The Fields of the Missions Neighborhood Association

The Fields of the Missions Neighborhood Association

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Welcome to the Fields of the Missions Neighborhood Association, established in July 1997. Our boundaries are roughly contiguous with the South Alamo/South St. Mary''''s Street National Historic District and include the Blue Star Art Complex. This geographic area overlaps a portion of the City''s King William Historic District and lies to the south of the King William National Historic District. Originally, the area was farm land that supported the local missions (including the famous Alamo). The San Antonio River establishes our west boundary.

The houses here date from the 1880s to the 1910s and include both Victorians and Arts & Crafts bungalows.

This site is under construction and your patience is appreciated as are your ideas!

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About our association

Fields of the Missions/Labores de las Misiones

We welcome you to our neighborhood association! We meet the first monday of the month at the Roosevelt Community Center, one of the many successes the Association has achieved. Our neighborhood has been overshadowed by a larger Home Association and often our section was not represented in many health and safety issues. IIn 1997 the association was formed to keep neighbors informed of issues affecting our community. We continue the tradition of comunication and mutual help established during Colonial times. Pioneer neighbors or vecinos depended on one another for protection from frontier dangers. Communication was vital for their survival, Our association upholds this tradition where the neighbors, not boards, make decisions. Mission Fields works together for improvement and safety of our unique community.

History of our Neighborhood

The name, Fields of the Missions/ Labores de las Misiones reflects the agriculture and ranch fields of the Spanish Colonial mission ,San Antonio de Valero. The mission was founded in 1718, originally named San Antonio de Padura the name was changed when the adjacent Presidio was reenforced. Ten soldiers brought their families to live in Bejar and were joined by residents of the Mission San Francisco Solano from the Rio Grande River. In 1803 the Spanish Company of Alamo de Parras was stationed at the mission. Once more the name of the old mission was changed, this time it was simply called, "El Alamo." As the Mission Era came to an end, the lands were sold or lease to private land holders. Our area was owned by Pedro Huizar, the Royal Suveryor. It is upon these fields which our houses are built.

Construction of the homes.

The area were fields up to the 1890's when more and more homes were built to keep up with the expansion of the city's population. Two Civil War veterans, one Conferate the other Union, joined toether and formed a lucative partnership. They owned large land holdings in San Antonio and Western Texas. Adams and Wickes were forty year residents when an 1903 biography described their business of real estate and land sales. Two major streets in our neighborhood are named after them. Few homes were in the area until the construction of Brackenridge High School in 1918 when the area expanded and bloomed. Most houses in our neighborhood date from the properous times known as, "The Roaring 20's."