San Antonio Missions National Historical Park 1 Mission San Juan Was Established on the East Bank of the San

® 008 March 2 SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK A Resource Assessment ® Center for State of the Parks More than a century ago, Congress established Yellowstone as the CONTENTS world’s first national park. That single act was the beginning of a remarkable and ongoing effort to protect this nation’s natural, historical, and cultural heritage. Today, Americans are learning that national park designation INTRODUCTION 1 alone cannot provide full resource protection. Many parks are compromised by development of adjacent lands, air and water pollu- THE ASSESSMENT 7 tion, invasive plants and animals, and rapid increases in motorized recreation. Park officials often lack adequate information on the KEY FINDINGS 9 status of and trends in conditions of critical resources. The National Parks Conservation Association initiated the State of the Parks® program in 2000 to assess the condition of natural and RESOURCE MANAGEMENT cultural resources in the parks, and determine how well equipped the HIGHLIGHTS 10 National Park Service is to protect the parks—its stewardship capac- ity. The goal is to provide information that will help policy makers, CULTURAL RESOURCES 11 the public, and the National Park Service improve conditions in national parks, celebrate successes as models for other parks, and ensure a lasting legacy for future generations. For more information about the methodology and research used in preparing this report and to learn more about the Center for State of the Parks®, visit www.npca.org/stateoftheparks or contact: NPCA, Center for State of the Parks®, P.O. Box 737, Fort Collins, CO 80522; Phone: 970.493.2545; E-mail: [email protected]. Since 1919, the National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice of the American people in protecting and enhanc- ing our National Park System. NPCA, its members, and partners work together to protect the park system and preserve our nation’s natural, historical, and cultural heritage for generations to come. * More than 340,000 members * 22 regional and field offices * 35,000 activists A special note of appreciation goes to those whose generous dona- tions made this report possible: Dorothy Canter, Elizabeth M. Culhane, Ben and Ruth Hammett, Janet Pfeiffer, Alec Rhodes, and anonymous donors. COVER PHOTO: KELLY COURKAMP INTRODUCTION JIM NATIONS 1 ark San Antonio Missions National Historical P The San Antonio River in southern Texas has first Europeans to make contact with the Mission Nuestra drawn people to its banks for thousands of diverse groups of native peoples who lived in Señora de la Purísma Concepción de years. Long before San Antonio was founded the region. Acuña is one of four in 1718, myriad groups of tribal peoples Spanish influence eventually changed the 18th-century Spanish hunted game; fished; gathered edible plants, area. Catholic missionaries from the Franciscan missions protected berries, and nuts; and settled around the order and a few soldiers followed the first within San Antonio river. In the 16th century, the Spanish began explorers to the area and established an endur- Missions National Historical Park. exploring parts of what is now Texas and the ing system of missions and forts (presidios). American Southwest. These early emissaries Their goals were to secure areas for the Spanish of the Spanish crown are believed to be the empire, introduce Christianity to the native Mission San Juan was established on the east bank of the San Antonio River on KELLY COURKAMP March 5, 1731. The missionaries had planned to build a large church at the mission but ran into construction difficul- ties, abandoned these plans, and eventually converted the granary 2 into a chapel. ark peoples, spread Spanish culture, and recruit new The missions were not simply churches; they citizens for the empire. The Spanish also built were large, self-sustaining estates complete with these missions and presidios to guard their their own agricultural operations and irrigation San Antonio Missions National Historical P claims against the French who occupied neigh- systems. They were also places where native boring Louisiana. people were compelled to become Spanish citi- The first Spanish mission in present-day zens. Produce and livestock were raised outside Texas was Mission San Francisco de los Tejas. of the missions’ walls and on nearby ranches. Built in 1690, in what is now eastern Texas, this Dams gathered and controlled the flow of the mission was relocated near the San Antonio San Antonio River, while acequias (irrigation River and renamed Mission Espada in 1731. ditches) used gravity to supply water to the Mission San Antonio de Valero, better known as fields. Native peoples who lived in the region the Alamo, was founded in 1718 and was the provided the labor for these extensive farms. first of several missions built along the San Pressure from other tribal groups, changes in Antonio River. Accompanying these missions in climate that led to food shortages, and devastat- the San Antonio River Valley are three other ing communicable diseases brought by the 18th-century missions: Mission San José y San Europeans combined to drive many native Miguel de Aguayo, Mission San Juan peoples to accept life within the mission walls. Capistrano, and Mission Nuestra Señora de la At the height of their production and reach, the Purísma Concepción de Acuña. These missions missions generated surpluses that were sent to were all strategically located near the Presidio de Mexico and exchanged for a variety of manufac- Béxar, which protected the borders of the tured goods. Spanish empire and the inhabitants of the The missions that the Spanish established in missions. Texas all had a similar layout, with the church and related buildings in one quadrant, quarters SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS NATIONAL for native peoples along the outer walls, and workshops in the interior of the compounds. HISTORICAL PARK AT A GLANCE Directly outside the missions’ walls lay the irri- gated fields, gardens, and orchards, and beyond • San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, officially created these fields were the ejidos or common lands. in 1978, is located just south of downtown San Antonio, Texas. The common lands were used for collecting fire- Each year more than 1.5 million people visit the park to tour its wood, gathering building materials, hunting four 18th-century Franciscan missions. small game, and grazing livestock. Together, • The park preserves seven resources listed in the National these lands formed the fundo legal, the estate that Register of Historic Places, including the four missions, one was granted to a mission by the Spanish crown. ranch, an aqueduct, and a series of archaeological sites. 3 PRESERVING THE RICH HISTORY OF Mission Concepción, the oldest unrestored stone church in THE MISSIONS America, and the Espada aqueduct, the only functioning aque- ark duct from the Spanish colonial period in the United States, are The missions of Texas and the American also designated as National Historic Landmarks. Southwest lost power during the 19th century, but the churches and mission lands continued • Constructed between 1768 and 1782, Mission San José, the to play an important role in the community largest of the missions, was considered to be “The Queen of despite political upheaval and the physical dete- the Missions.” A major social and cultural center during its rioration of the missions’ walls and buildings. prime, Mission San José is a model of Texas missions. The Efforts to preserve the missions and their history church, native peoples’ quarters, mill, and granary were all fully began to gain momentum when the church restored in the 1930s, which allows today’s visitors to take a tower of Mission San José collapsed on the step back in time to see how the missions looked more 250 morning of March 9, 1928. This event spurred years ago, when they were fully operational. local preservation groups to begin restoration • The missionaries constructed acequias that transported water, efforts. They purchased nearby lands, raised San Antonio Missions National Historical P collected behind a dam, to irrigate farmland for the missions. funds to support restoration work, and lobbied Today the acequias provide riparian habitat that supports a on behalf of future preservation projects. host of species, including many migratory and resident birds. During the 1930s, preservation work began Visitors can enjoy watching raptors, songbirds, and egrets as at several of the missions. The federal govern- they travel between the missions. ment funded some roof repair and replastering work on the church at Mission Concepción, • The Mission Hike and Bike Trail is a joint project involving the while a consortium of government agencies, City of San Antonio, Texas Department of Transportation, San private groups, and the Catholic Church worked Antonio River Authority, and the National Park Service. When together to fund major restoration work on the complete, it will connect the Alamo (Mission San Antonio de structures at Mission San José. Valero) to the four missions of San Antonio Missions National Talk of establishing a national park to Historical Park through a series of bike lanes along city streets preserve the missions began as early as 1935, and stand-alone hike and bike trails along the San Antonio although serious consideration was still decades River. The City of San Antonio provides maintenance for these away. One major concern that slowed the estab- trails. Los Compadres has co-sponsored a

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