Calabazas Mission, Spanish mission ruins near Nogales, United States
Calabazas Mission is a Spanish mission ruin in southern Arizona on elevated ground east of the Santa Cruz River. The stone remains show the foundations and walls of buildings that were used over several centuries.
A Jesuit missionary named Francisco Xavier Pauer founded this mission in 1756 and relocated the local Pima people from their village of Toacuquita. During the American Civil War, the complex was used as a military outpost called Fort Mason in 1864.
The mission grounds show how Spanish missionaries, Tohono O'odham farmers, and later settlers from different regions came together in this space. These different groups shaped the land and buildings over many generations.
Visiting requires advance reservations and a guide from the National Park Service, especially during the winter months through Tumacacori National Historical Park. It is best to wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for uneven, open ground.
The complex was rebuilt and expanded multiple times, showing how persistent the different residents were in maintaining it. These reconstructions left different building marks that visitors can still see in the remains today.
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