San Antonio Mission Trails, statewide transportation enhancement project: Volume I, construction package 1, archeological investigations at Mission San Francisco de la Espada (41BX4), City of San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

Date

2004

Authors

Cargill, Diane A.
Meissner, Barbara A.
Fox, Anne A.
Cox, I. Waynne

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Publisher

Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio

Abstract

This report represents the first volume detailing the results of archaeological and archival investigations associated with the San Antonio Missions Trails Project. The project consists of a system of hike-and-bike trails under development by the City of San Antonio. Its purpose of the trails is to connect the Alamo with the four other Spanish Colonial missions in San Antonio. The project is divided into five packages or phases. Only the first four phases include archaeological investigations. Because the project is estimated to last several yeas, rather than waiting for the completion of the entire project before issuing the report of findings, each volume issued in this series will report on the findings of a specific package or closely related packages. Archaological investigations performed for all phases of the Mission Trails Project were, or will be, conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 2051. In October of 1998, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of the University of Texas at San Antonio contracted with the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, to provide archaelogical services to assess damage done by unmonitored construction activities to areas surrounding Mission San Francisco de la Espada, San Antonio, Texas. These investigations were part of the Mission Trails project which was intended to provide archival research and monitoring of all construction activities in areas of the project that had the potential to impact cultural resources eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places or for designation as State Archaeological Landmarks. Between December 1998 and April 1999, CAR performed the archaeological investigations at Mission Espada. A total of 49 units was excavated in three areas designated as the Northwest Gateway, the Hike-and-Bike Trail, and Drainage System A. In addition, excavation by construction crews in Drainage Systems A and B and replacement of pipes within the Espada Acequia was monitored. Two backhoe trenches were excavated in Drainage System A and seven in Drainage System B. [...]

Description

Keywords

archaeological investigation, archaeology, Texas archaeology, excavations, San Antonio, Bexar County, Spanish missions, Mission San Francisco de la Espada

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