Tucson's white dove of the desert: Mission San Xavier del Bac

If you are a history buff you know that in the West, unlike along the eastern seaboard or New England, you don’t see many historic sites chronicling European exploration with dates in the early 1600s or early 1700s.
Father Kino, one of the first Spanish missionaries, visited the O’odham community of Wa:k (Bac), south of what is now Tucson, in 1692. Father Alonso Espinosa attempted building a rustic church in 1700 but it was 1756 before he began building the first church of any substance. Father Francisco Garces arrived in 1768 as its first minister.

The current structure, though added to and rebuilt over the years, was begun in 1776 and wasn’t completed until 1797. It is an outstanding example of Spanish baroque architecture, with elegant arches, domes, twin bell towers (one left unfinished), and inside a priceless collection of Mexican baroque art, frescoes, and wooden carvings.

An ongoing process of restoration begun in the early 1990s is returning some of the luster to the 200-year-old art. San Xavier’s dazzling white walls have given it the name “The White Dove of the Desert,” and it still serves the Tohono O’odham today with daily masses.

There is plenty of parking for large rigs. Photography is permitted when services are not in progress. Drive nine miles south of Tucson on I-19 and take exit 92. Turn west for one mile. The church is open daily 8AM to 6PM. Admission is free and donations are accepted.