Harvey P. Smith and Preservation Beliefs in the 1900s

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Architect Harvey P. Smith, with the Works Progress Administration, focused preservation efforts on ensuring the structures at Mission Espada reflected the Spanish colonial style to appeal to visitors.

During the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) initiated efforts to preserve historic buildings. With WPA support, architect Harvey P. Smith collaborated with the Archdiocese of San Antonio and others to stabilize and restore Mission Espada's deteriorating structures.2 In a letter from the period, he stated his intention to “put the building back as the Franciscan Padres originally built it”.3 Smith aimed to return the mission to its original Spanish colonial appearance by removing later additions. His efforts attempted to balance historical accuracy and touristic appeal with the church community's need for modern amenities such as electricity and plumbing.4

In 1955, Smith ordered the removal of Father Francis Bouchu's house on the convento's second floor. However, Smith did not realize that Bouchu's home was a rehabilitation of the original structure, not an addition that deserved removal according to his standards.

Smith, Harvey P. Restoration Drawings of Mission Espada. Civic Works Administration, 1934. San Antonio Missions National Historical Park [8]

This approach reflected an early 1900s perspective that only structures from the "authentic" period warranted preservation. However, this philosophy limits understanding of the site's full history by excluding the experiences of those who lived at Mission Espada after secularization. While the efforts of Harvey P. Smith were essential to Mission Espada's survival, evolving preservation philosophies now highlight the importance of preserving a site's complete history rather than reducing it to a single narrative or time period.

Credits

This article was researched and written by Ángel Diaz, Jae Gonzales, Anna Surovic, Elyse Reed, and Mackenzie Roach and directed and reviewed by Darby Samoluk and Melissa Hurtado.

The PATH Program: Preserving Archives of Texas Heritage (PATH) is a collaborative initiative designed to build stewardship in cultural resource work while enhancing accessibility to archival and museum collections.

This joint effort is carried out in partnership with the Texas Heritage Project of American Indians of Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AIT-SCM), the University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), through the Libraries’ Community Engaged Digital Scholarship Hub (CEDISH), and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (SAAN).

Works Cited

[1] May 1, 1955, Harvey P. Smith, Archbishop Lucy, Louis Guido, and workers at Mission Espada restoration, L-4262-I, San Antonio Light Photograph Collection, UTSA Special Collections – ITC

[2] Smith, Harvey. P, Lecture at the annual American Institute of Architects, West Texas Chapter, January, 8, 1935.

[3] Ivey, James E.; M. B. Thurber; and S. Escobedo  1990 “Of Various Magnificence: The Architectural History of the San Antonio Mission in the Colonial Period and the Nineteenth Century.” Volume 1. National Park Service Professional Papers No. 1, Santa Fe. Manuscript on file, Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio.

[4] Letter from Harvey P. Smith Archives to Archbishop of San Antonio pertaining to exact repairs needed to Mission espada.

[5] Ivey, James E.; M. B. Thurber; and S. Escobedo  1990 “Of Various Magnificence: The Architectural History of the San Antonio Mission in the Colonial Period and the Nineteenth Century.” Volume 1. National Park Service Professional Papers No. 1, Santa Fe. Manuscript on file, Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Smith, Harvey P. Restoration Drawings of Mission Espada. Civic Works Administration, 1934.

[8] Smith, Harvey P. Restoration Drawings of Mission Espada. Civic Works Administration, 1934.

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