Even though Hern n Cort s himself visited La Paz in 1535, the La Paz area was doomed as a settlement through much of Mexico s colonial period. A Jesuit mission settlement in 1720 was abandoned thirty years later, having endured Indian revolts, disease, and Baja s harsh setting. There was no permanent settlement here until 1811, and in 1829 La Paz became California s capital when Loreto was leveled by a hurricane. A strong pearl diving industry kept La Paz going until the 1930 s when the oyster beds were destroyed by disease. La Paz languished until the trans-peninsular highway was completed in 1973, and the city became capital of the newly formed State of Baja California Sur in 1974.
Commercial fishing is a major industry, as is tourism.
La Paz is arguably the ecotourism capital of North America. Within easy reach from La Paz are deserted beaches, calm bays and ecologically pure offshore islands. Further inland lie deserts, oases, and the Sierra de la Laguna mountains. The region s complex wildlife, plant life, and geology is truly astonishing. This unspoiled setting draws sport fishermen , divers, ecotourists, naturalists, whale watchers, and sports enthusiasts.