Images of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park in central Texas, taken in August 2016.

In the 1700s the Spanish established a chain of missions along the San Antonio River to expand their influence in the area. Between 1747 and 1775 the five missions thrived converting the Indians to Christianity. As the Spanish power diminished these missions were turned over to the locals and in some cases used for non-secular purposes. In the 1920s the city of San Antonio acquired the missions to preserve them for their historical value. Today, even as the missions continue to be used as places of worship, the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park represents the largest collection of Catholic missions in North America.

While at Mission San Jose, one of the largest and best preserved missions, I came upon a family celebrating their daughter’s Quinceañera, a Mexican tradition commemorating her becoming a woman on her 15th birthday. They would spend this day having their daughter photographed in several traditional costumes and invited me to take a few shots of my own as they moved about the compound. It was a wonderful opportunity to see a longstanding Mexican tradition practiced in a historical shrine.