Mission Parkway

The Mission Parkway is rich in prehistoric and historic sites originating with three major ethnic groups--Indian, Spanish, and Anglo-American. Doubtlessly, extensive prehistoric remains along the San Antonio River probably existed until its channelization in 1970-1971. Only two prehistoric sites are recorded for the parkway.

The unifying feature of the parkway area is the four Spanish colonial missions: Nuestra Senora Purisima Concepcion de Acuna, San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo, San Juan Capistrano and San Francisco de la Espada. Two of these missions are located on the left bank of the San Antonio River and the other two on the right bank. These missions, along with the Mission San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo), exemplify one of the most concentrated of Spanish missionary efforts during the eighteenth century--five missions within eight linear miles.

The colonial wall paintings at Concepcion and the elaborately carved church portal and "rose window" at San Jose are among the finest such examples in the Spanish borderlands. Another significant characteristic from the colonial period was the mission irrigation system of dams, aqueducts, and acequias and their allotted fields (labores) and woodlands. Of the original five irrigation systems, only two-San Juan and Espada--are operative and remnants of a third—that of San Jose--can be seen. One of the colonial stone dams, Espada, has survived and is functioning. The Espada aqueduct is an impressive reminder of the skills employed by the Spaniard and Indian in exploiting a natural resource. This aqueduct is a National Historic Landmark and a National Engineering Landmark.

Through the course of the nineteenth century (Mexican Independence, 1821; mission secularization, 1820s; the Texas Republic, 1836-1845; and statehood, 1845 to date) the former mission lands reverted to private ownership. Remains of mills, farms, private residences and industrial and commercial endeavors from this period provide historical points of interest and add to the diversity of the colonial missions of San Antonio Parkway.

Post-colonial sites represent a wide variety of activities by many ethnic groups in the area encompassed by the parkway. There are residences, farms, mills, industries, resort and entertainment facilities in the area as well as sites of prehistoric provenience. Thus the area represents a continuum of land use and cultural change from prehistory to the present.

The area has been adversely impacted by urbanization and industrial exploitation (gravel pits, channelization, etc.) but remains principally rural and is less impacted than the more urban portions of San Antonio.