Tag Archive: historic architecture

San Xavier del Bac Mission – Tucson – Arizona

San Xavier del Bac Mission - Tucson - Arizona

One of the distinguishing cultural and architectural aspects of the American Southwest are historic remnants of Catholic missions that were established by the Empire of Spain in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. The goal unlike the conquest of Mexico and South America for gold and riches, was to save the souls of native american indians the Spanish saw as pagans.

The Spanish Catholic Mission San Xavier del Bac was founded ten miles south of modern day Tucson, Arizona. It was founded in 1692 by Father Eusebio Kino, who also started the Tumacacori Spanish Mission just to the south near the border with Mexico. During his life, Eusebio established more than 24 missions, and country chapels in Pimería Alta (Sonora) and Baja California.

This mission was named after Francis Xavier, a Christian missionary and a founder of the Jesuit Order. The current church was completed in 1797, after the previous structure was destroyed by the Apaches. Its primary mission was the conversion of the local Pima Indians, and more specifically the Tohono O’odham band.

The church employs white stucco and a ornate Moorish-inspired architectural design.

W. H. York Round Barn – Cayuga – Indiana

W. H. York Round Barn - Cayuga - Indiana

Round barns are a design intended for efficiency that never really caught on. They were most popular between the 1880’s and 1920’s. Originally 219 polygonal and round barns were constructed throughout Indiana. While hundreds more were built throughout the United States and Canada during that time. As of 2017, there were only 73 remaining in Indiana.

Becks Mill – Salem – Indiana

Becks Mill - Salem - Indiana

Beck’s Mill is a historic gristmill in Washington County, Indiana, near the city of Salem. The mill was originally built in 1808, and rebuilt in 1864. For a brief time during the Civil War it was threatened with destruction, along with the other mills in Washington County, by John Hunt Morgan, the commanding general of a group of confederate soldiers known as Morgan’s Raiders, that passed through Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio between June 11 to July 26, 1863.