Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and United States Courthouse

The Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and United States Courthouse was built in 1937 to consolidate federal agencies and postal functions into one building. Originally known as the San Antonio U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, it was erected as part of the federal New Deal programs enacted during the Great Depression to provide employment opportunities and boost the economy. The courthouse, which took a little less than two years to build, is a fine example of Beaux-Arts architecture and is the work of architects Paul Philippe Cret and Ralph Haywood Cameron. It is also known for its 750-square foot mural depicting San Antonio and Texas history created by artist Howard Cook. The mural, which is a fresco, is one of the largest in the country and considered among the best of the federal arts program that sponsored the creation of murals and sculptures in U.S. post offices. The courthouse is located next to Alamo Plaza and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

Postal activities and San Antonio date back to the early 1800s when the first post office was operated by a man named James Bowen, who is considered to be the first true postmaster in Texas. It is likely he opened a post office before the Texas Revolution and was, apparently, not paid until well after the Republic of Texas was established. Later post offices were located at a variety of locations, probably in rented houses and businesses. The first permanent location was built in 1890. This combined federal and post office building was located at the northwest corner of the plaza. A fire either in 1927 or 1928 damaged the building and by then the city's population had grown significantly. As a result, it became clear that a new courthouse and post office was needed.

Congress approved funds in 1932 and the 1890 building was torn down in 1935. Construction on the present courthouse began in December that year and was finished in October 1937. In May, Cook was chosen out of 185 artists to create the mural. They competed in a national competition conducted by a federal program called the Section for Fine Arts, which was part of the Treasury Department. Cook spent two years creating the mural, six months of which was painting it. Interestingly, he did not think the original plaster in the building was appropriate for fresco so he had the plaster reapplied. He called the mural "San Antonio's Importance in Texas History" and it depicts the city's and state's history from Spanish colonization to the 20th century.

The courthouse was given its current name in 2004 to honor Judge Hipolito Frank Garcia (1925–2002), who served on the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas from 1980 until he died in 2002.

Green, Victoria Clow & Duke, Daron. "San Antonio U.S. Post Office and Courthouse." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. September 29, 2000. https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/0/9713/40971300/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/00001174.pdf.

"Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and United States Courthouse, San Antonio, TX." U.S General Services Administration. Accessed April 6, 2023. https://www.gsa.gov/historic-buildings/hipolito-f-garcia-federal-building-and-us-courthouse-san-antonio-tx#overview.