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The town square is a pleasant, well-manicured park with towering mature shade trees, a central bandstand (kiosk), and paved walkways lined with iron benches.
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The mission was established in 1702 by Franciscan friars under the guidance of Fray Alonso González. The mission operated until 1826, when it began a 3-year abandonment process. The ruins of the main church are in relatively good condition. It was a surprisingly large church for such a small population in such a remote outpost. The baroque style church was built on the Latin Cross model with a 31-meter long main nave.
Earliest of the so-called San Juan Buatista missions, the mission was first established by Father Eusebio Kino in 1683, though Kino quickly moved on to other regions and other missions leaving it to Father Juan María de Salvatierra to continue construction. Rebellions, economic setbacks, and other problems hampered the padre's efforts, and the mission was never fully completed. The mission was fully abandoned in 1745 and today only a few ruins remain of the historic mission that was once planned as the centerpiece of a large regional evangelization effort.