+----------------------------+------------------+---+-------------------+
| National Park Service      | Use the complete |   | 2202 Roosevelt    |
|                            | site name here   |   | Avenue            |
| U.S. Department of the     | (e.g. Palo Alto  |   |                   |
| Interior                   | Battlefield      |   | San Antonio,      |
|                            | Historic Site).  |   | Texas             |
|                            |                  |   |                   |
|                            |                  |   | 78210-4900        |
+----------------------------+------------------+---+-------------------+

![](media/image1.png){width="0.5597222222222222in"
height="0.7201388888888889in"}

**San Antonio Missions National Historical Park**

News Release

August 27, 2007

**For Immediate Release**

**Al Remley** (210) 534-8875 ext. 227

Cell (210) 304-0431

**Archaeology Day at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park**

Archaeology Day will take place on October 6, 2007 from 10:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m. at Mission San José, located at 6701 San Jose Drive. Spend a
free, fun-filled day exploring what has been learned about the Spanish
colonial period through archaeology. Try your hand marking and mapping a
dig unit, sift through a mock dig to find artifacts, and witness the
ancient skills of flint-knapping and throwing an atlatl. Lectures will
be presented by noted historians and archaeologists with fascinating
information about the missions and the native people who lived in them.
You can also learn why it is important to protect these and other
historic and pre-historic sites from looting, vandalism, and
destruction.

For more information on Archaeology Day at San José and the tour of
Rancho de las Cabras call (210) 932-1001, or visit the park's web site
at [www.nps.gov/saan](http://www.nps.gov/saan). Park hours are from 9:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. For more information on Texas Archaeology Month
and events throughout the state visit the Texas Historical Commission's
web site [www.thc.state.tx.us](http://www.thc.state.tx.us/).

Family oriented hands-on activities are offered throughout the day.
Lectures will be held at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. in the
granary. Kid-friendly programs will be at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Guided tours of San Jose at will take place 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:00
p.m., and 3:00 p.m.

The monthly tour of Rancho de las Cabras, Mission Espada's ranch, will
include information about this archaeology site. The start of the
American cattle industry of the 19^th^ century began 100 years earlier
at the mission ranches. Remnants of the ranch compound still remain. The
ranch is located 30 miles southeast of San Antonio near Floresville.
Meet the Park Ranger at Floresville's River Park at 10:00 a.m. to
caravan to the ranch. High clearance vehicles are recommended, along
with wearing long pants and sturdy shoes due to the rough terrain.

October is Texas Archaeology Awareness Month, which is sponsored and
promoted by the Texas Historical Commission (THC). As part of THC's
promotion, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, UTSA's Center
for Archaeological Research Legacy Program, and the Southern Texas
Archaeological Association have joined together to provide a day of
activities and informational sharing. This free event provides an
opportunity to discover past human cultures, learn about the historical
significance of archaeological sites, and the importance of historical
and prehistoric preservation.