Trinity University Digital Commons @ Trinity Faculty Authored and Edited Books & CDs 1983 San Antonio Missions National Historical Park: a commitment to research Gilberto R. Cruz [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.trinity.edu/mono Part of the Historic Preservation and Conservation Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Cruz, Gilberto R., "San Antonio Missions National Historical Park: a commitment to research" (1983). Faculty Authored and Edited Books & CDs. 13. https://digitalcommons.trinity.edu/mono/13 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ Trinity. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Authored and Edited Books & CDs by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Trinity. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK: A Commitment to Research 1983 SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK; A Commitment to Research by GILBERTO R. CRUZ Park Historian San Antonio Missions National Historical Park 1983 LEBCO Graphics San Antonio, Texas COVER PHOTO Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo, San Antonio, Texas established in 1720 Photo: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. In commemoration of the signing of the Cooperative Agreements of February 20, 1983 San Antonio Missions National Historical Park San Antonio, Texas 111 The San Antonio Missions have had an incalculable spiritual, historical and cultural influence on the early development of civilized society in South Texas. As efforts at restoring, preserving and interpreting the missions continue to grow, contemporary San Antonio will come to appreciate even more the timeless message they were designed to convey. These 18th century monuments of art and architecture proclaim with the thunder of silence their own intrinsic value. Mission La Punsima Concepcion San Antonio, Texas, established in 1731. Photo: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park IV Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo San Antonio, Texas, established in 1720. Photo: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Mission San Juan Capistrano San Antonio, Texas, established in 1731 Photo: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. VI Mission San Francisco de La Espada San Antonio, Texas, established in 1731 Photo: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Vll Mission Trail 2 o MISSION I I a SAN ANTONIO 3 < E de VALERO (“the Alamo") T2> •pCTELBl NoKlKfo I— uaMJ ^ 3 ORIENTATION ^ Amti\ommLUfsmaLf*f^"^As a^.pEPT (S^THE lMmigP.*^/qTag>^. S& iAdE Aitjeo.oz-i Map: San Antonio Missions National Afi^e] -mro Historical Park v m CONTENTS Our Appreciation...................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................................2 Cooperative Agreements......................................................................................................................................3 Cooperative Agreements of 1983: Legal Foundations for Park Management....................................................................................3 Cooperative Agreement of 1941: A Legacy ..........................................................................................8 A Committment To Research The National Park Service: The Beginnings of an American Tradition................................. 11 The Formation of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park ................................. 13 Research; A Basis for NPS M anagem ent............................................................................................ 17 San Antonio Missions First Annual Research Conference........................................................... 22 O ’Neil Ford and the M issions....................................................................................................... 23 Program.................................................................................................................................................25 Narrative on the Conference............................................................................................................29 A ppendix................................................................................................................................................................ x The Original Lecture in Spanish Jose Miguel Merino de Caceres Ministry of Culture, Spain Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................................xviii IX JOSE A. CISNEROS, Superintendent San Antonio Missions National Historical Park OUR APPRECIATION I want personally to express my gratitude to all those who have played a role in making the signing ceremony of February 20, 1983 the successful event that it was. The ceremony culminated not only our work in the last three years but it fulfilled the aspirations of the people of San Antonio in affording national recognition for their historic missions. It was, in fact, a landmark occasion in its own right and the community rightfully can take deep satisfaction in the ceremony. The opportunity to activate a new unit of the National Park System is a privilege extended to few areas of the nation. As the System begins to slow its growth, as it presently has, this opportunity will be all the more rare. We view the work that remains in this perspective. Someday we will all look back with pride on our roles in the activation of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. You have my deep appreciation for your assistance in making this occasion come true. This publication has two purposes. It was designed to commemorate the signing of the Cooperative Agreements of February 20. Secondly, it enables the reader to become familiar with the extent of research this Park has embarked upon in developing efficient management plans and policies in the preservation, restoration and interpretation of the San Antonio Missions. I believe that this publication serves these purposes accurately and well. 1 Jose A. Cisneros Superintendent INTRODUCTION The Cooperative Agreements signed on February 20, 1983, constitute a document unique in the annals of the National Park System. The four San Antonio Missions make up the System’s first National Historical Park to operate under the peculiar accommodations of these Agreements. The historical document is a tribute to the people of South Texas, to their government and Church representatives and to the pluralistic dimensions of our national heritage. T o celebrate the historic occasion, the Superintendent directed me to prepare a manuscript that would commemorate the February 20th event and would acknowledge the collective effort of the South Texas community in bringing it to fruition. Secondly, the publication was to indicate, at least in some measure, the nature of the research to which the Park is committed in its attempts to operate efficiently and to interpret the Missions’ human drama of past centuries. Whereas the Park Historian may research, write and ultimately be responsible for the printed product, he must seek assistance from colleagues and friends. I would like to thank Ernest Ortega, former Chief Ranger; Felix Hernandez III, present Chief Ranger; Betty Calzoncit, Management Assistant; and Elias Valencia, Supervisory Park Ranger whose staff has been most competent and helpful. A word of appreciation is due to Marlys B. Thurber, Chief, Division of Cultural Resources, and Archeologist Santiago Escobedo for providing illustrations. For sage advice given both personally, by correspondence or telephone conversation, I wish to thank Ben Moffett, Public Affairs Officer; David Gaines, Landscape Architect, and Joseph P. Sanchez, Ph.D., Interpretive Specialist (Historian) of the Southwest Regional Office. I am grateful to Rosemary Flores, Penelope Amaya and Bruce Slavin of the San Antonio Federal Court Reporters for hours of work on the Conference manuscript. I wish to acknowledge the proof-reading time invested in the manuscript by Park Library Volunteers Gale Shiffrin and Anne Fox. The Old Spanish Missions staff of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio also has been very supportive of this project. I am particularly grateful to Rev. Msgr. Balthasar J. Janacek, Sister Mary Carolina Flores, C.D.P. and Pierson De Vries. This publication was made possible through private donations and reflects the trust invested in the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park by the community of South Texas. Contributions for this book have been obtained largely through the efforts of the Commemorative Publications Committee, a private group with Henry Guerra as Committee Fund Solicitor and General William A. Harris, USA (Ret.), as Committee Fiscal Agent. I wish to acknowledge their contributions and the efforts of others who made this publication a reality. G.R.C. July 7, 1983 Society President Lynn Bobbitt (left), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Director James Bell, National Parks Service Director Russell Dickenson, and Archbishop Patrick Flores all signed the cooperative agreements on February 20. The agreements assure protection for the four Franciscan missions in the San A ntonio M ission National Historical Park, represented by Supt. Jose'Cisneros (standing). COOPERATIVE