Mission Parkway
Also known as: See Also:Espada Aqueduct; San Jose Mission National Historic
Why it's listed
Mission Parkway follows the San Antonio River through the south side of San Antonio and takes in a wide range of historic and archeological sites. The river's springs, timber, game and water attracted prehistoric Indians, then Spanish missionaries, who developed farming through acequia irrigation systems. Later settlers built mills, stores, saloons and homes, especially around the community of Bergs Mill. The inventory includes the Hot Wells Bath House, the Padre Navarro house, the stone ruin of a mill site, a number of early houses, lithic scatters and the remains of several acequias and dams. The Espada acequia, dating from about 1731, is described as the best surviving Spanish Colonial irrigation system in the city and still supplies water to farmers near Mission Espada. The San Juan acequia also remains active. Since the 1930s the surrounding land has become mostly residential, and river channelization in the 1950s destroyed or altered some features.
Significance in brief: The area drew prehistoric Indian, Spanish and Anglo settlers because of the river's natural resources, and it preserves evidence of agricultural, milling and community life from the Spanish mission era into the 20th century. The Espada acequia is described as the best surviving example of Spanish Colonial irrigation in San Antonio, and the San Juan acequia remains active.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75001953, listed October 6, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Along San Antonio River, San Antonio |
|---|---|
| County | Bexar County |
| Listed | October 6, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001953 |
| Resource type | District |
| Areas of significance | Religion, Engineering, Architecture, Art, Military, Prehistoric |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is marked deteriorated and altered. Much of the area is now urban or suburban, though the southern portion between Mission San Juan and Mission Espada remains rural with some farming using the acequias. |
| Acreage | 2400 |
| Coordinates | 29.36831, -98.47764 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75001953.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q109999648
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.