San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Long before modern fi****ms, one of the most effective hunting tools in Texas was the atlatl (pronounced AT-lat-ul), and today is National Atlatl Day!

An atlatl is a spear/dart-throwing device that acts as an extension of the arm, allowing hunters to launch darts farther, faster, and with greater force than by hand alone. For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples across Texas relied on this remarkable tool to hunt game ranging from deer and antelope to smaller animals, helping provide food, clothing, and materials for their communities.

The atlatl has a long history in Texas, with archaeological evidence showing it was used for thousands of years before the bow and arrow became widespread around 1,200–1,500 years ago. Even after the bow and arrow arrived, knowledge of the atlatl remained part of many Indigenous traditions.

What makes the atlatl so impressive? A skilled user can throw a dart over 100 miles per hour, greatly increasing both distance and accuracy. This ingenious invention demonstrates the creativity, innovation, and deep environmental knowledge of the people who lived on this landscape long before the missions were established.

Today, archaeologists continue to find evidence of atlatl use throughout Texas, helping us better understand the lives of the region’s earliest inhabitants.

Have you ever seen an atlatl demonstration or tried throwing one yourself? Was it harder or easier than you thought?

NPS Photos/ Andrew Shirey

This week's Flora Friday, we’re highlighting a plant that’s as tough as it is striking. Can you guess what it is?

With its long, rigid, dagger-like leaves, this plant is well adapted to the hot, dry conditions of South Texas. Those sharp tips aren’t just for show; they help protect the plant from being eaten by animals.

In the spring and early summer, the Spanish Dagger sends up a tall flowering stalk covered in clusters of creamy white blooms. These flowers aren’t just beautiful, but they share a fascinating relationship with a specialized pollinator known as the yucca moth, which depends on the plant to reproduce.

Historically, yucca has also been an important resource for people. Its tough fibers were used for making rope and baskets, while other parts of the plant had practical and cultural uses.

Next time you’re out on the trail, keep an eye out, but give this plant a little space. Those “daggers” are sharp!
Image: NPS Photo/ Andrew Shirey

Dinosaur?! At San Antonio Missions??
We know what you’re thinking: “I came here for history… not Jurassic Park.” But the story of dinosaurs is literally built into the San Antonio Missions. (Spoiler: It’s limestone.)

Long before Mission San José or any mission bells echoed along the San Antonio River, this whole region was part of a warm, shallow sea. Think beach vacation...just 100 million years early. While dinosaurs strolled along ancient coastlines, the waters here were full of ammonites, giant clams, corals, and marine reptiles having the time of their lives.
When those prehistoric creatures eventually settled to the seafloor, their remains slowly transformed into the limestone later quarried to build the missions.

The tufaceous limestone, quarry block limestone, and Austin limestone you see throughout the park? Yep—each piece carries a whisper from the ancient ocean. Some stones even show fossilized shells if you look closely. Found any yet?

And if you really want to level up your dinosaur knowledge, head west to Big Bend National Park. The Fossil Discovery Exhibit tells the tale of creatures that once ruled the region, including Quetzalcoatlus—a flying reptile roughly the size of a small airplane.

So this National Dinosaur Day, remember, our park isn't just historic—they’re prehistoric. These walls are built from stories far older than the missions themselves… stories of ancient oceans, long‑gone creatures, and a Texas landscape that looked nothing like today’s.
Pretty rock‑solid history, right? 🦖✨

NPS Photos/Andrew Shirey

This week's Flora Friday, we’re featuring a bold and beautiful wildflower that thrives in tough conditions. The Prickly Poppy!

With its large, delicate white petals and bright yellow center, prickly poppy can look almost fragile, but don’t be fooled. This plant is built to survive. Its bluish-green leaves are covered in sharp spines, helping protect it from being eaten and allowing it to thrive in dry, open areas across Texas.

Prickly poppy is often one of the first plants to appear in disturbed soils, making it an important pioneer species that helps stabilize the ground and pave the way for other plants to return.

Like many resilient plants, it comes with a warning as its sap can be toxic, so it’s best admired from a distance. Next time you’re out on the trail or even along the roadside, keep an eye out for this striking flower standing tall in unexpected places.

Image: NPS Photo/ Andrew Shirey

What comes to mind when you think about symbols and logos?

Maybe it’s an emblem, a familiar icon, or a design that instantly communicates identity. Long before our modern world of graphics and branding, San Antonio Missions was using simple, powerful symbols to share identity and ownership.

Mission livestock brands served as distinctive marks tied to each mission community. These symbols identified cattle, horses, and sheep roaming the open range and reflected the missions’ expanding economic presence throughout South Texas. In many ways, these brands acted like early visual signatures—straightforward designs that represented an entire community and its values.

Today, (on World Marketing Day) these historic livestock brands remind us that the power of visual identity and storytelling is nothing new. Whether burned onto livestock centuries ago or displayed on signs and screens today, symbols continue to help people express who they are and what they stand for.

Today we pause in reverence and remembrance for the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

Sacred spaces and our history remind us that freedom is not free and that the stories of sacrifice stretch across generations and landscapes.

On this Memorial Day, we honor the memory of those who gave their lives defending the ideals of liberty and justice. We invite you to reflect, remember, and carry forward their legacy of service.

Image Credit: NPS Photo/Andrew Shirey

It's already Flora Friday!
This vibrant plant brings bold color to the Texas landscape! The Red Yucca.
Despite its name, red yucca isn’t a true yucca, but it shares the same tough, drought-tolerant nature that helps it thrive in hot, dry environments. Its long, narrow leaves form a dense base, while tall stalks rise up with clusters of tubular red/coral-colored flowers.

These blooms are a favorite for hummingbirds, which are perfectly adapted to feed from the plant’s tube-shaped flowers. Bees and other pollinators also stop by, making red yucca an important contributor to the local ecosystem.

Because it requires very little water once established, red yucca is often used in landscaping throughout Texas. Helping to show that native plants can be both beautiful and resilient.

Next time you’re out on the trail, look for those bright flower spikes you might just catch a hummingbird in action!

Image: NPS Photo/ Andrew Shirey

When mother nature throws us a challenge, our park team rises to the occasion!

After the heavy rains and storm, one of our Mesquite trees came down inside Mission San Jose. Thanks to the diverse skills across our park operations staff, the area was made safe and welcoming for visitors again in record time.

From our preservationists, grounds crew, and tractor operator who expertly and safely removed the fallen tree, to our maintenance and electrical specialists who restored the systems beneath it, every team member played a critical role. Their fast work, deep knowledge, and commitment to safety are what keep our parks running smoothly, even when the unexpected happens.

Meet the future of North America’s largest moth! 🐛✨
Our park rangers spotted this Cecropia moth caterpillar—an unmistakable giant (up to 4–4.5 inches) with a bright green body and colorful tubercles: yellow and orange near the rear and pale blue along the sides. Despite the spiky look, Cecropia caterpillars don’t sting or bite and aren’t poisonous—perfect for a close look (please only observe and let wildlife be).
As these caterpillars grow, they change color from black → yellow → bluish‑green. By late summer, they spin sturdy cocoons and emerge next spring as spectacular moths with a 5–7 inch wingspan!

Fun fact: males can detect a female’s pheromones from over a mile away. Adults live only about two weeks—their sole mission is to mate and lay eggs. Nature is wild. 🌿🦋

Have you seen one, or other caterpillars on your visit? Share your photos in the comments and tell us where you spotted it!