Southside in San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
San Antonio Missions
Photographed By James Hulse, December 27, 2022
1. San Antonio Missions Marker
The missions of San Antonio were far more than just churches, they were communities. Each was a fortified village, with its own church, farm, and ranch. Here, Franciscan friars gathered native peoples, converted them to Catholicism, taught them to live as Spaniards, and helped maintain Spanish control over the Texas frontier.The Franciscans established six missions along the San Antonio River in the early 1700s. Five of them flourished and, with the Villa de San Fernando, became the foundation of the city of San Antonio. Today the missions are elegant reminders of the contribution of Indian and Hispanic peoples to the history of the United States.
Captions
1. The National Park Service maintains and preserves the mission sites through cooperative agree- ments with the Archdiocese of San Antonio and the State of Texas. The mission churches remain active centers of worship.
2. Mission Concepción, the best preserved of the missions.
3. The Espada Aqueduct was part of an extensive system of acequias (irrigation ditches) that watered the mission's fields.
4. Mission San Francisco de la
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5. The Alamo - established in 1718 as Mission San Antonio de Valero. The Daughters of the Republic of Texas maintain this site as a memorial to Texas Independence.
Spanish:
Las misiones de San Antonio eran mucho más que solamente templos. Cada misión era una comunidad entera - una aldea fortificada con su propia iglesia, granja y rancho. Aquí los frailes concentraron los indígenas, los convirtieron al catolicismo y les ense - ñaron a vivir como ciudadanos españoles, ayudando a mantener el dominio español en la frontera de Texas.
A principios del siglo XVIII los frailes franciscanos establecieron seis misiones a lo largo del río San Antonio. Cinco de ellas florecieron. Junto con la villa de San Fernando, las misiones formaron los cimientos de la ciudad de San Antonio. Hoy día las misiones son recordatorios elegantes de las contribuciones indígenas e hispanas a la historia de los Estados Unidos.
Subtítulos
1. El National Park Service mantiene y conserva los recintos de las misiones a través de acuerdos de cooperación con la arquidiócesis de San Antonio y el estado de Texas. Las iglesias permanecen activas como centros de adoración.
2. La misión Concepción es la mejor preservada de las
Photographed By James Hulse, December 27, 2022
2. The entrance to the Mission Espada
3. El acueducto de Espada era parte de un extenso sistema de acequias que regaban las labores de la misión de Espada.
4. De las tres misiones establecidas en 1731, la misión San Francisco de la Espada fue la última.
5. El Álamo fue fundado en 1718 como la misión San Antonio de Valero. La asociación de las Hijas de la República de Texas mantiene este sitio histórico. como un monumento a la independencia de Texas.
Erected by San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Colonial Era • Forts and Castles • Native Americans. A significant historical year for this entry is 1731.
Location. 29° 19.041′ N, 98° 27.022′ W. Marker is in San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County. It is in Southside. Marker is at the intersection of Espada Road and Camino Coahuilteca, on the left when traveling south on Espada Road. The marker is located at the south entrance to the Mission Espada. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10040 Espada Road, San Antonio TX 78214, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Mastering New Mysteries (a few steps from this marker); Espada Mission (within shouting distance of this marker); Granary (within shouting
Photographed By James Hulse, December 27, 2022
3. The Mission Espada Chapel
More about this marker. There is a duplicate of this marker at the entrance to the Mission San Juan.
Also see . . . Mission Espada. San Antonio Missions - World Heritage
Mission San Francisco de la Espada was the first Spanish Mission in Texas. It was founded in 1690 as San Francisco de los Tejas near present-day Nacogdoches in East Texas. It was renamed as Mission San Francisco de la Espada when it moved to San Antonio in 1731. Distinctive Spanish design features can be seen in the church doorway, bell tower, and brick archways. Espada’s ranch, Rancho de las Cabras, is 23 miles south of the Mission and had as many as 1,262 head of cattle and 4,000 sheep. Mission Espada’s acequia is the nation’s oldest in continuous use. It still uses San Antonio River water to irrigate local crops today illustrating the connection the river makes between the past and the present.(Submitted on March 7, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Credits. This page was last revised on March 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 6, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 83 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 7, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
