Research Center - Glossary   acequias (ah-say'-kee-ahs): stone-lined or dirt ditches used to carry water from the San Antonio River to the city and the five colonial missions. aqueduct (ah'-kwa-duk): a bridge holding an acequia built over a creek. The Espada Aqueduct near Mission San Juan de Espada is the only remaining Spanish aqueduct in the United States. Bexar (bear locally, bay-har' properly): not an animal, but the county in south Texas where San Antonio was founded as San Antonio Presidio de Bejar in 1718, and settled by Canary Islanders in the Villa de San Fernando de Bejar in 1731. cascarones (kas-kah-ro'-nees): dyed egg shells filled with confetti, used to crack over the head of a friend during Fiesta. (cascaron, singular.) La Villita (lah vil-yee'-tah): the village or little town on the San Antonio River which was the city's first residential neighborhood, now an arts and crafts center in the downtown area. Los Pastores (los pahs-tor'-ays): The Shepherds, a miracle play thought to date back to the founding of the San Antonio Missions in the early 18th century. Las Posadas (lahs po-sah'-dahs): The Inns, a traditional Spanish-Mexican pageant depicting the Holy Family's search for an inn. NIOSA®(knee-oh'-sah): an acronym for A Night in Old San Antonio®, the Conservation Society's annual fundraiser, featuring food and drink booths and live entertainment, held four nights in April during Fiesta Week in La Villita. NIOSITA (knee-o-see'-tah): a mini-NIOSA, held throughout the year as private parties for organizations and convention groups. Paseo del Rio (pah-say'a del ree'-o): River Walk in downtown San Antonio, lined with restaurants with shops above at street level. San Antonio (san ann-ton'-ee-o): one of the oldest civilized settlements in the United States, founded in 1718 by the Spanish and named for St. Anthony, "whose day it was." Pronounced as the Spanish named it (and not called "San Antone" by residents, contrary to the belief of some travel writers from the East Coast, barkeepers from Down Under, and West Texas ranchers.)