San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
A national historical park in Texas holding the mission ruins of the Spanish colonial era.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is located in San Antonio, Texas. Here remain several “missions” (mission establishments) built by the Spanish in the 18th century. A mission was both a church and a village, and it was also the place where the religion and culture the Spanish brought to this land met the lives of the indigenous people.
On the reverse of the coin, within the shape of a Greek cross, are arranged the elements that made up the “real,” the silver coin of the Spanish colonial era. They are the arch and bell of the bell tower of the Mission San Francisco de la Espada, a lion, waves, and stalks of wheat.
This design, borrowing the patterns of the old Spanish silver coin, shows that this land was once under the influence of the Spanish Empire. Symbols such as the lion and the stalks of wheat are traces of a culture that crossed over from Europe and took root in the land of Texas, while the arch and bell of the tower call to mind the life of faith that once rang out at the missions.
This park was designated a national historical park on November 10, 1978, preserving the old mission buildings and conveying their history. In this way, the “America the Beautiful” series also tells how America is a country made from many cultures mixed together.
Looking closely at the old silver-coin patterns on the coin, we come to encounter with interest the fact that Texas is a land where the histories of Spain, the indigenous peoples, and America overlap.