DUANE
Duane's take
The way the marker tells it, here's what this ground once held. Way back in 1716, Franciscan missionaries came to this region with a purpose as big as the Texas sky — to establish a mission, Nuestra Señora de la Purísma Concepción, with the hope of civilizing and Christianizing the Indians of the region. That's no small undertaking, and for a time, it held.
But Texas has never been a place that lets anything sit still for long. In 1719, French incursions pushing in from Louisiana forced the mission to be abandoned — temporarily, mind you, but abandoned all the same. Now here's where the story turns: in 1721, the Marquis of Aguayo stepped in and restored it.
Whatever had been disrupted, whatever had fallen quiet, it rose again under his hand. But the mission still wasn't done moving. In 1730 it was removed to the Colorado River, and then in 1731 it found what would be its final footing — situated at last on the San Antonio River.
From this patch of Nacogdoches earth, all the way to the San Antonio River, in just fifteen years. Some things, it seems, are destined to travel before they're destined to stay.
What the marker says
Established by Franciscan missionaries in 1716 with the hope of civilizing and christianizing the Indians of the region. Abandoned temporarily due to the French incursions from Louisiana in 1719. Restored by the Marquis of Aguayo in 1721. Removed to the Colorado River in 1730 and finally situated on the San Antonio River in 1731.