Victorians and Missionaries

We toured the Steves Homestead, which is a 1877 three story Victorian home with original interiors and lavish period furnishings, some of which belonged to the original owner. Unfortunately, photographing the interior was not allowed. The house was constructed by a German emigrant who started a lumber business, and he soon amassed $12,000 which paid for the house and the land. Things were a bit cheaper back then; for example, the Newell post, at the foot of the stairway cost $12, and is made of solid walnut with elaborate carvings.

Victorians seem to have had a bit of a human hair fetish - they made “hair jewelry” and arranged it into elaborate creations they displayed in shadow boxes hung on their walls. The deceased had their locks trimmed to be kept as family mementos. They even had dedicated ceramic boxes with a hole in the top in which to put hair that had been removed from brushes!

The house had an enclosed swimming pool that held 70,000 gallons which was supplied by an artesian well. When the water became dirty, they simply replaced it. No chlorine or chemicals, but likely more than a few germs.

This afternoon, we explored 250 year old (and still functioning) Mission Nuestra Senora de la Purisima Conception. This is one of five missions that were financed by the Spanish government to spread European culture into the New World as part of their program of conquest. Ostensibly, their purpose was to help the natives. Many of the Natives had been decimated by white man's diseases and by other tribes that raided their villages on horseback. Seeking refuge in the the mission, the locals were required to give up their own religion, culture, and traditions – even their names. They were expected to become Spanish. Despite this, elements of their native lifestyles blended with the Spanish and Catholic cultures. This blending lives on today in the cultural heritage of the San Antonio area, which is very much Hispanic.

The mission is one of the oldest functioning churches in the US – masses are still held , even though the site is under the direction of the National Park Service. Although the exterior is weathered and blackened by time, the interior is remarkably well preserved, with original the frescoes and other painted decorations still evident. Some of the outbuildings are still intact, including a storeroom, a sleeping cell, and a library. All now contain exhibits explaining the history of the site.