California Missions. Although we reached this Mission from the Pacific side of the mountains, it is actually not far from the Mission of San Javier, which we visited from Loreto, on the Sea of Cortes side of the Sierra de la Giganta mountains. The Mission was built from 1754 to 1760. This was largest of the missions at that time. The main Mission was demolished in 1936, leaving only a side chapel, which is what remains today. The Mission was demolished in order to use the building materials for a school and a house. There were continual epidemics in this area due to diseases introduced by the Europeans, nearly wiping out the native population. This location is so remote, it is hard to imagine how they discovered this location and chose it for a Mission site. The site was selected for the natural creek running through the canyon and the agricultural possibilities. The population can be quite self sufficient here.