Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo
The church, built in 1768, is still standing and acts as an active parish staffed by the Order of Friars minor. The iglesia is made of Texas limestone and brightly colored stucco. The mission lands and accompanying building structures were given to Native Americans in 1794 and mission activities officially ended in 1824. After the mission was relinquished, the area remained a home and public space for soldiers, homeless, and people in need. Like many historic sites in Texas, the site was restored and rebuilt in the 1930s by federally funded groups like the Civil Works Administration and the Works Progress Administration. In 2015 the site became a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The limestone carvings and door in the front of San Jose are definitely worth taking a moment or two to appreciate. There is a lot to digest in the intricate details of the façade, which remains in tact to this day from the original 18th century construction. Much of the limestone was found locally along the San Antonio River and was soft enough to carve with wood-carving tools.
The primary goals of the Spanish Missions were to convert and assimilate local Native Americans to the Spanish culture. Roughly 240 natives, called Coahuiltecans, were assigned to the San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo Mission when it was commissioned. An epidemic decimated the population and by 1739 there were on 39 Native Americans on the premises. Before the church was built in 1768, most of the structures on the land were temporary huts made mud, hay, and clay. I only had a minute inside of the Iglesia due to a funeral service later that day. I didn’t get to see the famous “Rose Window.” I guess I’ll just have to go back!
-WAM-
September, 2021
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