When Earth Built Paradise
Beneath the sand of Playa La Misión lies a 100-million-year-old masterpiece of volcanic fire and tectonic power. From the dinosaur era to the birth of the Gulf of California, this landscape was forged as Baja literally tore away from mainland Mexico. Today, you can fin…
The First Stewards
Discover the deep history of La Misión through its original inhabitants: the Kumeyaay. Living here for over 12,000 years—millennia before the Egyptian pyramids—the Kumeyaay were expert environmental engineers. They used controlled burns and water engineering to man…
Mission Bells and Adobe Dreams
In 1787, the founding of Misión San Miguel Arcángel de la Frontera transformed La Misión into a pivotal Spanish frontier outpost. This era brought dramatic change to the local Kumeyaay, forcing a shift from seasonal migration to permanent adobe settlements and Europe…
Family Roots & Cattle Country
After the mission bells fell silent, La Misión became the heart of cattle country. Starting in 1862, Felipe Crosthwaite established a massive 18,500-acre ranch, beginning a 160-year family legacy that continues today. This was the golden age of the vaquero, whose legen…
The Ejido System
n 1938, La Misión embraced a revolutionary land reform with the establishment of Ejido La Misión, granting communal land rights to local families. Unlike private ownership, ejidatarios have protected use rights to parcels within shared community land, governed demo…
Modern Era
Today, La Misión is an international gateway where ancient history meets modern lifestyle. Since the first Fiesta en La Misión in 1979, the community has celebrated its status as the birthplace of the high-energy Baile Calabaceado. Now the “Southern Gateway to Wine Co…