San Jose Mission National Historic Site
historic place
Welcome to the San Jose Mission National Historic Site, a significant historic place in Bexar County, San Antonio, Texas. This site was originally established as Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo on February 23, 1720. Captain Juan Valdez, at the instigation of Father Antonio Margil, founded the mission. Known as the "Queen of the Missions," it was the largest and most beautiful in San Antonio. Early mission buildings were constructed between 1720 and 1731. The main chapel, featuring the notable Rose Window, was erected between 1768 and 1781. This window is believed to be the work of Spanish artist Pedro Huizar. A historical marker, with application materials dating from around 1970, quotes Father Morfi from 1782, stating, "It is truthfully the best of the Americas, and not in the like of the others; nor in all the frontier does the King have an outpost better constructed and easier to defend..." The marker also describes how indigenous people lived, worshipped, and learned various skills within the mission walls. San Jose Mission was designated a National Historic Site on May 8, 1941. It continues to represent a key period in Texas history.