San Antonio Missions: Preservation Issues in the 21St Century Page 1 a Summary and Analysis of the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Preservation Workshops

San Antonio Missions: Preservation Issues in the 21st Century Page 1 A Summary and Analysis of the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Preservation Workshops

SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS Preservation in the 21st Century

Prepared by: The University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Cultural Sustainability—a unit of the College of Architecture, Construction and Planning

Project Sponsor: Mission Heritage Partners November 2019

Introductionl

San Antonio Missions: Preservation in the 21st Century Page 2 A Summary and Analysis of the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Preservation Workshops

Project Staff

Principal Investigator William Dupont

Editorial Tracie Quinn

Graduate Students Carolina Dominguez Perez Cristina Gonzalez Pope Marcus Huerta Alesia Hoyle

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San Antonio Missions: Preservation in the 21st Century Page 3 A Summary and Analysis of the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Preservation Workshops

Introduction Held each May for three years, the San Antonio Missions Preservation Workshops engaged local, national, and international experts in topics of materials conservation, Spanish Colonial masonry, cultural resource management, documentation, chemistry, history, geology, architecture, and architectural history. Participants in the four-day events included representatives from government entities at the local, state, and federal levels; representatives from the Archdiocese of San Antonio; academics from throughout the United States; and professional consultants from the private sector. Additionally, the “next generation” of preservationists was represented, as workshop participants included graduate students and members of the Texas Conservation Corps. From San Antonio residents who have spent 50 or more years working with the missions, to non- Texans seeing them for the first time, participants’ familiarity with these structures ran the gamut— creating a healthy blend of insider and outsider points of view. In preparing this report, the UTSA Center for Cultural Sustainability (CCS) aims to document and synthesize this cross-section of knowledgeable voices into broad-scope recommendations for guiding future preservation practices at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. This is not a technical report on materials conservation; nothing in this report should be used as a guide to treatment. The report is a distillation of conversations to indicate what transpired, hopefully leading to establishment of best practices written specifically for the San Antonio Missions. The workshops—which were sponsored by the National Park Service, the UTSA Center for Cultural Sustainability, the Texas Historical Commission, and Los Compadres de San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (now Mission Heritage Partners)—were held May 23–26, 2016; May 22–25, 2017; and May 21–24, 2018. Additionally, the final workshop in 2018 was an official San Antonio 300 Tricentennial event.

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San Antonio Missions: Preservation in the 21st Century Page 4 A Summary and Analysis of the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Preservation Workshops

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION ...... 3

Section One: Summary and Analysis ...... 7 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BEST PRACTICES GOING FORWARD ...... 8

Section Two: Review of 2018 Events ...... 11 List of Participants ...... 12 2018 PLENARY SESSION ...... 13 Overview of Speakers ...... 13

“From Wood to Stone: The Evolution of San Antonio’s Missions” By Dr. Jesús F. de la Teja, Texas State Historical Association ...... 14

“Water, Water, Everywhere!” By Carolyn Peterson, FAIA, Principal at Ford, Powell & Carson ...... 16

“Documentation of Historic Masonry Preservation at San Juan (Puerto Rico) National Historic Site” By Felix Lopez and Elvis Babilonia, NPS ...... 21

2018 ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS ...... 27 “Water, Moisture Management, and Microbial Communities” Moderated by Judy Jacob, NPS; and Jim Speck ...... 27

“Documentation of Historic Structures” Moderated by Felix Lopez, NPS; Elvis Babilonia, NPS; and Dr. Angela Lombardi, UTSA ...... 32

“Stone and Stucco Conservation” Fran Gale, UT-Austin; and Pam Rosser, Alamo Trust, Inc...... 36

2018 HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS ...... 42 “Moisture Management” Moderated by Judy Jacob, NPS; Jim Speck; and Dr. Angela Lombardi, UTSA ...... 42

“Documentation” Moderated by Sara Rodríguez Jimeno, Architectural Fellow, UTSA; Assisted by Alejandra Rodriguez Guajardo, student, UTSA ...... 43

“Masonry” Ramon de Jesus; Fran Gale, UT-Austin; and Pam Rosser, Alamo Trust, Inc...... 48

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San Antonio Missions: Preservation in the 21st Century Page 5 A Summary and Analysis of the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Preservation Workshops

Table of Contents (cont.)

Section Three: Review of 2017 Events ...... 53 List of Participants ...... 54 2017 PLENARY SESSION ...... 55 Overview of Four Speakers ...... 55

“Principles of Treatment” By Dr. George Skarmeas, Preservation Design Partnership (PDP) ...... 56

“Documenting Historic Buildings in Colonial Quito, Ecuador” By Dr. Susan V. Webster, College of William & Mary ...... 59

“Geology of the San Antonio River Basin” By Dr. Tom Ewing, Yegua Energy Associates ...... 64

“Masonry Treatments: Long-term Testing, Results, and Lessons Learned” By Judy Jacob, National Park Service ...... 67

2017 ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS ...... 72 “Principles of Treatment” Moderated by William Dupont, UTSA ...... 72

“Architectural History—Documentation and Wall Analysis” Moderated by Dr. Angela Lombardi, UTSA; and Jake Ivey, NPS (retired) ...... 77

“Stone Conservation and Stone Sourcing” Moderated by Dr. Tom Ewing, Yegua Energy Associates, Fran Gale, UT-Austin; and Dr. Steve Tomka, Raba Kistner, Inc...... 82

2017 HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS ...... 84 “Missions Geology Field Trip” Moderated by Dr. Tom Ewing, Yegua Energy Associates; and Dr. Steve Tomka, Raba Kistner, Inc...... 84

“Mortar Workshop” Moderated by Pam Rosser, Alamo Trust, Inc.; and Rachel Adler, NPS ...... 85

“Architectural History Workshop” Moderated by Dr. Angela Lombardi, UTSA ...... 89

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San Antonio Missions: Preservation in the 21st Century Page 6 A Summary and Analysis of the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Preservation Workshops

Table of Contents (cont.)

Section Four: Review of 2016 Events ...... 91 2016 PLENARY SESSION ...... 92 Overview of Four Speakers ...... 92

“The Authenticity of Historic Places” By William A. Dupont, UTSA ...... 93

“Preserving the Preservation Trades” By Naomi Kroll, National Park Service ...... 95

2016 ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS ...... 97 “Documentation Techniques” Moderated by Dennis Baltuskonis and Eric Breitkreutz ...... 97

“Materials Analysis, Mortars and Plasters” Moderated by Judy Jacob, Richard Barrow, Ivan Myjer and Heather Hartshorn ...... 98

“Conservation, Restoration, Preservation and the Visitor Experience” Moderated by William A. Dupont ...... 102

2016 HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS ...... 106 “Stone Conservation” Moderated by Ivan Myjer and Anna Nau ...... 106

“Stone Cutting” Moderated by Holly and Joseph Kincannon ...... 108

“Mortars, Limewashes, and Plasters” Moderated by Richard Barrow ...... 110

“Photo Documentation” Moderated by Dennis Baltuskonis ...... 112

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San Antonio Missions: Preservation Issues in the 21st Century Page 7 A Summary and Analysis of the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Preservation Workshops

Section One Summary and Analysis

Introductionl

San Antonio Missions: Preservation in the 21st Century Page 8 A Summary and Analysis of the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Preservation Workshops

Recommendations for best practices going forward The primary outcome of these three workshops was a significantly higher appreciation of conservation practices and treatments. Participants gained a deeper understanding of the complexity involved in conservation decisions. The San Antonio Missions may look similar, but physical conditions vary, as do stone types, mortars, age, and building tectonics. The workshops demonstrated that professional conservators using the latest techniques of scientific analysis may be able to reveal, with a high rate of success, the precise cause(s) of a deterioration problem. Yet, that knowledge alone is not enough to specify the most appropriate treatment. More than one solution is often possible, and individual conservation treatments have to be considered in the context of the whole building. Further complicating treatment choices, physical science is not the only consideration. Buildings are not museum objects; they serve many users and purposes. The best management of the cultural resource requires clarity on the big picture, a long-term plan that is rationale, consistent and holistic. At a historic site in a National Park, the staff are the frontline conservators and long-term managers. Training programs must meet the needs of NPS staff who are the caretakers of the resources. No one can learn a trade in a day. Quality of a level that is appropriate for the San Antonio Missions is attained slowly, with patience and respect for the resource. Classroom instruction about conservation theory and principles has its place in the training programs because good maintenance requires understanding the overall goals. Awareness of the objectives and guiding principles can impact daily decisions, including the small, incremental choices made over years that can result in large changes. The best artisans know why as well as what they do. Realistically, though, information conveyed in a classroom setting will only go so far. The vast quantity of training time for preservation trade skills is ‘hands-on.’ Outside consultants and contractors are frequently engaged for testing, analysis, and conservation treatments at NPS historic sites. These experts are short-time players, in for a special project and then gone. They ought to impart lessons to staff before they leave the project site. Hands-on training, when offered, should be documented for future review and repetition. Project completion reports, standard for all NPS work, should include instructional content for long-term care by staff after the professional is gone. A standardized format ought to be requested, so the training components of multiple completion reports may be compiled into a database for future comparison and analysis. A manual of best practices is needed for the San Antonio Missions. The contents of the manual should be decided ahead of a future workshop so that the agenda may focus on generating information for the manual. The practices need to address matters of daily and cyclical maintenance, of course, but also inspections, record-keeping, contracting (working with outside vendors), safety, coordination of staff professionals (internal communications), maintenance, disaster preparedness, and the philosophical rationale driving decisions. Maintenance Plans and Disaster Prep/Response Plans are separate matters, to be advised by the best practices manual but not part of the manual. All these procedures and protocols are well understood and practiced at NPS sites, of course. The best practices manual recommended here

recommendations l

San Antonio Missions: Preservation in the 21st Century Page 9 A Summary and Analysis of the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Preservation Workshops

will be prepared exclusively and specifically for the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, will have provisions for regular updating, and may warrant different sections for different resource locat