San Antonio Missions

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The chain of missions established along the San Antonio River in the 18th century represent one of Spain's most successful attempts to expand its dominion northward from New Spain (present-day Mexico). Collectively they form the largest concentration of Catholic missions in North America. The first mission, mission San Antonio (later called "the Alamo"), was established in 1718. In 1720 a second mission, San Jose, was established roughly 3 miles south of the Alamo. In 1731, three more missions were established along the banks of the San Antonio River - Mission San Juan, Mission Concepcion, and Mission Espada. The missions served many purposes - religious, social, and military. The Indians readily accepted the missions and the changes they brought to their way of life. Disease and raiding Apache and Commanche Indians forced the Indians to seek food, shelter, and protection. The missions served their purpose very well until 1793 when all five missions were secularized and their lands distributed to the remaining Indian residents.

The Alamo is the most famous of the missions due to the battle waged there during the Texas Revolution. On February 23, 1836, Santa Anna's army arrived outside San Antonio. For the the next thirteen days, a small band of defenders held out against the overwhelming numbers of the army. The final assault came on Match 6th and, after a desperate struggle, The Alamo fell to Santa Ana. Today The Alamo is a shrine to those fallen Texans. There is very little left of the original mission complex.

The second mission, San Jose, is the most beautiful (it was known as "the Queen of the Missions") and is by far the most extensively preserved and reconstructed, thanks to a CCC project in the 1930's. The church and convent are surrounded by four walls which are thick enough to form 2-room apartment in which the Indians lived. Inside these walls, village life was secure and comfortable.

The final three missions are less extensively preserved. With the exception of The Alamo, all of the missions are still active Catholic churches with Sunday services. The convent at Mission Espada is still in use by the church and not open to the public and at Mission San Juan, two buildings are still is use by the church. I don't have any pictures of Mission Concepcion because I didn't have the camera when we were there. We started out on our morning walk one day and just kept walking until we arrived at the mission. Concepcion has the best preserved interior with quite a lot of the original, colorfully painted plaster still in tact.

These five missions helped form the foundation of the city of San Antonio. Descendants of the Coahuiltecan Indians that lived in the walls of the missions still live in the area and worship in these churches.

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Photos

Mission San Jose
The church and bell tower are in the foreground; the convent is behind the church

Mission San Jose
When first built, the missions were colorfully painted. Very little of the original plaster remains.

Mission San Jose
This closeup of the door shows the fine detail. There are six saints depicted and every detail symbolizes an aspect of the either Catholicism or Spanish culture.

Mission San Jose
The walls of the mission compound are 2 room apartments with community ovens located outside.

Mission San Juan
The is the least attractive of the missions with the storehouse attached to the church.

Mission San Juan
Closeup of the bells of the mission.

Mission San Juan
This is the main gate of the mission. All who entered would have been stopped here.

Mission Espada
This is a very pretty church.

Mission Espada
The convent attached to the church is still in use.

Mission Espada
Partial ruins are all that are left of the walls that once surrounded the mission.