MISSION MISSION

We had a [rare] free Saturday a few weeks ago, so we decided to go on a day trip. I browsed possible National Parks and Monuments to visit with our Every Kid in a Park pass (if you have a fourth grader, go get yourself a pass!). One place in particular stood out, so we loaded up and headed south to Tumacácori-Carmen, Arizona. Tumacácori is a National Historical Park that is dedicated to the preservation of the Mission San José de Tumacácori, a mission founded by Father Kino in the early 18th century. We got to visit the actual mission, the adjoining cemetery, the storehouse, the orchard and garden, as well as a little museum. The kids received National Park badges for their visit and were given awesome National Park books to document their visits to National Parks across the state. Since the nearest neighboring National Park was an hour and a half drive along the Arizona/Mexico border AND we were short on time, we decided to head back north and visit the mission at San Xavier. Mission San Xavier del Bac was also started by Father Kino, but finished nearly a century later. The elaborate paintings and embellishments were incredible, especially knowing that the mission was constructed about 230 years ago. We enjoyed our adventures in Southern Arizona, learning more about the culture and history of our great state.