Main Plaza
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Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1884Subject: Photo crop of a stereo view of Main Plaza. View is NNE taken from a point in the plaza showing the construction of the Kampmann Block which be completed in December of 1883. In the photograph is Sim Harts tobacco store on the NW corner of the Soledad, Commerce and Main Plaza intersection. west is Jack Harris’ Vaudeville Theatre. Directly south of the Kampmann Block on the south side of Commerce is the Dauenhauer Building. There appears to be no construction barriers or pedestrian protection present.
Images in this Collection
56 visible image(s)
#1
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1905Subject: Photo crop with a shadow banner “SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY” overlaid across the center. The view is south on Soledad Street from a point just north of the “Veramendi Palace.” The Kampmann building (1884) can be seen on the NE corner of Soledad and Commerce Street intersection with the Dauenhauer Building (1877) on the SE. There is a gasoline powered automobile at the west curb.1
#2
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: unknown 1902-1922.Subject: Photo crop of San Fernando Cathedral and the City Hall with festive lighting. View is west from a point in Main Plaza. The south tower of San Fernando (finished in 1902) is present. The new Frost Bank (1922) is not present.
#3
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: unknown ca. 1860s.Subject: Photo crop of North-east corner of Main Plaza with ascription. The Plaza House is clearly present as well as the Smith block at the corner of Soledad and Main Plaza.
#4
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: unknown January 1904.Subject: Photo crop of a photograph purported to be of the Wolfson Department Store Fire of 24 January 1904. However, there is no firefighting equipment visible. Women and children have been brought in the carriages. The horses do not seem to be stressed. It would seem more likely that this photograph is a viewing of the damage, perhaps taken within a short time of the event. Wolfson’s was on the north west corner of Main Plaza at Main Avenue.
#5
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: January 1904Subject: Photo crop of a postcard of the Bexar County Courthouse, North elevation. View is SSE from in front of San Fernando Cathedral.
#6
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1927Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is WNW showing the east elevation of San Fernando Cathedral with both towers (1902) and the deconstruction of the City Hall (1927) in progress.
#7
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1892-1902Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is WSW showing the east elevation of San Fernando Cathedral with no south tower (1902) and the edge of the new City Hall (1892).
#8
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1897-1902Subject: Photo crop Main Plaza. View is WNW showing the east elevation of San Fernando Cathedral with no south tower (1902) the Frost Bank Building (1867), the City Hall (1892) and the landscaping completed in the center of the plaza for the new Bexar County Courthouse (1897).
#9
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1902-1912.Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is east and elevated. Taken from the observatory at City Hall. San Fernando Cathedral has the south tower (1902) and the Dauenhauer building is present at the corner of Commerce and Main Plaza (lost to street widening 1912).
#10
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1884Subject: Photo crop of the Kampmann building at the Northeast corner of Main Plaza. The view is NNE showing the building under construction.
#11
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1884-1891.Subject: Photo crop of the Kampmann building at the Northeast corner of Main Plaza. The view is NNE. Note the ALAMO NATIONAL BANK along the edge of the first floor stone course.
#12
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 18 January - 4 March 1886.Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is NNE providing details of the north side of Main Plaza from Soledad to Acequia (Main). It was taken at some point in the 45 day period between the closing of the White Elephant Saloon, door to and purchased by Wolfson’s Dry Goods on the west corner of the plaza (half visible at extreme left) in January 1886 and the fire that destroyed the old Smith Block on the east corner of the plaza in March 1886.
#13
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 18 January - March 1886Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. The view is NNW across the plaza from the Dwyer street intersection showing the west side of Main Plaza: San Fernando Cathedral, the Frost building then Elmendorf & Co. at the corner. The building announcing CLOTHING at the corner of West Commerce and Acequia (Main) Streets is occupied by Kahn and Co. Then, moving east, is L. Wolfson’s Dry Goods, which purchased the White Elephant Saloon as of 18 January 1886, to expand their clothing line. The White Elephant sign has been removed in at least one other photograph of this period, perhaps for the renovation in February, however, it was planned that the establishment would be named “The White Elephant Clothing Store.”
#14
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: “Mid-century”.Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. The crop is a piece of a much wider panoramic photograph. The view is WNW showing the northwest corner of the plaza and west along Presidio (West Commerce) Street. The east elevation of Carl Elmendorf’s hardware store is prominent. The two-story Plaza House can just be seen at extreme right. Dating is taken from “A Century on Main Plaza: A History of the First National Bank,” by Herbert M. Mason Jr. and Frank W. Brown. It could be as much as 17 years older.
#15
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1868-1871Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. The view is WNW showing the east and south elevation of the Frost building, located just north of San Fernando Cathedral. Frost history states the building was originally known as Carolan’s Auction House, however, the building existed prior to his tenancy. The front is removed as of 1 July 1867 and in the Fall of 1868 a new front is installed. In 1871 the building is razed and a new 2 story building with a basement is constructed. T.C. Frost no longer advertises as “Frost & Bro” as of 1881.
#16
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1860'sSubject: Photo crop of an early photograph of Main Plaza. View is north, slightly west and elevated, showing almost the entire north side of Main Plaza. It was most likely taken from the French Building (1858) at Dwyer and Main Plaza.
#17
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: Ca. 1884Subject: Photo crop of Kampmann Block. View is ENE and elevated, showing the Kampmann block office building and bank. Opened in December 1884. The first floor was the Lockwood and Kampmann bank. The building had the first passenger elevator in the city, its own fire suppression system, three time-lock safes, one set into concrete in the basement. At various times the block provided offices for both the City Hall, Bexar County and the District Courts.
#18
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1873.Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. The view is NNW showing the northwest corner of the plaza. The east elevation of Carl Elmendorf’s hardware store is prominent. The placement of buildings would indicate a date close to the 1873 Birdseye map and could not have been taken as late as 1877. It is very likely that this exposure and #23 were done very close together in time.
#19
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1856Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. The crop is a piece of much larger panoramic photograph. The view is WSW across the plaza showing San Fernando Church and Carolan’s Auction House. T.C. Frost was not a partner until 1867. This photograph could pre-date that event. Dating is taken from “A Century on Main Plaza: A History of the First National Bank,” by Herbert M. Mason Jr. and Frank W. Brown. The equipment in use for this photograph was advanced enough to keep almost all the dogs in focus. This would seem to indicate post-civil war equipment. It could be as much as 17 years older.
#20
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1883Subject: Photo manage of a single photograph of Main Plaza. View is ENE from a point inside the plaza, showing the construction of the Kampmann Block. The caption and information concerns the Vaudeville Theatre that had belonged to Jack Harris, who was killed by Ben Thompson on 11 July 1882 and where Thompson and John King Fisher would be killed on 11 March 1884. The caption is incorrect in that the proprietor of the tobacco shop was SIM Hart.
#21
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1897-1904Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is north across the plaza and elevated. Taken from the Central Hotel showing the plaza park, the north side, almost all the east side and a small amount of the west side of the plaza. Exposure window is framed by the presence of the plaza park (1897) and that S. Wolfson’s store at the NW corner of the plaza has not yet burned (1904).
#22
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1881-1891Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is WSW across the plaza and elevated. Taken from the Kampmann Block showing the empty plaza and the west side. From north to south: The Frost building 1871, San Fernando Cathedral (without the south tower), small dry goods shop, Pujo’s barber shop and bath rooms, the Southern Hotel. The San Antonio City Hall (1892) is not in evidence to the west.
#23
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1897-Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is NNE across plaza and elevated. Taken from the former Central Hotel showing the plaza park (1897). The twin mansard roofs of the former Bexar County Court House (1883) can be seen in the distance on Soledad Street. The massive Kampmann Block sits at the NE corner of Commerce, Soledad and Main Plaza. The three-story Dauenhauer building across Commerce to the south from the Kampmann building houses Frank Bros and S. Deutsch & Co. Across the street to the west of the Kampmann building is the Elite Restaurant and Saloon.
#24
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1910-1914Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is south along Soledad and elevated. Taken from the Elite Restaurant and Saloon. Washer Building is present on east side of plaza (1910). The addition (1914) to the Bexar County Courthouse is not present.
#25
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1922-1927Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is ENE across the plaza from a point on the west side of the plaza park. The new Frost Bank Building (1922) is to the north of San Fernando Cathedral, while the San Antonio City Hall (1892) still has its clock tower and distinctive roofs which are removed in 1927.
#26
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1858-1877Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is SSE from a point within the plaza. The French Building (1858) at the corner of Dwyer and Dolorosa provides one frame of the exposure window, that no such mercantile enterprise as advertised on the south wall of the building on the south side of the plaza, appears in the city directory which begins publishing in 1877, provides the other.
#27
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1897-1903Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is south and elevated across the plaza park. Taken from a point within one of the buildings on the north side of the plaza. The Bexar County Courthouse (1897) is present and the building to the west will remain a one story only until 1903.
#28
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: c. 1885Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is west showing the full east elevation of San Fernando Cathedral, the empty plaza, the Southern Hotel to the south of the cathedral, the Dolorosa Street car tracks, the T.C. Frost building 1871 just north of the cathedral and the “Bat Cave” (1852) on Military Plaza in the background. The Koch “Birdseye Map” of 1886 accurately depicts the plaza, to include the curve of the tracks.
#29
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1902.Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is WSW, probably taken from the Elite Hotel, showing the plaza park, the hack stand, San Fernando Cathedral with both towers (1902) and the Frost National Bank building (becomes a national bank in 1899). The clock tower observatory and the south conical tower roofs of the San Antonio City Hall can be seen in the background. The plaza would appear to be paved with some type of block and it appears to have been raining.
#30
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1897-1902.Subject: Photo crop of a book page of a manipulated photograph of Main Plaza. View is WSW across the plaza. Almost certainly taken from the Kampmann building, showing the plaza park (1897), San Fernando Cathedral without the south tower (finished in 1902), the Frost Bank building (1871) and San Antonio City Hall (1892) with the two south conical roofs and the two north mansard roofs removed (almost) from the photograph, but still faintly visible.
#31
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: March 1886.Subject: Photo crop of an F. Hardesty photograph of Main Plaza. The view is NNE from a point in the plaza. The Kampmann Block is center prominent, however, the real interest is that this photograph may well have been taken within a few days after the fire (18 March 1886) that destroyed the Smith Block that had been on the corner and across (west) from the Kampmann Block. It would be the location between the hanging watch and the Kampmann Building.
#32
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1928.Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is south and elevated. Taken from a building on the north side of the plaza, showing the plaza park and the Bexar County courthouse. It appears that the 1926-1928 addition to the courthouse has been completed.
#33
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1928.Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is WNW and focused on Sim Hart’s Tobacco shop. Taken from a point in Commerce Street showing the store located at the corner of Soledad and Main Plaza in the “Smith Block.” Known as “Fatal Corner” for the number of shootings that had occurred at or in the immediate vicinity.
#34
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1877Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is SSE, taken from a point in the plaza, showing the buildings at the intersection of Dolorosa, Dwyer and Main Plaza with a framing and focus on the French Building (1858) which through the years housed both the City Council (and police headquarters), County and District Courts and the Headquarters of both the Federal and Confederate armies. When the building was razed in 1927, a new building was constructed on the site and again the police headquarters moved in. The photograph is dated due to A. Hinchman being listed in the 1877 city directory as being the “Gen’l agent for wagons. carriages and wagon supplies, cor. of Dwyer and Main Plaza.”
#35
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1877Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is ESE and elevated, taken from one of the businesses on the north side of the plaza. It shows a line of hacks in front of the stores on the east side of the plaza. The photograph can be dated as the Sanborn map indicates that the one story building at the corner of Commerce and Main Plaza has been razed and the three-story Dauenhauer Building has been erected by December 1877. In June 1877, S. Dauenhauer and G.V. Devine (the owner of the dollar store building) sign an agreement having to do with a common wall in connection with the construction. They eventually engage in a lawsuit with an appeal that becomes a matter of Supreme Court record. The advertisement on the west side of the building under Salomon Deutsch’s name states that he is “Selling out at cost.” Actually, S Deutsch & Co. (which includes Simon Frank) simply moves into the new building above Frank Bros.
#36
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1875Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is ENE and elevated across the plaza, taken almost certainly from the San Fernando Cathedral, showing the plaza and its NE corner.
#37
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 17 December 1892Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is West and elevated, taken from, almost certainly, the French Building showing the laying of the cornerstone of the Bexar County Courthouse, attended to and within the rituals of the Alamo Lodge 44 and the Anchor Lodge 424 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Among others was the 23d Infantry Band, US Army.
#38
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1887Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is ESE and elevated, taken from, almost certainly, S. Wolfson’s store showing the entire east side of Main Plaza from Commerce street to the French Building. Both the Market street and Dolorosa Street intersections can be seen. The businesses begin at the cornet of Commerce Street with the Dauenhauer Building, 2-4 east side (es) Main Plaza, occupied by S. Deutsch & Co. – Dry Goods; Revolving Light, 6 es Main Plaza, owned by Samuels & Ball – Saloon; D& A Oppenheimer, 8 es Main Plaza – Grocers; M. Koenigheim, 10 es Main Plaza – Pawn broker, L. Frank owned by Frank Lazarus, 12 es Main Plaza – Saddelry; Vacant – 14 es Main Plaza. Tivoli Garden Theater, 16 es Main Plaza, owned by Leon Edward – Saloon; Ramsey & Ford, 18 es Main Plaza,- Saddelry. Lexington Stables, 26 es Main Plaza (between Market and Dolorosa) operated by Sullivan, J.O. – Livery.
#39
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1859-1868Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is east, taken from a point in the plaza, showing the east elevation of San Fernando church, buildings to north and south and the San Antonio City Hall/Bexar County Courthouse and jail compound (1852) in the background. Dating is from a newspaper article of 6 May 1859 discussing the artwork done on the belfry (stripes) and the beginning of the Giraud renovation of 1868.
#40
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: late 1860'sSubject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is south and elevated, taken, most likely, from the Plaza House hotel. It would appear to be a black drill unit, on parade. There is a line of uniformed men, however, no weapons are in evidence. At least one of the men is wearing a “Kepi” or union army forage cap.
#41
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1884Subject: Photo crop of a stereo view of Main Plaza. View is NNE taken from a point in the plaza showing the construction of the Kampmann Block which be completed in December of 1883. In the photograph is Sim Harts tobacco store on the NW corner of the Soledad, Commerce and Main Plaza intersection. west is Jack Harris’ Vaudeville Theatre. Directly south of the Kampmann Block on the south side of Commerce is the Dauenhauer Building. There appears to be no construction barriers or pedestrian protection present.
#42
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1884Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is ENE across the plaza. Taken from the Southern Hotel as the unfinished south tower of San Fernando Cathedral can be seen on the left foreground. Showing the Kampmann Block and most of the east side of the plaza. One more floor has been completed than in, "photo #67".
#43
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 16 February 1861.Subject: Photo crop of a much older photograph of Main Plaza. View is NNW across the plaza. Taken from the French building at Dwyer, Dolorosa and Main Plaza, showing the north side of the plaza and some of the buildings on the south side in the foreground. There is a large number of people in the plaza and the ascription reads “Texas troops at San Antonio at the time of the surrender of the U.S. Army.”
#44
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1873Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is SSE and elevated across the plaza showing hacks and wagons in line along the east side businesses. The French Building (1858) can be seen at the far south with what appears to be a flag pole at its top center. Koch’s birds eye map of 1873 shows each of the major buildings along the east side.
#45
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1902-1922Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is WSW across the plaza. Taken from one of the buildings along the north side of the plaza, showing the hack stand, a corner of the plaza park, San Fernando Cathedral, the Frost Bank Building and the San Antonio City Hall beyond. Dating of the photograph is framed by the south tower of San Fernando being present (1902) and the new Frost Bank (1922) not being present. The horse drawn hacks will be gone within 10 years.
#46
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1932Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is WSW across the plaza. Taken from the Kampmann Block at the NE corner of the Commerce, Soledad and Main Plaza intersection, showing the Bexar County Courthouse (1897), San Fernando Cathedral (1902) and the new Frost Bank building (1922). The plaza park continues to shrink under the demands of the automobile.
#47
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1877Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is north and elevated. Taken from San Fernando Cathedral along Acequia (Main) Street. Leopold Wolfson’s store on the NE corner of the intersection of Acequia and Main Plaza will soon be two-story and the building marked SADDLES will be part of a set of four two- story buildings called the Terrell Block (1881).
#48
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1873Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is SSE and elevated across the plaza showing hacks and wagons in line along the east side businesses. Only a portion of the French Building (1858) can be seen at the far south and none of S. Deutsch’s store as can be seen in, "photo #71", however, this crop is somewhat clearer and the store signs can be read.
#49
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1910-1914Subject: Photo crop of a post card of Main Plaza. View is SSE and elevated across the plaza. Taken, most likely, from the L. Wolfson’s Building. The massive Washer Building on the east side of the plaza is present. The addition (1914) to the Bexar County Courthouse is not present.
#50
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1922Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is WSW of the new 12-story Frost Bank Building (1922). Taken from one of the buildings along the north side of the plaza showing the East elevation, a portion of San Fernando and a portion of the San Antonio City Hall.
#51
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1902-1912Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is ENE and elevated across the plaza. Taken, most likely from the Elliot building, showing the plaza park, San Fernando Cathedral with the south tower (1902) and the stores fronting on the plaza, between Galan Street and the Southern Hotel. The cigar store will no longer be in business as of 1912.
#52
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1922Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is WSW and elevated of the new Frost Bank Building (1922). Taken from one of the buildings along the north side of the plaza showing the east and north elevations of the 12-story building and a portion of San Fernando Cathedral. Note the Commerce street entrance and the street car tracks at the intersection of Main, Commerce and Main Plaza.
#53
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1872-1876Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is SSW and elevated, taken, almost certainly, from the Bexar County Courthouse, showing along Soledad, the south elevation of the Smith Block, “Fatal Corner,” the south side of Main Plaza and west along Dwyer. The photograph shows no three-story buildings on the south side of the plaza. The Bexar County Courthouse (Soledad street) is finished in 1872. By 1876 several three-story buildings are under construction or finished on the plaza. Photograph carries a caption of MAIN PLAZA.
#54
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1858 – 1977Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is ESE. Taken from a point in the plaza showing an adobe building at the SW corner of Main Plaza and Dwyer Street marked POST OFFICE and the French Building (1858) at the SE corner of Main Plaza and Dwyer. The Gallagher Building on Alamo Plaza became the US Post Office upon its completion in 1877.
#55
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1903Subject: Photo crop of a post card of Main Plaza. View is SSW across the plaza showing the north elevation of the Bexar County Courthouse, a portion of a bare plaza with street car tracks and a portion of the Elliot building (1903).
#56
Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1903Subject: Photo crop of Main Plaza. View is WSW across the plaza. Taken from a point in the plaza showing broken rock and persons standing in the plaza. The photograph carries a caption of MAIN PLAZA ca. 1870.