Preservation of the Spanish Colonial Missions has always been a
prime objective of the San Antonio Conservation Society. In 1926,
the Society purchased two doors from the San Jose Mission granary in
order to keep the bronze nail head medallions from being sold to
tourists. Built c. 1726, the barrel-vaulted granary with flying
buttresses had fallen into disrepair after its last use as a
residence in the 1890s. The Society finalized the purchase the
granary and all other private land surrounding Mission San Jose in
1931, securing the future for some of the oldest buildings in Texas.
Restoration of the granary began in 1933 utilizing WPA workers under
the direction of architect Harvey P. Smith and materials furnished
by the Society. Antiquarian Ernst Schuchard also assisted the
Society with the project, which was completed in 1936. The Society’s
successful purchase and restoration of the granary sparked the
subsequent restoration of the partially ruined church at Mission San
Jose and the reconstruction of the walls surrounding the mission
compound. The latter projects represented a collaborative effort
with the Catholic Church, Bexar County, and the Texas Highway
Department.
In 1941, the Society deeded its property at Mission San Jose to the
State of Texas. That same year, the San Jose Mission complex was
officially named a National Historic Site; the first in Texas. The
state transferred its ownership of Mission San Jose to the National
Park Service for inclusion in the San Antonio Missions National
Historical Park on February 20, 1983. |
