<p>Completed
in 1782 and the largest of the missions in the area, San Jose was home to
approximately 350 Indian neophytes. Called the "Queen of the Missions", the site
was a primary point of social and cultural prominence. However, it also drew
the attention of the Apache and Comanche, and it often had fallen under attack.
The fortitude of the building was great, and its residents learned defense
methods such as using bows and arrows as well as eventually guns and cannons.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After
many years of deterioration, during the 1920s and 1930s, the San Antonio
Conservation Society and the Federal Government invested in the restoration of
the mission and about 80 % of&nbsp;the original structure was preserved while the rest
was reconstructed. The church was rededicated in 1937, and the site
was named a State Historic Site as well as a National Historic Site in 1941. According
to the official website of the National Park System, <b>“</b>When the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park was
established in November 1978, the Spanish colonial mission was assured of
protection in cooperation with the Archdiocese of San Antonio and the parish.”</p><p>
		
	
	
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				<div>
					<p>In 2015, the&nbsp;United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated the mission a UNESCO World Heritage Site&nbsp;making it the first site in Texas to achieve this status. With this prestige honor, Mission San Jose joins the ranks of other monumental world sites such as Yellowstone, Stonehenge, and the Great Wall of China.</p>
				</div>
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<p>Today,
Mission San Jose is an active parish and all are welcome to attend any of the
mass services offered weekly.</p>

<br>

Exterior of Mission San Jose (source: NPS)

Convento, Friars' Residence (source: NPS)

Church Facade of Mission San José (source: NPS)


More Info

Video

"Known as the 'Queen of the Missions', this is the largest of the missions and was almost fully restored to its original design in the 1930s by the WPA (Works Projects Administration). Spanish missions were not churches, but communities, with the church the focus. Mission San José shows the visitor how all the missions might have looked over 250 years ago." [from naps.gov]

Mission San José

As a way to explore the history of San Antonio, this trail includes visits to the five historic San Antonio missions utilized by Spanish missionaries to convert local Native Americans to the Catholic faith. Each of the sites on the trail are open to the public.

The Missions of San Antonio

<p>The Alamo was originally called Mission San Antonio de Valero and was founded in 1718. The church was built between 1744-1757. The mission was one of five established by Spain along the San Antonio River in the 1700s. Its original purpose was to serve as a way station for missions in East Texas (these would eventually fail and two moved to San Antonio). The missions were part of Spain's effort to extend its empire in the Southwest and prevent France from doing the same from Louisiana.</p><p>Conflict arose as a result of Mexico encouraging Americans to move to Texas, offering acres of land on the condition that they convert to Catholicism. However, once in Texas, settlers did not follow through with this which of course angered the Mexican government. Other sources of conflict included slavery, Federalism, and immigrant rights. Texans began taking steps to declare independence in 1835 and were able to&nbsp;drive Mexican forces out on December 11, 1835.&nbsp;</p><p>To put an end to the Texas&nbsp;Revolution, Mexican General Santa Anna built an army of 6,000 men. Upon reaching the Alamo on the 23 of February, he asked its inhabitants to surrender.&nbsp; After a Texan cannon was fired in response, Santa Ana gave orders to begin the siege, which lasted two weeks. Reinforcements to the Alamo never showed up despite the many calls for help from leaders, such as William B. Travis.&nbsp;</p>

The Battle of the Alamo, which took place between February 23 and March 6, 1836, accelerated the conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Tejas province that became known as the Texas Revolution. Texas declared independence from Mexico in 1836 after years of confrontations between its inhabitants (including the large number of Americans who moved to Texas and outnumbered the Mexicans there) and the Mexican government.

Politician-frontiersman Davy Crockett and Colonel William Travis led the fight for the rebels along with Jim Bowie. General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and General Martin Perfecto de Cos laid siege to the Alamo. The battle ended in total defeat for the Texans. All 180-250 Texans were either killed during the fighting or were executed. It is not known how many Mexicans died but the number is estimated at 600. Santa Ana assumed that the defeat would compel Texans to abandon the uprising. However, the opposite occurred as the loss galvanized support among Americans, many of whom went to Texas to join the Texan army, which eventually defeated Mexico at the Battle of San Jacinto. This secured, to some degree, legitimacy, and security for the Texas Republic, which was annexed by the United States in 1845. However, the tension between Mexico and the United States would not be resolved until the end of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848).

The Alamo is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark. It is also part a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes the four other nearby missions. 

The Alamo

<h3>Mission Concepción</h3><p>Franciscan Friars founded the mission in East Texas to proselytize the Hainai Indians and named it Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de los Hainais. It was one of six missions the Friars established on each side of the present-day Texas-Louisiana border and located near the town of Douglass. Around 3,000 of the Hainai Indians, whom the Spanish called "Tejas," agreed to join and be baptized at the first three missions shortly after the missions were founded. Life at the missions was difficult, however. They did not receive any supplies for years and experienced severe drought and hunger. The Friars also had difficulty in convincing the Hainai to live at the missions. These and other factors prompted the Friars to move Mission Concepción to San Antonio. Three other missions were moved to the Colorado River near present-day Austin but were soon moved to San Antonio as well.</p><p>Mission Concepción experienced a number of challenges throughout its history. In the 1730s, disputes over land ownership and mission rights occurred between the Friars and upper-class residents of San Antonio. Apache Indians also frequently attacked and threatened local Coahuiltecan Indians. A smallpox epidemic resulted in the deaths of many Indians here and at other missions. The number of those living at Mission Concepción dropped from 250 to 120. Fortunately, the mission recovered in the 1940s and peace was achieved between the Apaches and Spanish by 1749. By 1755, the year the church was completed after twenty years of construction, the population rose to 247 and the mission had hundreds of cattle, sheep, and many horses.</p><p>In the 1760s, attacks from Comanches and other northern tribes compelled some Indians to leave the missions. By 1786, there were only around 71 Indians living at Mission Concepción. A major factor in the decline was likely another outbreak of smallpox. Only 38 Indians were living at the mission in 1794. That year the mission and others were partially secularized under civil authorities of San Antonio and the Mission Concepción land was distributed among the last Indian residents. Another mission, San José, took over Mission Concepción as well. Mission Concepción finally ceased to be a mission in 1823. </p><p>The Republic of Texas transferred ownership to the Catholic Church in 1841 but the church was used as a barn and then as a supply depot for the U.S. Army. In 1855, Marian Friars acquired the mission and restored the church and opened a novitiate, which only operated for a few years. Masses resumed on May 28, 1861. The Marianists transferred the property to the bishop in 1911. In the coming decades, an orphanage, convent, a minor seminary, and two halls were built. The seminary closed in 1970. </p><p>The church is known for colorful frescos. Originally, frescoes covered the front of the church and throughout the interior but the remaining ones are only located in four rooms. The most famous one is believed to portray God as a mestizo (a person of mixed European and Indian heritage).</p><h3>Battle of Concepción</h3><p>As noted above, the Battle of Concepción was the first engagement of Texas Revolution and the Siege of Béxar (San Antonio). On October 28, 1835, a Mexican force of 275 troops and cavalry led by Colonel Domingo Ugartechea attacked a Texan force of around 90 soldiers here on the mission grounds. The Texans, led by James Bowie and James W. Fannin, were ordered to find a favorable position near San Antonio. They settled on a site at the mission next on an embankment on the east side of the San Antonio River. Urgartecha was ordered to attack the Texans the next day. The Mexican cavalry approached the camp from the west side of the river and the troops attacked from the east. The Texans were well positioned, however, and repelled three Mexican charges. The Texans then counterattacked, seized one of the canons, and forced the Mexicans to retreat. The battle lasted only about half an hour. At least 14 Mexicans were killed and 39 were wounded; only one Texan was killed and another was wounded. The Texans were part of a larger army of a total of 400 troops led by Stephen Austin. The siege ended six week later when the Mexicans surrendered.</p>

<p>Appearing much as it did when it was completed in 1755, Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña—or simply, Mission Concepción—is according to the National Park Service "the oldest unrestored stone church in America." Franciscan Friars founded the mission in 1711 in East Texas and moved it to San Antonio in 1731. They named it after Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and the then viceroy of New Spain, Juan de Acuña, the Marqués de Casafuerte (1658-1734). The mission is also known for being the site of the Battle of Concepción (October 28, 1835), the first major battle of the Texas Revolution. The mission was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and is a part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. It is also a National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is an active Catholic parish today.</p>

Mission Concepción

<p>This mission was first established in 1716&nbsp;for the Nazonis Indians&nbsp;as the Mission San José de los Nazonis. It was located in the wooded region of East Texas, but the missionaries did not&nbsp;have much success in the years the mission was there so it&nbsp;was relocated in 1731 to the east bank of the San Antonio River.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was then renamed San Juan Capistrano as it is known today. The new location eventually&nbsp;included a granary, textile shops, and Indian houses made of adobe with thatched roofs. The construction of a larger church was began, but abandoned, and the ruins of the attempt can still be seen today.</p><p>After the mission's move to San Antonio in 1731, the missionaries still faced many troubles as they had in their former location. Illness and other diseases including&nbsp;smallpox and measles brought death upon a vast number of the Native Americans, and out of revenge, native groups like the Apaches and Comanche attacked the mission residents. Despite the turmoil, however, Indian population as Mission San Juan&nbsp;grew over the years, and by 1762 approximately 200 Native Americans were living at there.&nbsp;</p><p>Thanks to the naturally rich land surrounding it, Mission San Juan became a regional agricultural supplier in the mid-1700s. Today, mission visitors can see the San Juan Acequia,&nbsp;the irrigation ditch that was used for farming at Mission San Juan. The irrigation system&nbsp;is currently being restored so that it will carry water to the what will be known as the&nbsp;Spanish Colonial Demonstration Farm.&nbsp;</p>

After Mission San José de los Nazonis, which was established in 1716 in East Texas relocated to the banks of the San Antonio River in 1731, it was re-established along the banks of the San Antonio River in 1731. Despite struggles with violent native groups and the residents succumbing to a number of diseases, Mission San Juan thrived throughout the 18th century as a regional agricultural provider, servicing other missions and settlements from Louisiana to Mexico. Today, the mission church still hosts mass multiple times a week.

Mission San Juan Capistrano

<div>The mission's aim was to assimilate the Native Americans into the Spanish Culture while indoctrinating them with Christian principles&nbsp;as well. The Franciscan missionaries taught the natives farming, weaving, Blacksmithing, masonry, and carpentry skills. Additionally, mission residents developed a complex irrigation system that ran from the San Antonio River to the mission crops; ruins can still be seen at the site today.&nbsp;<br><br>Eventually, Espada suffered a fate that many other missions did as well: epidemics, fire, and raids.&nbsp;During the war with Mexico the site got its second life as&nbsp;James Bowie, William Travis, and the Texas army utilized the ruins as a fort. Then, in&nbsp;1858 a French priest named&nbsp;Father Bouchu made the old mission his home and it is him who we have to thank for the preservation of the mission's history as he created records of what he found even down to the artwork.&nbsp;</div><div><p>The church is being restored and preserved&nbsp;continuously and still operates as a house of worship today.</p></div>

Originally established in 1690 as San Francisco de los Tejas near Weches and renamed Mission San Francisco de la Espada when it was relocated to the San Antonio River area in 1731, this was the first mission in Texas. In 1745, a friary was built on site, and in 1756, the church was completed. Today, Mission San Francisco de la Espada is known for its well-preserved irrigation system which was used in order to carry water from the San Antonio River across Piers Creek and to the mission crops. 

The Missions of San Antonio

Mission San José

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information