Description:
Designed by locally prominent architect Leo M. J. Diehlmann and constructed in 1906, the Fairmount Hotel was originally used by traveling salesmen due to its location between the city's downtown area and the Southern Pacific Railroad passenger station.
The Fairmount made international history in 1985, when contractors moved the entire building four city blocks from the current site of Rivercenter Mall at Bowie and Commerce Streets to a new location on South Alamo Street. The hotel is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest building ever moved on pneumatic tires. During its historic trip, which lasted four days, the building traveled on Commerce Street and crossed the bridge over the San Antonio River extension. The Society contributed $260,000 to make this amazing engineering feat possible.
The Fairmount made international history in 1985, when contractors moved the entire building four city blocks from the current site of Rivercenter Mall at Bowie and Commerce Streets to a new location on South Alamo Street. The hotel is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest building ever moved on pneumatic tires. During its historic trip, which lasted four days, the building traveled on Commerce Street and crossed the bridge over the San Antonio River extension. The Society contributed $260,000 to make this amazing engineering feat possible.
Credit Line:
Courtesy of the Express—News and the San Antonio Conservation Society
ID Number:
SWPF—2014—0006
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Hotel on the move, 1985. Reprinted with permission of the Express-News.
Restored hotel with new addition (left), 2010. Photo by Ron Bauml.
Hotel on the move, 1985. Reprinted with permission of the Express-News.
Restored hotel with new addition (left), 2010. Photo by Ron Bauml.