San Antonio River Walk Tour

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1. Site of De La Garza House, Gardens and Mint - Historical Marker

This spot is historically significant because it is likely where San Antonio's first mint (a facility that manufactures coins) was located. The mint was part of a large home complex owned by the prominent De La Garza family, who built the house in 1734. The home covered a whole city block and featured gardens and three-foot thick walls. A historical marker describing the home is attached to the corner of the Rand Building on Soledad and Houston streets. The mint was founded in 1818 by Jose Antonio De La Garza (1776–1851?), who received permission from the Spanish crown to mint coins, which were called "jolas". The home was demolished in 1912.

2. Sheraton Gunter Hotel

The Sheraton Gunter Hotel was built in 1909 and has remained an important landmark in downtown San Antonio. It is known for its fine architecture, its contributions to the local economy, and its connection to music history. In terms of architecture, the hotel is a good example of early 20th century construction. It was built using modern building techniques and materials (steel and reinforced concrete), and offered amenities including elevators, heating, electricity, and later, air conditioning. The Gunter was also a popular place to stay for businessmen, particularly cattle ranchers. Numerous conventions, including state political conventions, were held here as well. However, the Gunter is perhaps best known for its place in music history. Over a few days in November 1936, Blues legend Robert Johnson (1911-1938) recorded many songs in a two-room studio operated by Brunswick Records. This recording session was one of only two he performed in (the other was in Dallas the next year). His music was largely unknown until the 1960s and became highly influential, inspiring numerous rising musicians of the time including Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones.

3. Majestic Theatre

Built in an era when designing lavish motion picture theaters was the rule, the ornate Majestic Theatre more than outdid the rule. Today the beautifully restored Majestic Theatre has transitioned to a different sort of show: the live theater and arts. Located in the heart of downtown San Antonio, Texas, the Majestic Theatre was built in 1929 and was designed in a Spanish Mediterranean style by John Eberson for Karl Hoblitzelle's Interstate Theatres. The 2,264 seat Majestic Theatre is a National Historic Landmark, and is currently home to the San Antonio Symphony and the Broadway in San Antonio series, along with a wide variety of concerts and performing arts attractions.

4. Charline McCombs Empire Theatre

Designed in the European palazzo style by architects Mauran, Russell & Crow of St. Louis and built in 1913 by Thomas Brady, this 60 foot high, 4-story theatre originally featured an electric lighting system and stage equipment specifically for showing movies and hosting vaudeville acts. Unfortunately, the building was badly damaged due to a flood in 1921 and struggled to operate even as a b-run movie showhouse for a number of decades before it was closed down in 1978. However, thanks to a $5 million renovation project in 1998, the theater has been given a second life. It has been restored to its original grandeur and is now operated by Arts Center Enterprises. Additionally, the theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

5. Aztec Theater

Built in 1926 and located along the famous River Walk, the historic Aztec Theater one of the most popular retail and entertainment centers in San Antonio. Originally, the multi-floored building hosted motion pictures as well as live shows. Thanks to a project completed in early 2016, the complex has been restored to its former glory featuring its original Meso-American architecture and decor. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

6. First National Bank of San Antonio and San Antonio Loan and Trust Building

Prominent late 19th and early 20th century businessman and philanthropist, George W. Brackenridge (1832-1920), built the First National Bank of San Antonio and San Antonio Loan and Trust Building in 1886 and 1903, respectively. He established the bank in 1866 as the state's first nationally chartered bank (it was originally called the San Antonio Bank). He founded the loan and trust company in 1892 and lived in the building with his sister, Eleanor. New York architect Cyrus L.W. Eidlitz designed the bank building in the Victorian style and it features Moorish arches and a small corner tower with a minaret. The loan and trust building was also designed in the Victorian style. Both buildings are used for offices today. Brackenridge's philanthropic activities included donating funds to schools and and he also served as regent for the University of Texas from 1886 to 1911 and from 1917 to 1919.

7. Staacke Brothers and Stevens Buildings

Designed by prominent Texas architect James Riely Gordon (1864-1937), the Staacke Brothers and Stevens Buildings are historically significant as fine examples of late 19th century commercial architecture and represent the economic growth and prosperity the city was experiencing at the time. German immigrant Augustus Staacke (1825-1909) built the Staacke Building in 1894 to house his general merchandising business whose products included carriages, buggies, and Studebaker wagons. Gordon designed the building in the Renaissance Revival style. It stands on the site of First Presbyterian Church in San Antonio, an adobe structure built in 1846. Local businessman John J. Stevens (1852-1928) erected the Stevens Building in 1891. It housed his office and Stevens rented out the remaining space to businesses. Gordon designed it the Richardsonian Romanesque style. Both buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and house offices and businesses today.

8. San Antonio Casino Club Building

The San Antonio Casino Club Building is a historic, triangle-shaped structure situated along the San Antonio Riverwalk at the intersection of Crockett and Press Streets. Erected in 1927, it is unique not only for its shape but for the fact that its design combines Art Deco architecture with Mayan detailing. It also features a stepped central above the main entrance. The club was founded in 1925 when two clubs (the Casino Club, established 1854; and the San Antonio Club, established 1881) merged. The San Antonio Casino Club Building once featured club rooms, dormitories, dining rooms, and a ballroom. Today, it is now an apartment building with a restaurant on the ground floor. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The art collection is now located at the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

9. San Antonio Mural and Historical Marker

Designed by Thomas M. Stell, Jr., the San Antonio Mural was completed by Charles Francis Winans in 1981 as part of the City's River Walk Extension project. Both artists had strong ties to the city and to Texas, with Winans operating a gallery in San Antonio, and Stell completing several corporate commissions within the state. The mural is located in a short, well-lit tunnel that runs from the Hyatt Regency Hotel to the outdoor River Walk. Within the passageway, the mural appears on the left side when approaching from the hotel. A narrow channel of water runs along the right side of the tunnel, which is edged with tiered rows of native plants. A historical marker placed on the wall in 1981 states that the mural was dedicated to the people of San Antonio by Robert V. West of the Tesoro Corporation. In January 2021, the City added an interpretive sign below the mural, acknowledging the "rich, but complex" history of San Antonio, and in particular, the secession of Texas from the United States in March 1861, which lasted until the end of the Civil War in 1865.

10. Woolworth Building and the 1960 San Antonio Civil Rights Movement

Built around 1921 the Woolworth Building is best-know today as the site where the first previously-segregated lunch counter in San Antonio served African American patrons. The February 1, 1960 lunch counter protest in Greensboro spurred other local protests and spread to Texas. City leaders hoped to avoid negative press and worked with owners of establishments to pre-empt demonstrations. Leading newspapers supported integration, and when the city attorney and police chief both stated that they would not arrest civil rights protesters, restaurant owners decided to comply with the city's preference that the era of "white-only" lunch counters come to a quiet end. On March 16th, four African Americans were served for the first time at a previously segregated lunch counter at this Woolworths. Several days later, city leaders celebrated this solution as "the San Antonio Way."

11. Alamo cenotaph

In the heart of downtown San Antonio stands the Alamo Cenotaph. The Battle of the Alamo is the most well-known battle in the Texas Revolution. In fact, most would agree that the Battle of the Alamo is the pivotal point in the revolution and was essential to the victory of gaining independence from Mexico. Soaring sixty feet high and located alongside the surviving mission, San Antonio’s “Alamo Cenotaph” praises the men who gave their lives to defend the mission, rather than succumb and surrender to the overwhelming odds.

12. The Alamo

The Battle of the Alamo, which took place between February 23 and March 6, 1836, accelerated the conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Tejas province that became known as the Texas Revolution. Texas declared independence from Mexico in 1836 after years of confrontations between its inhabitants (including the large number of Americans who moved to Texas and outnumbered the Mexicans there) and the Mexican government. Politician-frontiersman Davy Crockett and Colonel William Travis led the fight for the rebels along with Jim Bowie. General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and General Martin Perfecto de Cos laid siege to the Alamo. The battle ended in total defeat for the Texans. All 180-250 Texans were either killed during the fighting or were executed. It is not known how many Mexicans died but the number is estimated at 600. Santa Ana assumed that the defeat would compel Texans to abandon the uprising. However, the opposite occurred as the loss galvanized support among Americans, many of whom went to Texas to join the Texan army, which eventually defeated Mexico at the Battle of San Jacinto. This secured, to some degree, legitimacy, and security for the Texas Republic, which was annexed by the United States in 1845. However, the tension between Mexico and the United States would not be resolved until the end of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). The Alamo is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark. It is also part a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes the four other nearby missions.

13. The Menger Hotel

Known as the "Best Hotel West of the Mississippi," the Menger has been host to some of the greatest men of the 19th and early 20th century. Historical figures such as Robert E. Lee, Theodore Roosevelt, and Dwight D. Eisenhower, have all walked through its doors, and behind those doors, history has been made.

14. 1876 Barbed Wire Demonstration Historical Marker

At this location in 1876, John Warne “Bet-A-Million” Gates and his partner Pete McManus demonstrated the potential of barbed wire for ranchers in the Southern Great Plains by herding their cattle into a pen lined with the wire. This historical marker shares the story of Gates, a barbed wire salesman who demonstrated the effectiveness of barbed wire in a way that launched his influential career. Spectators were amazed at the effectiveness of his product, and demand for barbed wire spread across the Texas ranches. Gates later set out on his own, selling barbed wire before branching out to energy and founding of the Texas Company, later known as Texaco. Gates influenced both the oil industry and ranching, two industries that shaped the nature of Texas and the American West.

15. Battle for Texas: The Experience

Located just a few blocks away from The Alamo, this interactive museum-like experience can be found in the Shops at River Center. Designed to entertain visitors who arrive in the River Walk, this for-profit "edutainment" gallery reinforces the popular interpretation of the Battle of the Alamo. At the same time, the galleries of this space are also full of artifacts from the time period and provide an opportunity to explore the way that the Alamo has been interpreted.

16. Torch of Friendship

The Torch of Friendship, "La Antorcha de la Amistad" in Spanish, is a large sculpture created by Mexican artist Enrique Carbjal González (b. 1947), who goes by the name Sebastián. The sculpture, which is almost 65 feet tall and weighs over 45 tons, consists of two iron columns that rise until they are connected by a curled "bridge." Unveiled to the public on June 27, 2002, it symbolizes the friendship between Mexico, the United States, and Canada. It is now one of the city's most well-known landmarks.

17. Briscoe Western Art Museum

Named for the late Texas governor Dolph Briscoe Jr., the Briscoe Western Art Museum takes visitors through a visual and educational journey spanning five centuries of American West and Texas history, art, and culture through art and artifact exhibits. Permanent exhibits explore Native American cultures, the building itself which used to be the city's first public library building, the life and legacy of Governor Briscoe, the Hispanic influence in Texas, Western art created by women, and traditional cowboy arts. The museum also offers rotating and temporary exhibits.

18. La Villita Historic Arts Village

On the south bank of the San Antonio River, La Villita is one of the oldest neighborhoods in San Antonio. Coahuiltecan were likely the first to build small huts along the river. It later developed into a collection of huts for families of Spanish soldiers stationed at the Mission San Antonio de Valero (now better-known as the Alamo). A flood in 1819 inspired residents to begin building more permanent structures, such as brick and adobe homes. Towards the end of the 19th century, immigrants from other European countries, such as France and Germany, were settling in the growing neighborhood. They brought with them European styles and expertise in professions such as banking, teaching, and business. In 1939, Mayor Maury Maverick led a restoration effort, which ultimately transformed the neighborhood into the art village it is today. Today galleries, craft shops, and cafes line the streets of La Villita.

19. Arneson River Theater

Built from 1939 to 1941, the Arneson River Theater is a seasonal cultural venue on the Paseo del Rio, San Antonio's River Walk. Each summer, from early June through the beginning of August, the open-air theater is the site of Fiesta Noche del Rio. Sponsored by the Alamo Kiwanis Club, a local charitable organization, the festival features Mariachi bands, flamenco guitarists, Latin singers, and traditional dance performances, including tango and salsa. The Mexican American singer, Rosita Fernández, hailed as "San Antonio’s First Lady of Song," performed at the festival from 1957 to 1984. Arneson River Theater was named for Edwin P. Arneson, who worked as a regional engineer for the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA). The venue was designed by Robert H.H. Hugman, the architect whose original vision and overall design for the landscape led to the creation of the San Antonio River Walk.

20. San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum

Located in the La Villita Historic Village, the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum (SAAACAM) was established in 2017 to preserve and promote the city's African American cultural heritage. Part of this effort is to explore the history of Spaniards, Mexicans, Germans, and Canary Islanders who lived here and whose heritage is linked to the African American community. SAAACAM's programming and initiatives include creating a digital archive of artifacts, offering pop-up exhibits, and Black history riverwalk tours.

21. Padre Damian Massanet's Table - Historical Marker and Sculpture

This historical marker is accompanied by a sculpture created by artist Roland Brisenso symbolizing the first Catholic mass held in San Antonio on June 13, 1691, which was presided by Padre (father) Padre Damian Massanet. A day earlier, the first Spanish expedition to traverse Texas reached what they quickly named the San Antonio River. They named it as such because June 13 happened to the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua. While this is how the city got its name, it was not official founded until 1718. The marker and sculpture were installed in 1991.

22. Old Mill Crossing Mural and Historical Marker

The Old Mill Crossing Mural and Historical Marker commemorates a geographical crossing point along the San Antonio River that was widely used by travelers and settlers, including cattle farmers who crossed the river with their animals at this spot. Because this portion of the river was both shallow and gentle, it afforded relatively safe passage, becoming part of El Camino Real, the road which led from San Antonio to Nacogdoches. Initially, this site was known as Alamo Crossing, until Nat Lewis established a grist mill here in 1847, and it later became known as Old Mill Crossing. To commemorate the site, a mural was commissioned by the Daughters of Texas Trail Drivers in honor of their fathers, with artwork created as part of a federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) project in 1942. Historical text embedded within the mural also recognizes this location as "the last known place where horses drank and forded the San Antonio River." The project was supervised by Ethel Wilson Harris, an artisan and patron of the arts who served as the local technical director for the Arts and Crafts Division of the WPA. Completed in 1943, the mural appears on the exterior of the Hotel Contessa along the River Walk.

23. Tower Life Building

Built in 1929 after two years of construction, the Tower Life Building is one of San Antonio's most beloved buildings. Reaching a height of 404 feet (504 feet to the top of the flagpole), the eight-sided structure was designed in the Late Gothic Revival style and has served as an office building. It was the city's tallest building for 59 years until the Marriott Rivercenter hotel was built in 1988. LocaI real estate firm Smith Bros. Properties originally envisioned it to be one of the components of a large complex of structures called Bowen's Island Skyscrapers. Only a few buildings, including the Tower Life Buildings, were built before the Great Depression halted the project. The Tower Life Building was renovated in 2010, which included the removal of an obsolete television tower and replaced by the flagpole. The building added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.

24. Near Homesite of Erasmo Seguín - Historical Marker

This historical marker, which is situated on E. Nueva Street on the grounds of Bexar County Courthouse, describes the life of prominent San Antonio businessman and politician Erasmo Seguín (1782-1857), whose home was near this location. His most notable political role was serving as San Antonio postmaster from 1807 to 1835. He was also the only representative from Texas to go to the Mexican Constitutional Convention of 1824 (Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821), where he supported colonization by American settlers to Texas. Over a decade later, he supported the Texas Revolution (1835-1836), the uprising that established the Republic of Texas.

25. Main Plaza Fortifications - Historical Marker

This historical marker indicates the location of a military fortification discovered in 2007 during renovations of the Main Plaza. Other sites were found as well. They date to the time of the Texas Revolutionary period (1835-1836) and likely would have been part of the defensive fortifications protecting San Antonio during the Siege of Bexar (San Antonio, October-December 1835). During excavation, archaeologists found military-related artifacts such as a gun barrel, sword tip, and a gunflint. There was a trench at this location that had a wooden palisade. Behind it, evidence indicates that additional fortifications were built, possibly gun batteries.

26. Bexar County Courthouse

Designed by J. Reily Gordon, Bexar County Courthouse is a beautiful Romanesque Revival historic building erected in 1896. Given its location on the Main Plaza and and near San Fernando Cathedral, the courthouse is among the city's more important landmarks, still serving as the center of local and regional judicial activity. It was built with native Texas granite and red sandstone, and features towers, a tile roof, and several colonnades. A number of additions were built in the coming decades after it was built, reaching its current size by the early 1970s. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is the fourth courthouse of the county; the first was erected in the early 1740s.

27. San Fernando De Bexar Cathedral

Built between 1728 and 1749, the San Fernando Cathedral was first known as Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria y Guadalupe and served as the parish church of Villa San Fernando de Bexar, which was the first civil settlement in Texas when it was ruled as a province of Spain. The church played a role in the Battle of the Alamo in the 19th century and was visited by Pope John Paul II in the late 20th century. San Fernando Cathedral stands as the oldest church congregation as well as church building in the whole state of Texas. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well as has been documented by the Historic American Building Survey.

28. Spanish Governor's Palace

Planned in 1722, The Spanish Governor's Palace hails from the Spanish Texas period. Constructed around 1749, it is considered to be the only remaining example of an 18th-century Spanish aristocratic residence in all of Texas. It was originally built as the residence of the commanding officer, Presidio San Antonio de Bexar (the fort which had accompanied the building of the San Antonio de Valero Mission, which was also later known as the Alamo). When San Antonio became the capital of the Province of Texas in 1772, the residence became the house of all 32 governors that ruled between 1772 and 1804. Today, it is now open to the public as a historical museum.

29. Jose Francisco Ruiz Historical Marker

This historical marker commemorates politician, teacher, and military officer, Jose Francisco Ruiz (1783-1840), who participated in the Mexican War of Independence from Spain (1811-1815) and was a key figure in the Texas Revolution (1835-1836) against the Mexican government. Ruiz was one of only two native Texans who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. He is also known for teaching in the first school in San Antonio, serving as an interpreter and negotiator with the Comanche Indians, and for his civic and business activities. The marker is located just outside of the University of Texas-San Antonio San Pedro 1 building.

30. O. Henry House

Built in 1555 by German settler John Kush, this small historic house was where American writer William Sydney Porter (1862-1910), better known as "O. Henry," lived from 1885-1886. It is located on the corner of Dolorosa and Santa Rosa Avenue in downtown San Antonio, just a block away from the Spanish Governor's Palace. The house is a contributing property of the Main and Military Plazas Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It appears to be open to the public but only on a limited basis or by appointment.

31. Casa Navarro State Historic Site

Today, Jose Antonio Navarro is considered a true patriot and father of Texas and this house, his former home, has become a place to remember and be inspired by his courage. One of only two native-born Tejanos (and one of three Mexicans) to sign the Texan Declaration of Independence, Navarro became a lifelong leader and politician who campaigned for the rights of the Tejanos as Anglo-Texans made their mark on society. Navarro's simple adobe home and the surrounding structures now comprise the Casa Navarro State Historic Site; it is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The site is an excellent place to begin to explore the contributions of this unique man.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

San Antonio River Walk Tour

Created by Clio Admin on April 26th 2019, 12:24:28 pm.

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Description

This extended walking tour includes nearly three dozen landmarks along San Antonio's famed River Walk. The tour starts just east of the River Walk, with stops at Casa Navarro State Historic Site, the home of William Sydney Porter (better known as "O. Henry") the Spanish Governor's Palace, and San Fernando De Bexar Cathedral. The tour includes the Alamo, several art and history museums, and many historic buildings, markers, murals, and theaters along the River Walk as it returns near its starting location. After enjoying this walk, be sure to visit Hemisfair Park and search Clio for museums and historic sites throughout the San Antonio metro.

Entries on This Tour

San Antonio River Walk Tour

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