In the Frederic Remington illustration of The Sentinel, is the mission San Xavier del Bac? Behind the mission, aren’t those the Santa Catalina Mountains?

In the Frederic Remington illustration of The Sentinel, is the mission San Xavier del Bac? Behind the mission, aren’t those the Santa Catalina Mountains?

Bart Kramer

Tucson, Arizona

That is indeed the “White Dove of the Desert,” San Xavier del Bac, in Tucson, Arizona, with the east bell tower missing (the Franciscan friars ran out of money before they could finish it). The mountains in the background aren’t the Santa Catalinas. Looking off to the northwest behind the mission are the Tucson Mountains. Also in those mountains today are the Saguaro National Monument and the movie studio and tourist attraction, Old Tucson (where 1993’s Tombstone was filmed). The Santa Catalina Mountains are more northeast of the mission.