Mission Tour - San Antonio (TX)

It is a beautiful morning in the Texas Hill Country.  We are getting an early start today as we plan to drive into San Antonio and meet friends for a relaxing day of touring and visiting.  Around 7am here on Lake LBJ we often see the sun making its first appearance of the day.  Today is spectacular!

The drive into San Antonio from Marble Falls (where we are camped) will take about an hour and 45 minutes.  On the way we pass through beautiful rolling hills and old Texas towns.  We enjoy every minute of the drive!

Chris and I have both been to San Antonio, in fact we have been there several times.  We have been to the Alamo.  Several times.  However, neither of us had toured any of the other missions in the area.  Today we are out to explore and to learn about 3 other missions in the San Antonio area.

The missions established along the San Antonio River in the 1700s form the largest concentration of Catholic missions in North America.  Franciscan missions served both Church and State.  Sent from New Spain (Old Mexico) the purpose of the missions was two fold.  First, the missions spread the Catholic faith.  Second, the missions pushed the empire northward.  The mission system served to bring Indians into Spanish society as well as protect from not-so-friendly Indians.  At first the missions did not have a wall which encompassed the compound, but soon found the walls were needed for protection.  Within the walls the Indians lived, worked, learned trades, and worshiped.

Mission Concepcion was transferred from East Texas in 1731 and looks essentially as it did in the mid 1700s.  The stones we see today are over 250 years old!  Standing outside or inside the structure I try to imagine life so very long ago.  The Indians essentially gave up the hunting/gathering life for one of farming and ranching in a permanent settlement.  They lived within stone structures for the first time.

One of 3 doorways, each of different heights

On the Mission Concepcion  grounds Chris discovered the bike trail (and bicycles) which connect the missions.  A credit card is required, but the use of the bicycle is "free" if you can make it to the next mission in less than 30 minutes.  He did!

Chris bicycles about 3 miles to Mission San Jose

In 1720 Mission San Jose was founded.  It is know as the "Queen of the Missions"  and was my favorite.

The architecture of this mission was just incredible.

Entrance to the church

Living quarters

Inside the church

Inside the small living quarters (below) you can see the built-in shelving (pic on the left).  We found the molding seen just above the shelves here to be in several places around the mission, very often appearing above doors.   The pic on the right shows a "stove/oven".  The overhanging wood piece above the stove is similar to our vent hood.  In the far upper, inside corner was a hole that allowed the smoke to escape.

 

The 3rd and final mission we toured is the Mission San Juan.  In 1731 it was moved to its current and permanent home on the San Antonio River's east bank.

Exterior of the church

The mission is still used for church services.

A view of the grounds and Church at Mission San Juan

The missions around San Antonio were self sufficient and in times of surplus the goods were traded to others.  This particular mission had many orchards and gardens.  Herds of sheep were said to be around 3,500 with almost as many cattle.  Quite a thriving community!

Dear friends we knew when we lived in Mustang, OK now live in San Antonio and were our tour guides.  Walking the grounds of the missions was extremely interesting.  But, spending time with Opie and Jim was what made the day so special.  

Opie and Jim