San Antonio History

Most Texas roads lead to San Antonio. The city has the distinction of being part of seven different nations during it's long history: American Indian, Mexico, Spain, France, Republic of Texas, Confederate States of America and United States of America. The area now called San Antonio was home to the Indian tribe of Coahuiltecan until the 1700's. Here the Mission San Antonio de Valero (The Alamo) was founded in 1718. The city of San Antonio built up around this humble mission. The mission was eventually abandoned. It became the site where militia and pioneers like Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie bravely held off the Mexican forces led by Santa Anna, and were defeated 13 days later. This defeat and the battle cry, "Remember the Alamo!" took the US forces, led by Sam Houston, to defeat the Mexican Army three months later. San Antonio became a speakeasy type of town in the late 1800's. It was a place of gambling, prostitution and gun fighting. It also became the center of exodus for many European settlers, mostly German. The Germans particularly, did well in selling and trading. They amassed much wealth and built up a merchant community, driving much of the criminal element out of the city. The area called King William Historic District has become an architectural monument to these hard working immigrants. In the mid-20th century the Works Project Administration (WPA), a federal government program which helped jobless citizens, also helped to save the face of San Antonio. They picked architect and San Antonio Conservation Society member Robert Hughman's 1927 design for the river and various points around the city. The workers followed the basic blueprint for what would become the Riverwalk, Japanese Gardens and Theatre and the Arneson Theatre. The landscaped river and other projects sat on the shelf for another 27 years until the 1968 HemisFair, celebrating the 250 year anniversary of the city, came to town. The HemisFair brought the completion of Riverwalk, with all of its shops, restaurants, malls and hotels. It also brought Japanese Gardens, miniature trains, a 750 ft. tower and restaurant, and a theatre (Arneson) with a river where the orchestra pit should be. So much development followed that you might not recognize a picture of the city just 25 years ago. Today San Antonio is a bustling urban city, the eighth largest in the United States, with over a million residents. Tourism and industry drive the city's economy. San Antonio is the second largest military town in the United States, rivaled only by our nation's capital. Four military institutions call San Antonio home. The city has a large Hispanic community which shows in the pride, culture, architecture and in almost every other facet of life in San Antonio. San Antonio is, after all, only about 2 hours away from Mexico. If you want a taste of the real Southwest you have only to look in San Antonio, in its missions, rivers and plains.