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28-725: The San Pedro Springs are located in the Tobin Hill neighborhood of San Antonio, about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) north of Downtown San Antonio. Most of the springs are within San Pedro Springs Park , the oldest park in Texas. The springs are fed by water from the Edwards Aquifer ; this water reaches the surface through faults along the Balcones Escarpment . There are 13 primary springs, but they seldom flow due to pumping demands on

56-651: A Spanish missionary , in 1709; but some scholars believe Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca may have camped at the springs in 1535. That would make the springs one of the oldest historical sites in North America and the second oldest park in America, behind only Boston Common . In 1718 Governor Martín de Alarcón established a settlement he called Villa de Béxar near the headwaters of San Pedro Creek, but civilian settlement did not materialize. Also, in 1718, another Spanish missionary, Antonio de San Buenaventura y Olivares , built

84-586: A community in central Texas. He was accompanied by 72 people, including 10 families. They brought with them 548 horses, 6 droves of mules, and other livestock. On their arrival, the group first built a temporary structure to serve as a mission. The mission's founding document is dated May 1, 1718. Signed by Alarcón as "General of the Provinces of the Kingdom of the New Philippines ," it creates

112-683: A gazebo, swimming pool, restrooms, softball and tennis areas, a playground, a skate plaza, the San Pedro Library, and the San Pedro Playhouse See also: List of museums in Central Texas Mart%C3%ADn de Alarc%C3%B3n Martín de Alarcón was the Governor of Coahuila and Texas from 1705 until 1708, and again from 1716 until 1719. He founded San Antonio , the first Spanish civilian settlement in Texas. Alarcón

140-489: A letter from a French explorer, Bernard de la Harpe . La Harpe had just established a trading post within Nassoni territory (now part of Oklahoma ). In a series of letters, Alarcón and la Harpe set out their positions for the boundaries between the territory of the two nations. Alarcón maintained that the area la Harpe had settled was in fact part of Spanish New Mexico, while la Harpe responded that all of Texas should belong to

168-464: A mission nearby the fort at San Pedro Springs that he named San Antonio de Valero. This was the first permanent European settlement in San Antonio. In the 1730s, an acequia was built to carry water from the springs toward the city for irrigation and household use. By the 1870s, the springs provided water for boating, fishing, and swimming. A municipal swimming pool was built in the park in 1922; it

196-508: A new mission of San Antonio de Valero, to replace the old mission of St Joseph due to lack of water at the former site, and the new foundation is in the name of the Viceroy of New Spain, the Marquess of Valero. The mission would much later become a garrison and gain fame as The Alamo . One mile (two km) north of the mission, Alarcón built a presidio, Presidio San Antonio de Bexar . Near

224-535: A personal appeal to Spanish authorities in Mexico City. Their missive not only detailed the deprivations they had endured and the perceived slowness of Alarcón's response, but also mentioned their fear that France would soon extend their settlements into Texas. While visiting the existing missions, Alarcón ordered that a new mission be established for the Nassoni people. Before his orders could be enacted, he received

252-634: A public park in 1852, making it the oldest park in the state of Texas. By 1856, the U.S. Camel Corps had camel stables on the site. In 1860, Sam Houston stopped here to deliver a two-hour speech opposing the proposed Texas secession from the United States. During the Civil War the park was used as a prisoner of war camp. After the Civil War, Buffalo Soldiers used the park as a training camp. Swiss landscape designer John J. Duerler leased land adjacent to

280-598: A way station between the interior provinces and the missions of Texas. He looked first to the headwaters of the San Antonio River, an area the Spanish had mapped in 1707. It was already home to a large community of Coahuiltecans . As Alarcon journeyed to San Juan Bautista, the launching point for an attempt to resupply the missions, he received a letter from Father Olivares, alleging that Frenchman Louis Juchereau de St. Denis had established an illegal trade network along

308-516: Is at most the tenth oldest after Plaza de la Constitución in San Augustine, Florida among others. Archaeological findings have uncovered evidence that human presence in the area dates back 12,000 years. The earliest recorded inhabitants of the springs were the Payaya people , who referred to their village as Yanaguana . Spanish Franciscian priest Damián Massanet led the first European contact with

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336-513: Is the original site of the city of San Antonio. The park is alternately known as San Pedro Park. The park was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1965. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Bexar County, Texas on November 1, 1979. Although it is often stated that it is the second oldest city park in the United States after Boston Common , it

364-567: The Colorado River (Texas) o río San Marco , but spent some time exploring the area around the San Antonio River ; they were much impressed with the land and availability of water. In early 1716, the Spanish government authorized a second attempt to convert the Hasinai tribe of East Texas to Christianity. Four missions and a presidio were established. Several of the soldiers assigned to

392-585: The Edwards Aquifer. In addition to the association of groundwater availability with this locale along the Balcones Fault, the area is also considered an ecological dividing line for occurrence of some species; for example, the California Fan Palm , Washingtonia filifera occurs only at or west of San Pedro Springs, i.e. Balcones Fault zone. Artifacts from Paleo-Indian cultures have been found at

420-719: The French. Although la Harpe challenged Alarcón to remove the French trading post, Alarcon made no attempt to do so. In late May 1719, Alarcón and his men began their return trip to the Mexican interior. Between the Brazos River and the Colorado River Alarcón encountered the Rancheria Grande which was the home to Yojuane , Ervipiame , Jumano , Mayeye and several other allied Native American groups. While traveling through

448-618: The Rancheria Grande Alarcón attempted to set up easy trading with the people of the Rancheria by designating El Cuilón , who he called Juan Rodriguez, a prominent Ervipiame, as the chief of the Rancheria and giving him the baton to designate him as a commander. While Alarcón and associates were en route, a group of French soldiers took control of the mission of San Miguel de los Adeas from its sole defender, The French soldiers explained that 100 additional soldiers were coming, and

476-616: The Rio Grande. On his arrival at San Juan Bautista, Alarcon began an investigation of the allegations. St. Denis was jailed during the four-month investigation, but Alarcon was unable to find proof that the presidial soldiers had–actively or passively–allowed illegal trade to flourish in the area. St. Denis was released from prison and fled back to Louisiana. By the time the investigation ended, winter had begun, making it impractical for Alarcón to immediately proceed into Texas. On April 9, 1718, Alarcón headed an expedition to found

504-545: The Springs in 1718. He built an acequia (irrigation canal) in 1719. The springs and surrounding area were designated as public land by King Philip V of Spain in 1729. When the Canary Islanders began arriving in 1731, they first camped in this area. Based on the original Spanish land grant, the city of San Antonio's first surveyor Francois P. Giraud defined the park's boundaries in 1851. The city officially declared it

532-416: The area, a military expedition in 1691. In 1709, Spanish Franciscan missionary Isidro de Espinosa and a retinue of Spanish soldiers traveled to the area. In his diary, Espinoza described the springs in detail and noted they had named it Agua de San Pedro (Waters of Saint Peter). Martín de Alarcón founded the city of San Antonio by establishing San Antonio de Valero and Presidio San Antonio de Bexar at

560-555: The entry of foreigners and their goods. Alarcón proposed that one of the missions along the Rio Grande , Mission San Bernardo, be relocated into Texas, along the Frio River . Nothing came of this idea, and later in 1707 Alarcón authorized an expedition into Texas, primarily to dissuade the Indians in the area from becoming friendly with the French. The Spanish troops reached only as far as

588-445: The park was renovated under the direction of Mayor Bryan Callaghan. Beginning just before World War II , the water needs of a burgeoning population once again decreased water levels, drying up the springs for the next 35 years. When excessive rainfalls during the 1990s replenished the park's water supply, the public once again became interested in the park. The park underwent an additional renovation 1998-2000. Park facilities include

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616-462: The park, and reached an 1864 agreement with the city to redesign the park. Duerler developed the park with landscaping, a garden, picnic areas, a zoo and aviary, a music pavilion, and even a racetrack. Naturalist Gustave Jermy opened the Museum of Natural History in the park in 1885. The park suffered in 1891 when wells dug into the Edwards Aquifer dwindled the park's water supply. Between 1897 and 1899,

644-441: The presidio brought their families with them, marking the first Spanish women recorded to enter Texas. Later that year, Alarcón was re-appointed governor of Coahuila and Texas. He soon received word that the new missions were in dire straits, with extremely low levels of provisions. Their supplies must come from the nearest Spanish settlement, San Juan Bautista , located 400 miles (644 km) away. Alarcón envisioned creating

672-518: The presidio, Alarcón chartered a new municipality, called Bejar (now known as San Antonio ). Given a status higher than a village ( pueblo ) but lower than a city ( ciudad ), San Antonio became the only villa in Texas, and the colonists who settled there relied on farming and ranching to survive. With the new settlement established, Alarcón continued on to re-provision and inspect the East Texas missions. Besides replenishing mission supplies, Alarcón

700-470: The site of the San Pedro Springs, as well as just downstream at the former site of a small natural lake . These artifacts indicate that the springs were used more than 12,000 years ago. Later, a band of Coahuiltecan Indians, the Payaya people , lived near the springs and called their village Yanaguana ("place of refreshing waters"). The springs were named by Father Isidro Félix de Espinosa ,

728-620: Was first appointed governor of the Spanish provinces of Coahuila and Texas in 1705. At this time, no Spanish settlements existed in Texas . The last of the original Catholic missions in East Texas had been abandoned in 1699. The French had been establishing settlements west of the Mississippi River , and Spanish authorities feared that the French would expand into Texas. In 1707, the viceroy of New Spain ordered all provincial governors to prevent

756-564: Was replaced in 1954 and again in 2000. See also: List of museums in Central Texas San Pedro Springs Park San Pedro Springs Park is located in the Bexar County city of San Antonio in the U.S. state of Texas . Surrounding the source of the springs, the 46-acre park is the oldest in the state of Texas. It is the location of a Payaya Indian village known as Yanaguana , and

784-403: Was tasked with resettling the Indians in villages near the missions, and wished to investigate whether the Spanish in East Texas were illegally trading with the French at nearby Natchitoches . The missionaries were becoming increasingly desperate as they waited for Alarcón to arrive. They appointed two members, representing both the missionary schools of Querétaro and Zacatecas , to carry

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