Spanish Missions near Barton Springs

In July 1730, Franciscan friars founded San José de los Nazonis mission near Barton Springs in the area of modern-day Austin. Originally established for Nasoni Indians in 1716 in East Texas by the Domingo Ramón expedition, the mission was removed to the central Texas locale along with two other missions, San Francisco de los Neches and Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de los Hainai, as French pressures from the east mounted.

The three missions lasted less than a year at the site near the clear springs on the Colorado River. They were removed to San Antonio de Béxar and reestablished as San Juan Capistrano mission.

A typical Spanish crucifix of the mission era.