360 panoramic photo of large open plaza with low plastered outline of church footprint

The large, three-story building most visitors associate with Tumacácori wasn't the mission's first church. The outline that you see before you marks the foundation of the church that was begun in the spring of 1753. It was in use by the summer of 1757, just four years later. The community used this small church under the guidance of Jesuit priests for ten years, until the Jesuits were expelled in July 1767. Father Custodio Ximeno was the last Jesuit to serve at Guevavi and Tumacácori. He performed his last service here on June 14, 1767, just six weeks before his arrest at Guevavi and his subsequent exile. A year later the Franciscans arrived to care for the missions of the Pimería Alta. They continued to use this building until the new church, the large one now located perpendicular and to the west was ready for use in 1822.

• Keywords: 360 panoramic; tumacácori; tumacacori; jesuit; foundation; footprint; church; mission