By David Kier http://www.vivabaja.com Co-author of ‘The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California, 1697-1834’  The chain of Spanish missions in California began at Loreto, on the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez). Previous to the founding of Loreto, there were many attempts to colonize the peninsula. The peninsula known today as Baja California. In 1535,…