Mision Santa Maria de los Angeles, founded 1767.

Located between Catavina/ Santa Ynez and Gonzaga Bay in a tranquil desert valley with ample water flowing year-round. Thankfully an extremely difficult to get to site, otherwise even less of the ruins would surely remain. Photo by Neal Johns

Can you hear the mission bells?

Think of what it was like 230 years ago... The struggle in a harsh land, as remote as a base on Mars would be today. The mission lasted but two years. The site continued a few more as a rest stop for supply caravans coming up the mountain from Gonzaga for Mision San Fernando. Photo by Neal Johns

Facing east, 5/1/99 at Mision Santa Maria

Photography by Baja Mur