Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción

Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción. . The San Antonio River United And Sustained the five missions. Without its water, residents and their crops and livestock would not have survived. The oldest of the missions, San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo), was located north of here in what is now downtown San Antonio. Mission Concepción was established further south along the river in 1731. The mission church, completed and dedicated in 1755, is the least restored building in the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and is the oldest unrestored stone church in America. Mission Concepción is recognized in the World Heritage inscription for the significance of its Spanish Colonial architectural features, notably its twin towers, carved limestone entrance portal, original vaulted roof and dome, convento and corredor, and colorful interior frescoes painted over 250 years ago. Like missions San José, San Juan, and Espada, Concepción is still used for church services., Captions , Upper Right: Water from the San Antonio River was channeled to mission fields for livestock and to irrigate crops. , Lower Right: Though the Mission Concepción Acequia was closed in 1869, parts of its channel continued to be used for irrigation in the late 1800s., Courtesy: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. , Courtesy: Jones Collection, DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University, Dallas.