Research

Source Material

The study of history is a constantly moving target. New records become available, translated, or reinterpreted all the time. Simply because an event happened or a person lived in the past does not mean that the story has been written and done. Good historians are vigilant, objective, and good critical thinkers.

The Mission 2000 database is an extensive resource of original mission records from multiple sources and locations. Whether you are an academic, a professional, or just an interested citizen with a sense of curiosity, diving into its depths can be a journey into the lives of people long past.

History Detectives

Historians at Tumacácori probed the mission records to find information about people, places, and events. Along the way, they unearthed some fascinating nuggets:

• Personal glimpses in the subtext of burials, baptisms and weddings
• Language quirks in the tales of Little Pete and Arizona Mel
• Sad tales like that of Laureano Fernandez Calvo

Even the process of doing the historic research can yield interesting stories:

• Detective work like Soledad Valeria
• Recurring characters like Estevan Tubacsam

And there's always room for more. Want a research project? Dive in!