Spirits of San Antonio

Tour and Dinner

Friday, May 28, 2004 – 6:00 PM-10:00 PM  

This ghoulish tour will whisk brave souls away from La Mansion and into historic San Antonio for a spooky evening of ghost stories (and maybe even a few sightings). Docia Williams, local ghost researcher, author and lecturer, will be our guide for the evening as we visit several locations, including the Alamo Street Restaurant, a renovated and haunted church building (ca. 1913). We’ll begin our evening at the restaurant with a delicious buffet dinner that includes several entrées (vegetarian available), a glass of wine and yummy desserts. The restaurant will be the first haunted place we visit on the tour, which will also include a trip to the Bullis House Inn (ca. 1909) and the Menger Hotel (ca. 1959), where Docia spent three years researching her book, The History and Mystery of the Menger Hotel. The evening promises to be full of good companionship and tales that will send chills up your spine!

 The cost for the tour and dinner is $40. Any questions should be directed to Traci Drummond (210.458.2388 or tdrummond@utsa.edu).

SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS T0UR

Saturday, May 29, 2004 – 1:00pm – 6:00pm

 $25.00 -  including guided bus tour and drinks

  This tour will be led by the Archdiocesan Director of the Old Spanish Missions.  Msgr. Balthasar “Balty” Janaceck has served in this capacity for over twenty years and knows pretty much every stone and crack in the walls of the missions.  In his role as Director of the Missions, he helped to write the agreement with the Department of the Interior, making the missions a national historical park.  The mission tour will visit the four missions that comprise the national park and, time permitting, the Espada aqueduct.  Each mission has unique features:  Entering Mission Concepción you will walk across the same threshold that missionaries and natives walked over; Concepción is the oldest unrestored church in the United States and has acoustics to rival the Mormon Tabernacle, according to Msgr. Janacek who will invite you to sing a chorus or two of your favorite hymn under the dome.  San José is considered the Queen of the Missions for its size and beauty.  San Juan is small and intimate and you can see the restored acequias and labores as well as walk a small nature trail.  Espada is outside Loop 410 and you have to cross the San Antonio River to get to it.  Its Moorish facade speaks of Spain’s Arabic heritage.  Perhaps the most outstanding feature of the San Antonio Missions is that four of the five are still in use.  Residents of the neighborhoods surrounding the missions still worship in the mission churches.  The four hour tour is much too short and you will want to come back; you will also want to purchase a book at one the excellent bookstores. 

Walking Tour

Thursday, May 27, 2004 - 1:30pm - 4:00pm

$15.00

        Tour will include a visit to the San Fernando Cathedral and a talk by Brother Edwards Lich S.M. Archivst. Meet in La Mansion lobby. Do not send payment with registration, pay tour guide directly. But include a note if you plan to participate.