San Antonio

Music to accompany this page:
Desperado, by The Eagles

San Antonio is a unique mixture of a rich Spanish/Mexican and German heritage. San Antonio, as the ninth largest city in the United States, has kept pace with the modern world without sacrificing its old world charm and ambiance. The area was originally called "Yanaguana" by Native Americans that first lived along the San Antonio River. The name meant "refreshing, clear water." In 1691, Spanish explorers and missionaries stopped along the river, and renamed it "San Antonio", because it was the feast day of St. Anthony. In 1719, the Spanish settled the area, and later in the 1800's, German immigrants came to settle here, blending their influences with the Spanish heritage.

San Antonio is best know for the Alamo. It was founded in 1718 by Father Antonio Olivares, when he established Mission San Antonio de Valero. Almost a century later, it would play an important role in the history of Texas, when 189 soldiers defended the mission for 13 days against over 4,000 Mexican troops. Today the Alamo remains in the center of the city, surrounded by a peaceful courtyard. Inside the chapel and barracks, guns and other artifacts that were used by William Travis, Davy Crockett, James Bowie, and other Texas heroes are displayed.

La Villita, Spanish for "little town", is the original settlement of "Old San Antonio." The village was founded in 1792, when Spaniards came to the area and settled soldiers and their families. The original residences were nothing more than primitive huts, which were destroyed by a flood in 1819. Brick, stone and adobe houses were built to replace the lost structures. During the 1800's immigrants from Germany and France moved into the area, resulting in a variety of architectural styles of the buildings still standing at La Villita. By the turn of the century, La Villita had fallen into a state of disrepair. In 1939, city leaders took it upon themselves to preserve San Antonio's roots, and renovated the village. Today La Villita is an active arts and crafts community amidst beautiful landscaped grounds and historic buildings. Re-enactments of battles are held throughout the year, complete with costumed figures and displays of the proper usage of cannons and firearms.

The Tower of the Americas was erected in 1968, for Texas' World's Fair, the HemisFair. The Tower is one of the tallest freestanding structures in the Western Hemisphere, rising 750 feet to the top of the antenna. The Tower has a total weight of over 80 tons, and has been declared a triumphant feat of engineering and architectural skills. Located near the top of the tower is a revolving restaurant, offering a spectacular view of the city. Every hour, the restaurant makes a fully 360 degree rotation, allowing guests to enjoy all views of the city. The staff are fully educated of the sights from above and are eager to share their knowledge with patrons. At the highest level of the tower is an enclosed observation deck surrounded by an outdoor walkway.

San Antonio continued...

Special thanks are offered to one of my brothers, for supplying some of the pictures used on this page. *hugs*

[ Mackinac Island ] [ Memphis ] [ New Orleans ] [ San Antonio ]

Graphics on this page have been designed by

This Web Site and its contents (eg. HTML, design and images) are the property of Angelsmist. Please notify the author if you wish to use any of the contents or images.