My Mission Espada Experience

All too often these days we as a community and a nation for that matter look towards the future. We are allways seeking to progress in our technology, our ability to make things more efficient and so on. This is a good thing in many ways however we must not forget all of the people who have came before us. We can look to the past for knowledge, inspiration and beauty. This past Monday I was able to take a step back in time and see a structure that has been in San Antonio for over 250 years. This structure is Mission Espada and it is on the Southeast side of San Antonio. Although this Mission is a shell of it's former glory there are still many imprerssive things to see here. The thing that probobly caught my eye first was this very well preserved church that stands at least three stories high. It must have been a grand sight back then with its three big bells chiming and its custom carved doors. Another innovative and interesting feature at mission Espada is the Acequia which were canals diverted from the San antonio river that gave the mission much needed water for the crops that grew nearby. This was the first spanish settlement in Texas. It was a self sustaining settlement that served as a place to convert the native americans and gain a foothold in Texas for the Spanish Crown.