The Best American agriculture history in San Antonio, Texas

Mission San Juan is a historic church and place of worship located at 9101 Graf Road in San Antonio, Texas, United States. Originally founded in 1716 in eastern Texas, the mission was transferred to its current location in 1731. The stone church, friary, and granary were completed in 1756, creating a serene rural setting that still echoes with the voices of the past. The mission was a self-sustaining community, with Indigenous artisans producing tools and clothing, and farmers cultivating a variety of crops in irrigated fields. Mission San Juan was a regional supplier of agricultural produce along the historic trading route, El Camino de Real de los Tejas.

Mission San Juan is one of the historic missions that make up the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, located at 9101 Graf Road in San Antonio, Texas. This park is not only a National Park Service site, but also the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. The history of Mission San Juan dates back to the early 1700s, when Native people in South Texas faced challenges such as drought, European diseases, and colonization. Many of them chose to adopt a Spanish way of life, including a new religion and agrarian lifestyle, in order to survive.