The history of Quivira

The history of Quivira and the Los Cabos area is rich and interesting, shaped by missionaries, uprisings, invasions and buccaneers. The following offers a thumbnail sketch of the Quivira timeline as well as historical dates and interesting tidbits about the area.

  • March 13, 2008 – Official opening of sales for The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton Los Cabos, Quivira.
  • March/April 2008 – Construction on the first Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course will begin, with estimated completion in 2009.
  • February 2008 – Quivira announces that The Ritz-Carton will join the Quivira family and will construct a hotel, named The Ritz-Carlton Los Cabos, Quivira, and luxury residences within the development. The residences will bring the first luxury address to Cabo and will be named The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton Los Cabos, Quivira.
  • January 2008 – Condé Nast Traveler magazine names the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Holistic Retreat and Spa among the best hotels in The Americas for ambience and design, awarding this elite resort the prestigious Condé Nast Traveler Gold Standard.
  • November 2007 – Condé Nast Traveler magazine names the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Holistic Retreat and Spa among the top 20 best resorts in Mexico.
  • October 2007– Travel + Leisure magazine names the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Holistic Retreat and Spa among the top 10 best hotel spas in Mexico, Central and South America.
  • 2006 – Jack Nicklaus joins the Quivira family to design and build two Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses in Quivira, which are expected to be among the best golf courses in North America.
  • 2006 – After 15 land purchases, Quivira Los Cabos, originally conceived as Cabo Pacifica, is set to become Mexico’s premier luxury residential resort community.
  • 2005 – The Mexican government recognizes and awards the Pueblo Bonito Development Team for ecological excellence in development.
  • 2005 – Ernesto Coppel and the Quivira development team save the historic lighthouse, El Faro, from imminent collapse in an effort to conserve the historical heritage of Cabo San Lucas and begin the restoration process.
  • 2005 – The award-winning Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Holistic Retreat and Spa opens.
  • 2003 – Leticia Coppel and the Pueblo Bonito team create the Daily Excess Food Distribution Program, providing food to local, needy residents.
  • 2002 – Ernesto Coppel and the Pueblo Bonito team spearhead the Turtle Protection Program to help save these endangered animals in the Los Cabos area.
  • 2002 – The first 500 acres of what is now Quivira was purchased for development.
  • 2002 – The Leticia Coppel Foundation builds education facilities, providing local residents with grammar through high school educational opportunity and classes.
  • 1993 – The first Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course in Cabo opens for play, setting the stage for the area’s reputation as world-class golf destination.
  • 1987 – The first Pueblo Bonito Hotel opens, offering guests a first-class experience unlike any other.
  • 1982 – Inauguration of Bisbee’s Black and Blue Tournament, an annual big game fishing tournament held each fall in the Cabo area, bring the world’s elite sport fishermen to the area.
  • 1974 – The Southern Territory becomes the 31st state, Baja California Sur.
  • 1967 – A new, modern lighthouse is constructed near the abandoned shell of the original.
  • 1950 - 60s – Cabo is discovered by Hollywood. Celebrities such as John Wayne and Bing Crosby fly to Cabo in private planes to fish and enjoy weekends out of the country.
  • 1905 – The lighthouse atop Cabo Falso, named El Faro, one of Cabo’s most famous landmarks, is constructed.
  • 1849 – Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed, establishing Rio Grande as the northernmost border for Mexico; the U.S. gives the Baja Peninsula to Mexico as a gesture of compromise, along with $15,000,000 USD.
  • 1770s – Pearls found in the Sea of Cortez, bringing wealth and notoriety to the area.
  • 1730 – Mission San Jose del Cabo founded by Jesuit Father Nicholas Tamaral. The mission is located just a few miles north of the current town site of San Jose del Cabo.
  • 1720 – Mission La Paz founded by Jesuit Father Jaime Bravo. The mission still stands on the city La Paz's main square, on Revolución between Cinco de Mayo and Independencia, and is officially called La Misión de Nuestra Señora de la Paz.
  • 1699 – The San Francisco Javier mission is founded by Padre Piccolo. After two years, the great apostle, Padre Juan Urgarte, starts the first big farm and develops irrigation for crops.
  • 1699 – The San Juan Bautista Londó mission’s construction is continued by Padre Salvatierra but never finished due to a local rebellion.
  • 1697 – The Loreto mission is founded by Padre Salvatierra and becomes the first mission center and mother of all the California chain of missions.
  • 1683 – The San Bruno mission is founded by Padre Kino, a Jesuit missionary known for the good relations he established with the indigenous people among whom he served and lived.
  • 1600s – Spaniards land on the Baja Peninsula in search of wealth and the legendary cities of gold. Numerous other expeditions are launched in the new land and rumors of the lost cities’ riches continue.
  • 1500s – Rumors of seven lost cities of gold, including Quivira, begin to emerge after seven bishops fled southern Spain to the new land. Legend has it that the seven bishops discovered and founded seven cities in the new land made from gold and precious stones. Quivira was one of those fabled cities of gold.