San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

This week's Flora Friday, we’re highlighting a small tree with a big springtime impact. It's the Mexican plum!

Mexican plum is a native tree that bursts into a cloud of fragrant, white to pale pink blossoms each spring. Though it’s small in stature, its blooms are a favorite among pollinators like bees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds.

After flowering, the tree produces small purple plums that provide food for birds and other wildlife, helping spread the seeds and support the local ecosystem. Mexican plum thrives in a variety of soil types, including rocky and well-drained areas, making it a hardy addition to Texas landscapes.

Beyond its ecological importance, this tree has historical and cultural significance, as plums were traditionally used by Indigenous peoples for food and medicinal purposes.

Next time you’re out on the trails, keep an eye out for clusters of blossoms and the wildlife they attract. It’s a reminder that even smaller trees can make a big impact.

Have you spotted a Mexican plum in bloom? Share your photos with us!
Image: NPS Photo/ Andrew Shirey

Last Saturday, mission descendants gathered at Mission Espada for a hands on ceramic workshop led by Dr. Kelton Sheridan. Participants learned about the history of mission era ceramics and the traditional techniques their local ancestors used to shape pottery from clay collected along the San Antonio River.

The workshop was an opportunity to connect the history of Mission Espada and create ceramic pieces using locally sourced materials.

Image 1: Dr. Kelton Sheridan leading a hands on ceramic workshop to mission descendants inside the Mission Espada museum. NPS Photo

Image 2: The pottery made from clay collected along the San Antonio River by the participants. NPS Photo

The missions in San Antonio played a surprising role in the American Revolution. Native peoples living at the San Antonio Missions built and sustained the missions. The cattle at Rancho de las Cabras and other surrounding Texas missions fed Spanish troops who aided the American colonists. After silver, cochineal was the largest export from New Spain to Europe. Cochineal is found along the San Antonio River. Profits from cochineal 🌵 helped finance Spain’s support for the revolution and send money to American colonist.

The reliable systems of cochineal cultivation and cattle ranching developed by the people of the San Antonio Missions and surrounding areas were used to help the American Colonists fight for freedom from Great Britain, forever linking the people of Texas to the victory of the American Revolutionary War.

In other words: the first Texas vaqueros weren’t just shaping cowboy culture, they were shaping a nation🤠🔥

Dive into the newly published article written by our Preserving Archives of Texas Heritage (PATH) Interns and learn more about how Texas helped change the course of our country's history:

Unlikely Alliances: How the San Antonio Missions Supported the American Revolution (U.S. National Park Service) Unlikely Alliances: How the San Antonio Missions Supported the American Revolution

Where do you get your drinking water today?

For most of us, the answer is simple: we turn on a faucet, fill up a reusable water bottle, or grab a drink from the refrigerator. Clean drinking water is something many people use every day without giving it much thought.

But life at the San Antonio Missions was very different.

During the 1700s, the missions depended heavily on the San Antonio River and the acequia system for farming, livestock, washing clothes, cooking, and many other daily needs. The acequias were carefully engineered irrigation canals that helped mission communities survive and grow crops in the South Texas environment.

However, water from the river and acequias was not always safe to drink. Because the canals were open to the environment and used by both people and animals, the water could contain bacteria, parasites, and other contaminants that could lead to illnesses such as dysentery and other waterborne diseases.

To help provide cleaner drinking water, mission communities dug wells to reach groundwater beneath the surface. These wells became important sources of water for drinking and cooking. Digging them by hand took tremendous effort, but access to safe water was essential for the health of the community.

Today, the acequias and wells found throughout the San Antonio Missions help tell the story of how important water has always been in South Texas, and the challenges people faced in obtaining safe drinking water centuries ago.

So next time you take a sip of clean water, imagine the work it once took just to fill a cup.

NPS Photo: Andrew Shirey

What do you think Mission Espada looked like in 1776?
Well, different from what visitors see today but it has changed in phases. After Mission Espada was secularized in 1824, the Franciscan friars left, and many buildings began to fall apart because they were no longer maintained.

However, today visitors can see a complete church, convento, and several ruins. So, who preserved it and rebuilt it? Two important people in the preservation history; Father Francis Bouchu and Harvey P. Smith.

In the late 1800s, Father Bouchu served the local community through religious leadership while using his own money and labor to repair and maintain the mission's buildings.

Later, in the 1930s, Harvey P. Smith led restoration projects through the Works Progress Administration (WPA). He rebuilt parts of the mission based on his understanding of what it looked like during the Spanish colonial period.

Both Smith and Bouch used the preservation methods and resources available during their time. When you visit Mission Espada, think about this question: How should historic places be preserved so future generations can learn from and enjoy them?

Image 1: May 1, 1955, Harvey P. Smith, Archbishop Lucy, Louis Guido, and workers at Mission Espada restoration, L-4262-I, San Antonio Light Photograph Collection, UTSA Special Collections - ITC

Image 2: "Photograph of mission after Bouchu's restoration." Martinez, Art. Mission Espada after Secularization. Edited by Rudy De La Cruz. Alamo Press. 2018.

Image 3: Drawing of church facade, convento and Bouchu residence. Smith, Harvey P. Mission San Francisco de la Espada, field notes, elevations - University of Texas Libraries collection. Undated.

Image 4: Undated. Children posed around a well at Mission Espada. Ofelia Guerra (3rd from right behind girl in white hat, Luis Dewitt ( 4th from right sitting on well), and Rudy Dewitt ( 1st on left standing). 109-0370. General Photograph collection. UTSA Special Collections- ITC

Happy National Pecan Pie Day!

Long before pecan pie became a favorite dessert for many across Texas, pecan trees were already an important part of life for the Indigenous peoples of South Texas.

The pecan tree is native to this region and grows naturally along riverbanks and waterways, including the San Antonio River. For generations, Indigenous communities gathered pecans as an important seasonal food source. The nuts could be eaten raw, roasted, or ground into meal and were valued for being nutritious, easy to store, and portable for travel.

When Spanish settlers and Franciscan friars arrived in the area during the colonial period, they encountered many native foods already used by local Indigenous groups. Over time, Spanish and Indigenous food traditions blended together, incorporating native ingredients like pecans into colonial cooking and daily life at the missions.

Today, pecans remain deeply connected to the cultural and natural history of Texas. Whether enjoyed in pies, candies, or straight from the shell, they are a reminder of the enduring relationship between people and the landscape along the San Antonio River.

Have you spotted any pecan trees during your visits to the missions?

NPS Photo: Andrew Shirey

This week's Flora Friday, we’re highlighting a delicate wildflower that adds a pop of color to the Yanaguana Trail, the Purple Leather Flower. Also known as Texas clematis, this flower is a climbing vine that produces striking bell-shaped blooms in shades of deep purple to reddish-purple. These elegant flowers often appear along trails, fences, and rocky slopes, bringing a vibrant splash of color to the landscape.

This native wildflower attracts pollinators such as bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, making it an important part of the local ecosystem. Its climbing habit also provides shelter and structure for smaller wildlife.

The Purple Leather Flower thrives in well-drained soils and sunny spots, making it well adapted to the rocky, limestone-rich areas along the Yanaguana Trail.

Have you spotted Purple Leather Flower along the trail?
Image: NPS Photo/ Andrew Shirey

Come for the history, stay because you melted into the sidewalk.

South Texas summers are no joke, but with a little planning, you can explore safely and comfortably. Here’s how to beat the heat while enjoying the park:

☀️ Hydrate often—even before you feel thirsty
🧢 Dress in lightweight clothes, slather on sunscreen, and grab a hat
👟 Take breaks in the shade or cool off inside our visitor centers
🚲 Planning to bike or hike the Mission Reach Trail? Pack extra water and know your limits 🐾 Hot pavement can burn paws—protect your pets and keep walks short
⏰ Early mornings are your friend: visit before the midday sun takes over

Heat-related illnesses can sneak up fast. If you feel dizzy, nauseous, confused, or notice heavy sweating, it’s time to cool down and get help. Stay safe, stay cool, and make the most of your summer adventure at the missions!

NPS Graphic

Fireworks light up the Fourth of July with dazzling bursts of color, but at Mission Concepción, the vibrant hues of centuries-old frescoes are the true stars.

Over 250 years ago, these natural mineral pigments transformed the church into a radiant sanctuary, inspiring awe in the mission community. While modern fireworks last only moments, these frescoes have been shining for generations.

Mission Concepción is one of the best-preserved examples of colonial-era frescoes in the country, offering a rare window into Texas history.

As you celebrate this Fourth of July, let the enduring colors of Mission Concepción remind you that some of Texas’ brightest displays are found within its historic walls.

Please remember: Using or possessing fireworks within National Park Service sites is prohibited.

📸NPS / Andrew Shirey

July's first Floral Friday: the Prairie Penstemon, a native wildflower that adds a splash of color to Texas prairies.

Known for its showy, tubular flowers in light shades of purple to lavender, prairie penstemon is a standout during the spring bloom. Its open, bell-shaped blossoms feature delicate lines that guide pollinators right to the nectar inside.

Attractive to bees and hummingbirds, the prairie penstemon is an important plant for supporting pollinators in grassland ecosystems.

You’ll find this wildflower thriving in open prairies and along roadsides, taking advantage of sunny spaces where it can flourish. Next time you’re out exploring at Mission San Juan in the spring, keep an eye out for these soft purple blooms, and maybe a pollinator too.

📸NPS / Andrew Shirey