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San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
 In the race to claim and settle territory in the "new world" Spain used a unique
institute which combined church and state, the missions. Each mission was
authorized and funded by the government and administered by the Catholic Church.
In answer to the threat of French incursion, Spain established a chain of
missions in East Texas during the late 1600s. To assist in supporting
these missions, the Franciscans missionaries established Mission San Antonio de
Valero in 1718 and Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo in 1720. These
missions were established along the San Antonio River, which provided an
abundant supply of resources to sustain the mission communities.
In 1731, three missions were transferred from the waning East Texas mission
field. Mission Nuestra Señora de la Concepción de Acuña, Mission San Juan
Capistrano, and Mission San Francisco de la Espada took their place along the
San Antonio River.
As Spanish influence over Texas declined, so did the missions as religious
communities. As the missions secularized, their land was divided among
members of the community, and the missionaries left for other mission fields.
Yet, the communities survived and still surround the remains of four out of the
five missions. Today, Mission Concepción, Mission San José, Mission San
Juan, and Mission Espada make up the San
Antonio Missions National Historical Park.
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