аÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û

Top 10 Astonishing Facts about San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

This is an image of a place or building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States of America. Its reference number is 78003147. photo by Epopan – Own work- commons

San Antonio Mission National Historical Park is a National Historical Park and part of the UNESCO Worlds Heritage Site.  The mission was established for the purpose o preserving four of the five Spanish frontier missions in San Antonio, Texas. The missions were established by the Catholic religious order a reason of spreading Christianity among the local natives.

The four missions that were within the San Antonio National Historical Park include; Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. The four church missions are owned and operated by the Archdiocese of San Antonio

The following are some of the 10 astonishing facts  about San Antonio Missions National Park ;

1. San Antonio Missions National Park was designed to protect and preserve four Spanish frontier missions 

The San Antonio Missions played a major role in all aspects of Spanish colonial frontier life as they related to religion, the military, culture, and agriculture. The park includes four missions: Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan Capistrano, and Mission Espada.

The Spanish mission system was developed to assist; in the conversion of the native American to the Roman Catholic Faith; extend the Spanish civilization and defend the northern frontier of the Spanish empire in the Americas.

2. San Antonio National Historical Park is a part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site

the San Antonio community to officially mark the dedication of the Spanish colonial missions in San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, which includes the Alamo, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site,Photo by U.S. Department of the Interior – 6016- commons

San Antonia Missions National Historical Park is not only a National Historical Park but also a part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and the Alamo Mission in San Antonio were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 5, 2015.

A world Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. 

The world Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, scientific, or other forms of significance. This is because the sites are usually judged to contain cultural and natural heritage around the world, thus regarded to be of outstanding value to humanity.

3. it is one park with four missions

Within the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, there are four separate mission sites. The four missions include  Mission San Jose, Mission Concepcion, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. They offer recreational opportunities for tourists.

San Antonio Mission National Historical Park nearly represents about 300years of rich history and culture. Considering that the missions formed part of a colonization system that stretched across the Spanish Southwest in the 17th,18th, and 19th centuries.

4. There is a Mission Reach Ecosystem Restoration and Recreation project

The Mission Reach Ecosystem Restoration and Recreation project was initiated in 2008 by the San Antonio River Authority and completed in October 2013. The project guidelines for the whole segment were developed by the SWA  Group of Houston. The project connect Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose ,Mission San Juan and Mission Espada to the San Antonio Riverwalk. It has, therefore, added 15miles of hiking, biking, and paddling trails to the San Antonio Mission National Historical Park.

5. All the four missions have active parishes

Mission San Juan Capistrano San Antonio, TX, United States, photo by MARELBU- commons

At San Antonio Mission National Historical Park, all the mission sites still contain active catholic parishes. The churches hold regular services in the historic buildings. Their services are either in English, Spanish or Bilingual. 

The National Park Service does not issue permits for the weddings to take place on the ground of the four missions, but each church does allow weddings. The couple must contact the church to arrange for a wedding inside a mission church.

6. It was also known as Mission Parkway

San Antonio National Historical Park was originally established in 1975 as the Mission Parkway on the National Register of Historic Places. It was encircled by about 84 separate historical sites, which were along the San Antonio River on the southern side of the city of San Antonio.

The National Historical Park was authorized on November 10, 1978, and was established on April 1983, however containing many cultural sites along with some natural areas.

7. The missions’ physical remains comprise a range of architectural and archeological structures

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park This is an image of a place or building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States of America. Its reference number is 78003147, photo by Epopan – Own work – common

Some of the architectural and archeological structures, that demonstrate that there was an inventive interchange that took place between the indigenous people, missionaries, and colonizers include the following; farmlands, cattle grounds (ranchos), residences, churches, granaries, workshops, kilns, wells, perimeter walls, and water distribution system.

The interactions contributed fundamentally and permanently to the changes in the cultures and values of all the parties that were involved. The parties that were affected positively is that of the coahuiltecans and other indigenous hunter-gatherers. They later became successful agriculturists.

Due the widespread of sharing knowledge and skill among the inhabitant and the early adoption of the common language and religion resulted in people and culture with an identity that is neither wholly indigenous nor  wholly Spanish  thus making it prevalent

8. All five missions in San Antonio National Historical Park  are Texas Antiquities  landmarks and also on a local level of the city of San Antonio Local Landmarks

The missions in San Antonio National Historical Park are protected by the federal laws and designations, Texas laws and designations, City of San Antonia ordinances and cooperative agreements, easements, and deed restrictions.

The  United States National park service manages all the property within the boundaries of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. It was established under Public Law 95-629 in 1978 and Public Law 1010-628 in 1990. The  Archdiocese of San Antonio owns and operates the four mission churches within the San Antonio National Historical Park.

9. There is an array of ways to explore all of the missions

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, photo by Drytoad – Own work-commons