Goliad in Goliad County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Mission Espíritu Santo

A mission for the Aranamas

Photographed By James Hulse, October 24, 2023

1. Mission Espíritu Santo Marker

Inscription.

Mission Espíritu Santo. A mission for the Aranamas. Originally established near present Matagorda Bay, Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zuñiga was moved to this San Antonio River location in 1749. Here, for more than 70 years, the Franciscan missionaries taught the native Aranama peoples the religious principles and craft skills they needed to become good Spanish citizens on the remote northern frontier. The immense herds of cattle that supported the mission population became the foundation for the ranching industry of modern Texas., Mission Espíritu Santo officially became a secular church in 1830 and for a time was the site of Aranama College. The buildings gradually fell into disuse, and people in Goliad used the stones for buildings in town. During the 1930s, craftsmen in the Work Projects Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps programs reconstructed the mission chapel, granary and workshop buildings., Captions , Middle Right: Mission Espíritu Santo , Reconstructed Mission Espiritu Santo became part of the state park system In 1949. , Lower Right: Mission Converts , Aranama Indians, 1830 , Timeline , 1400 , 1400s Karankawas and Coahuiltecans Occupying Gulf Coastal Plain , 1492 Christopher Columbus lands in the New World , 1500 , 1519 Spanish map Texas coastline , 1521 Cortez conquers Mexico , 1528 Cabeza de Vaca shipwrecked on Galveston Island, 1600 , 1607 English establish Jamestown colony in Virginia , 1616 Dutch record first European landing in Australia , 1685 La Salle establishes French settlement in present Victoria County , 1700 , 1722 Presidio La Bahía and Mission Espíritu Santo established on French site , 1724 Mission moves to Tonkawa Bank site , 1726 Mission moves to Mission Valley site , 1749 Presidio La Bahía and Mission Espíritu Santo moved to San Antonio River , 1754 Mission Rosario established , 1775 to 1783 The American Revolution , 1779 to 1782 La Bahía cattle drives aid American Revolution , 1789 to 1793 French Revolution , 1800 , 1803 Louisiana Purchase , 1812 to 1821 Invading forces capture Presidio La Bahia , 1823 Austin's first Texas colony , 1829 La Bahía renamed Goliad Ignacio Zaragoza born near the presidio , 1831 Goliad missions released to local clergy , 1835 Goliad Declaration of Independence signed , 1836 Texans defeated at Coleto Creek and executed at Goliad , 1836 Texas wins independence from Mexico , 1836 Goliad County created , 1845 Texas becomes the 28th state , 1861 to 1865 American Civil War , 1862 Cinco de Mayo battle at Puebla, Mexico , 1894 Present Goliad County courthouse built , 1900 , 1901 Spindletop oil discovery , 1902 Goliad tornado , 1914 to 1918 World War I , 1929 The New York Stock Market crashes , 1929 Oil found in Goliad County , 1930s CCC reconstructs Mission Espíritu Santo , 1939 to 1945 World War II , 1949 Mission Espíritu Santo site becomes a state park , 1950 to 1953 Korean War , 1965 to 1973 Vietnam War , 1967 Presidio La Bahia reconstructed , 1974 Zaragoza Birthplace reconstructed , 1989 Berlin Wall dismantled , 1999 Goliad celebrates 250th anniversary , 2000

Originally established near present Matagorda Bay, Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zuñiga was moved to this San Antonio River location in 1749. Here, for more than 70 years, the Franciscan missionaries taught the native Aranama peoples the religious principles and craft skills they needed to become good Spanish citizens on the remote northern frontier. The immense herds of cattle that supported the mission population became the foundation for the ranching industry of modern Texas.

Mission Espíritu Santo officially became a secular church in 1830 and for a time was the site of Aranama College. The buildings gradually fell into disuse, and people in Goliad used the stones for buildings in town. During the 1930s, craftsmen in the Work Projects Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps programs reconstructed the mission chapel, granary and workshop buildings.

Captions
Middle Right: Mission Espíritu Santo
Reconstructed Mission Espiritu Santo became part of the state park system In 1949.
Lower Right: Mission Converts
Aranama Indians, 1830

Timeline
1400
1400s Karankawas and Coahuiltecans Occupying Gulf Coastal Plain
1492 Christopher Columbus lands in the New World

1500
1519

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

Spanish map Texas coastline
1521 Cortez conquers Mexico
1528 Cabeza de Vaca shipwrecked on Galveston Island

1600
1607 English establish Jamestown colony in Virginia
1616 Dutch record first European landing in Australia
1685 La Salle establishes French settlement in present Victoria County

1700
1722 Presidio La Bahía and Mission Espíritu Santo established on French site
1724 Mission moves to Tonkawa Bank site
1726 Mission moves to Mission Valley site
1749 Presidio La Bahía and Mission Espíritu Santo moved to San Antonio River
1754 Mission Rosario established
1775 to 1783 The American Revolution
1779 to 1782 La Bahía cattle drives aid American Revolution
1789 to 1793 French Revolution

1800
1803 Louisiana Purchase
1812 to 1821 Invading forces capture Presidio La Bahia
1823 Austin's first Texas colony
1829 La Bahía renamed Goliad Ignacio Zaragoza born near the presidio
1831 Goliad missions released to local clergy
1835 Goliad Declaration of Independence signed
1836 Texans defeated at Coleto Creek and executed at Goliad
1836 Texas wins independence from Mexico
1836 Goliad County created
1845 Texas becomes the 28th state
1861 to 1865 American Civil War
1862

The Mission Espíritu Santo and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, October 24, 2023

2. The Mission Espíritu Santo and Marker

Cinco de Mayo battle at Puebla, Mexico
1894 Present Goliad County courthouse built

1900
1901 Spindletop oil discovery
1902 Goliad tornado
1914 to 1918 World War I
1929 The New York Stock Market crashes
1929 Oil found in Goliad County
1930s CCC reconstructs Mission Espíritu Santo
1939 to 1945 World War II
1949 Mission Espíritu Santo site becomes a state park
1950 to 1953 Korean War
1965 to 1973 Vietnam War
1967 Presidio La Bahia reconstructed
1974 Zaragoza Birthplace reconstructed
1989 Berlin Wall dismantled
1999 Goliad celebrates 250th anniversary
2000

Erected by Historic Goliad.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Education • Hispanic Americans • Native Americans. A significant historical year for this entry is 1749.

Location. 28° 39.405′ N, 97° 23.232′ W. Marker is in Goliad, Texas, in Goliad County. Marker is on Park Road 6, 0.1 miles west of U.S. 183, on the right when traveling west. The marker is located along the pathway to Mission Espíritu Santo near the park headquarters. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 108 Park Rd 6, Goliad TX 77963, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance

The view of the Mission Espíritu Santo next to the State of Texas marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, October 24, 2023

3. The view of the Mission Espíritu Santo next to the State of Texas marker

of this marker. Cattle Drive from La Bahia (within shouting distance of this marker); Mission Nuestra Senora del Espiritu Santo de Zuniga (within shouting distance of this marker); Aranama College (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of the Mission Nuestra Señora del Espiritu Santo de Zúñiga (within shouting distance of this marker); A Native Texas Mission (within shouting distance of this marker); Judge James Arthur White and the Civilian Conservation Corps at Goliad State Park (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Strength of Stone (approx. 0.2 miles away); Goliad Memorial Auditorium (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Goliad.

More about this marker. The marker is located on the grounds of the Goliad State Park and Historic Site which requires a small entrance fee to access.

Also see . . .
1. Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga. Wikipedia

Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga, also known as Aranama Mission or Mission La Bahía, was a Roman Catholic mission established by Spain in 1722 in the Viceroyalty of New Spain—to convert native Karankawa Indians to Christianity. Together with its nearby military fortress, Presidio La Bahía,
Photographed By James Hulse, October 24, 2023

4. The front of the Mission Espíritu Santo
the mission upheld Spanish territorial claims in the New World against encroachment from France. The third and final location near Goliad, Texas is maintained now as part of Goliad State Park and Historic Site.

(Submitted on October 29, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

2. Aranama Indians. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)

The Aranama (Aname, Arrenamus, Auranean, Hazaname, Jaraname, Xaraname) Indians lived along the lower Guadalupe and San Antonio rivers near the coast. Although the evidence is scant, most writers today classify the Aranamas as Coahuiltecan speakers. Attempts to link them with groups named in the narrative of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (Muruame) and in records of the La Salle expedition (Anachorema, Erigoana, Quara) have not been very convincing; the affiliations must be considered only as probabilities. Most of what is known about the Aranamas comes from Spanish mission records.

(Submitted on October 29, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

The north side of the Mission Espíritu Santo image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, October 24, 2023

5. The north side of the Mission Espíritu Santo

Credits. This page was last revised on October 29, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 28, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 69 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on October 29, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.