Spanish missions in Texas
The
Spanish Missions in Texas comprise a series of
religious outposts established by
Spanish Catholic Dominicans,
Jesuits, and
Franciscans to spread the
Christian doctrine among the local
Native Americans, but with the added benefit of giving Spain a toehold in the frontier land. The missions introduced
European livestock,
fruits,
vegetables, and
industry into the
Texas region. In addition to the
presidio (fort) and
pueblo (town), the
misión was one of the three major agencies employed by the Spanish crown to extend its borders and consolidate its
colonial territories.
Since 1493,
Spain had maintained a number of missions throughout
New Spain (
Mexico and portions of what today are the
Southwestern United States) in order to facilitate colonization of these lands. The
East Texas missions were a direct response to fear of French encroachment when the remains of
La Salle's Fort Saint Louis were discovered near
Matagorda Bay in 1689.
Following government policy,
Franciscan missionaries sought to make life within mission communities closely resemble that of Spanish villages and Spanish culture. In order to become Spanish citizens and productive inhabitants, native americans learned vocational skills. As
plows, farm implements, and gear for
horses,
oxen, and
mules fell into disrepair,
blacksmithing skills soon became indispensable.
Weaving skills were needed to help clothe the inhabitants. As buildings became more elaborate, mission occupants learned
masonry and
carpentry under the direction of craftsmen contracted by the missionaries.
*Established 1682 at Ysleta (now
El Paso), which was on the south side of the
Rio Grande at that time. Established among the
Tigua people.
*Flooding destroyed destroyed the mission twice: once around 1742 and again around 1829.
*Present church was constructed in 1851 on higher ground
*In 1881, the Jesuits took control and renamed it Mission de Nuestra Señora del Monte Carmelo
*In 1980, the name was changed to Mission San Antonio de los Tiguas
*Still in use as a church
*Established 1682 at
Ysleta. Settled by
Piro people from
New Mexico*Site moved and now in
Ciudad Juarez,
Mexico*Established 1682 near
Socorro among the
Piros people
*First permanent mission, built in 1691, was swept away by flood in 1744
*Second church was washed away in 1829
*Present mission was completed in 1843
*Socorro became part of Texas in 1848
*Established in 1690 as San Francisco de los Tejas near present-day
Weches among the
Nabedache people
*Renamed Mission San Francisco de los Neches in 1721
*Moved in 1731 to
San Antonio where it was named Mission San Francisco de la Espada
*Currently part of
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park operated by the
National Park Service*Established in 1690 on the
Neches River*Abandoned in 1693
*Established in 1700-1702 Site now in Mexico.
*Established in 1700-1702 Site now in Mexico.
Main article: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park: Mission San Juan
*Established in 1716 in
East Texas*Moved in 1731 to
San Antonio*Currently a National Historical Park operated by the
National Park Service |
The front of Mission Concepción |
Main article: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park: Mission Concepcion
*Established in 1716 as Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de los Hainais in
East Texas*Moved in 1731 to
San Antonio*Currently a National Historical Park operated by the
National Park Service*Established in 1716-1717 in
East Texas*Abandoned in 1729
*Established in 1716-1717
Nacogdoches, Texas*Closed in 1773
*Established in 1716-1717 Site now in the state of
Louisiana*Closed in 1773
*Established in 1716-1717 site near
Robeline, Louisiana*Established in 1718
San Antonio *Currently a museum operated by the
Daughters of the Republic of TexasMain article: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park: Mission San Jose
*Established 1720
San Antonio*Currently a National Historical Park operated by the
National Park Service*Established in 1722
Matagorda Bay among the
Karankawa Indians
*Moved in 1726 near
Victoria*Moved in 1749 to
La Bahia (now Goliad, Texas)*Restored from ruins by the
Civilian Conservation Corps and
Works Progress Administration in the 1930s
*Currently a state historical park operated by the State of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
*Established in 1722 in
San Antonio*Abandoned by 1726
*The site was used for Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña when that mission moved to San Antonio in 1731.
*Established in 1730 at
Socorro among the
Suma people
*Closed in 1749
*Established in 1746
*Abandoned in 1755
*Established in 1746
*Abandoned in 1755
*Established circa 1750
*Destroyed by Indian attack in March, 1758
*Established circa 1750
*Established circa 1750
*Established circa 1750
*Established 1754 4 miles west of La Bahia.
*Closed in 1805
*Currently the ruins are an archeological site designated as a state historical park and controlled by the State of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
*Established in 1755 at
San Marcos among the
Apache people
*Assets transferred to Mission Santa Cruz de San Sabá in 1756
*Established 1756 near the mouth of the
Trinity River*Established
February 4,
1793 in East Texas
*Moved in June, 1794 Mosquitos Creek
*Moved in January, 1795 to
Refugio*Materials from ruins probably used to build new structures in the early
1800s. The site is presently owned by Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church.
*
Old San Antonio Road*
Reductions*
Jesuit Reductions*
Jesuit Asia missions*
Spanish missions in Arizona*
Spanish missions in California*
Spanish missions in New Mexico*
Spanish missions in Mexico*
Spanish Missions in the Sonoran Desert*
Spanish missions in Trinidad*
The Alamo*
Mission Espada*
Mission San Juan*
Mission Concepción*
Mission San José*
Mission Espiritu Santo*
Mission Rosario*
Mission Refugio*
Images of Texas Missions from the Portal to Texas History
*
The Handbook of Texas Online*
The Five Spanish Missions of Old San Antonio
