History:
The December 20, 1886 edition of the San Antonio Light proudly proclaimed that "in the historic city of San Antonio there is no quarter more closely connected with the most interesting incidents of the past than Alamo Plaza. This place still bears marks of ancient times, in the way of ornate and novel architecture of the original founders of the city...Many new and handsome buildings of modern architecture serve to relieve the monotony and please the eye of the visitor to the city; a large portion of which are to be encountered on Alamo Plaza" ("Maverick Bank Building").
In 1977, the National Register of Historic Places recognized most of the buildings on the plaza as historically and architecturally significant in their own right. From the parapet added to the Alamo chapel in 1849 to the impressive Post Office and Federal Building opened in 1937, most of what visually defines Alamo Plaza today evolved over the one hundred years between 1840 and 1940.
The surviving architecture from this period, much of it restored at considerable effort and expense from the modernization and neglect of the post-war years, represents the valuable contributions of San Antonio's early citizens to the city's history and appearance. These sites are inextricably woven into our experience of San Antonio's beloved, if sometimes erratic, heart.
In 1977, the National Register of Historic Places recognized most of the buildings on the plaza as historically and architecturally significant in their own right. From the parapet added to the Alamo chapel in 1849 to the impressive Post Office and Federal Building opened in 1937, most of what visually defines Alamo Plaza today evolved over the one hundred years between 1840 and 1940.
The surviving architecture from this period, much of it restored at considerable effort and expense from the modernization and neglect of the post-war years, represents the valuable contributions of San Antonio's early citizens to the city's history and appearance. These sites are inextricably woven into our experience of San Antonio's beloved, if sometimes erratic, heart.
About this Image:
A panoramic view of Alamo Plaza. A new bandstand stands in the center of the plaza's landscaped park. To the left, the upper portion of the Alamo and courthouse/post office are visible. To the right, are the Menger Hotel and the Plaza Theater.
To Learn More:
Credit:
Courtesy of the San Antonio Conservation Society Foundation, Raba Collection.
Click to Enlarge
c. 1921
Site Map - Plaza Overview
c. 1921
Site Map - Plaza Overview