Military Plaza

#1

Picture file Open sites Plazas-San Antonio, Texas Military Plaza 14270 Ice cream stands

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1879-1890Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is NNW from a point in the plaza. Jacob Dullnig moved into the free standing building seen here with his name. He remained until 1891-92 and after protracted legal exchanges with the city and the building of the new City Hall. Kalteyer’s Drug Store is beyond in the line of buildings that make up the north side of Military Plaza. Built by George Henry Kalteyer in 1857 as the Eagle Drug Store, it is Kalteyer & Son by 1879. Photograph carries an ascription PROPERTY OF THE DRT LIBRARY.1

#2

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1926-1927Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is SSE and elevated. Taken from City Hall and showing the Southern Hotel and the 2nd major renovation/addition to the Bexar County Courthouse (1926-1928). Notice how tight the three cars are parked at the curb in front of the Southern. Almost certainly a hack stand. The clear space around the fire hydrant would indicate diligent enforcement. West of the courthouse at the intersection of Dwyer and Main Plaza, the French Building is still present. It will be razed and the new Police and Health Department Building erected by late 1927.

#3

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1890s.Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is east and elevated. Taken, almost certainly, from the roof of the “Spanish Governor’s Palace” showing a military parade with mounted band marching west along West Commerce and turning south along the West side of Military Plaza. Dated by The new San Antonio City Hall (1892) being present.

#4

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1870s.Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is ESE and elevated. Taken, almost certainly, from the “Bat Cave” showing the plaza, the west elevation (rear) of San Fernando Cathedral and a portion of Hord’s Hotel.

#5

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1880's.Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View direction is unknown. Taken from a point in the plaza showing the business, tables and patrons of the “Chili Queens.”

#6

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1883-1884Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View WSW across the plaza. Taken from a point at and within the walled area at the rear (SW corner) of San Fernando Cathedral. Note the tracks for the Flores Street horse drawn streetcar. Dated by R.J. Hoffheinz Hardware (1883) having bought out L. Scheihagen who Hoffheinz was clerking for until this year at this location and placed his own name on the store and that Oscar Pettitpain and Charles Lea, second hand furniture dealers, at the SW corner of the plaza have a short association and that the first year for Reid and Simms “Occident” Saloon cannot be earlier or later than 1884.

#7

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1880'sSubject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View ENE. Taken from a point within the plaza showing a “Chili Queen” scene. Notice the mixture of races.

#8

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1868-1877Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is east. Taken from a point within the plaza showing a family group (perhaps) at the rear of San Fernando Cathedral. The 1868 work has been completed on San Fernando and the Dauenhauer Building (1877) on Main Plaza is NOT present. The two-story Frost building is present.

#9

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: UnknownSubject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is downward and focused on a close subject showing a man and his wares at market. He is waiting on a buyer and “sitting on his heals.” A physical attitude that man has used for thousands (if not millions) of years.

#10

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1885Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is NNW, almost certainly from the Southern Hotel, showing “Chile Queen” tables and market activity. Of note is that the draft animals are left standing in harness across the plaza. The smell, not to mention the sights, must have been interesting to the chili customer.

#11

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1886-1891Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is east and elevated, almost certainly, from the Fashion Theater, showing “Chile Queen” tables and market activity. Of note is that the draft animals are left standing in harness.

#12

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1883-1885Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. Cropped from a stereo view displayed as, "photo #37". The view is WSW and elevated across the plaza. Taken from the rear of San Fernando Cathedral, showing market activity and the buildings and businesses along the south and west sides of the plaza. The photograph is dated by The Texas Barrel House (1883) to R. T. Hoffheinz Hardware, being present; Pettitpain and Lea (1883) being in business at the corner of Military Plaza and Dolorosa; and the Occident Saloon (1885) not being present.

#13

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1885Subject: Photo crop of a stereo view of Military Plaza. The View is ESE and elevated. Almost certainly taken from the “Bat Cave” on the Northwest corner of the plaza, showing the rear (west elevation) of San Fernando Cathedral and some of the businesses along the east side of the plaza.

#14

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1887-1888Subject: Photo crop of a picture card of Military Plaza. View is west across the plaza showing market activity. The Fashion Theatre (December 1884) is present and the two buildings being constructed to the south and alongside the Fashion by Simon Fest will be completed in 1888. Notice that the draft animals are not corralled, but left in harness, around the market. There is a caption at the bottom: (LtoR) JACOBSON PHOTO 217. MARKET PLAZA. VEGATABLE MARKET. 2 E HOUSTON STR SAN ANTONIO. The photograph was a taken by Mrs. Mary. E. Jacobson, who had her studio at 2 E. Houston in San Antonio from 1887 to 1891.

#15

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1880'sSubject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is south showing market activity.

#16

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1887-1888Subject: Photo crop of a picture card of Military Plaza. View is west showing market activity. This crop could be of another crop or of the picture card in, "photo #20" and cut to brighten the exposure and eliminate the caption.

#17

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1885Subject: Photo crop of a stereo view of Military Plaza. View is NNW taken from a point in the plaza, showing market activity. See the complete stereo card at, "photo #41".

#18

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1885Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is WNW. Taken from a point in the plaza, showing market vendor and activity.

#19

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1885Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is WSW. Taken from a point in the plaza, showing vendors and market activity.

#20

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1879Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is ESE and elevated across the plaza. Taken, most likely, from the Bat Cave at the NW corner of the plaza showing Hord’s Hotel (becomes Southern Hotel 1884). Wharton’s auction house is only being advertised in 1879.

#21

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1876Subject: Photo crop of a stereo card of Military Plaza. View is ENE and elevated across the plaza. Taken, most likely from Heusinger Hardware showing the west (rear) elevation of San Fernando Cathedral and the San Antonio Bar Room at the corner of Galan and Military Plaza as well as market activity on the plaza.

#22

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1879Subject: Photo crop of a stereo card of Military Plaza. View is ESE and elevated across the plaza. Taken, most likely, from the Bat Cave (City Hall/County Courthouse) showing market activity, the Military Plaza Saloon (which has gained an awning since, "photo #28" when it was the San Antonio Bar Room), Hord’s Hotel (becomes Southern Hotel 1884) and the Empress Saloon at S. Flores and Military Plaza. Obverse of the card indicates that it was created by Nicholas Winthers, a local photographer.

#23

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1889-1890Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is west and elevated across the plaza. Taken, almost certainly, from Jacob Dullnig’s building at the NE corner of the plaza showing the new San Antonio City Hall (1892) under construction, the bat cave directly west will be razed in a few months. The Elmendorf Building (1890) on the north side of the Plaza and just visible in the extreme right foreground is under construction. The nuns and the children are from the St. Joseph’s Orphan’s Asylum at the corner of Military Plaza and Cameron Street.

#24

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1885Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is NNW across the plaza. Taken from a point inside the plaza showing market activity and the businesses along the northside of the plaza. This market activity will be displaced once the foundation work for the new City Hall begins the summer of 1889.

#25

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1877-1884Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is ENE from a point in the plaza showing Hord’s Hotel. Completed in 1877, Hord’s was located on the east side of the plaza along the north side of Dolorosa Street and had entrances on both Military and Main Plazas. It covered about 40 per cent of the block immediately south of San Fernando Cathedral. Became Southern Hotel in 1884.

#26

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1904Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is south and elevated. Taken, almost certainly, from City Hall showing the razing of 414-416 Dolorosa.

#27

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1883-1885Subject: Photo crop of a stereo view (F. Hardesty) of Military Plaza. The view is WSW and elevated across the plaza. Taken from the rear of San Fernando Cathedral, showing market activity and the buildings and businesses along the south and west sides of the plaza. The photograph is dated by The Texas Barrel House (1883) to R. T. Hoffheinz Hardware, being present; Pettitpain and Lea (1883) being in business at the corner of Military Plaza and Dolorosa; and the Occident Saloon (1885) not being present. See, "photo crop #18".

#28

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1884-1889Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is NNW across the plaza. Taken, most likely, from a point in the plaza in front of Hord’s Hotel. It provides very good detail of an animal drawn streetcar and the manner of boarding one. It clearly states that the car is on the South Flores Street line which was laid to serve the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railway Depot.

#29

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: Pre 1868Subject: Photo crop of a stereo view card of Military Plaza. View is ESE centered on the west and north elevations of San Fernando Cathedral. Taken from a point in the plaza. The original exposure was made prior to the 1868 renovation of the building.

#30

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1885Subject: Photo crop of a stereo view of Military Plaza. View is NNW taken from a point in the plaza, showing market activity. See, "photo crop #23".

#31

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1885Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is NNW. Taken from a point in the plaza showing close detail of vendors, their wagons and offerings. This is the vendor with the wagon advertising ICE CREAM.

#32

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1869-1880Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is WNW and elevated across the plaza. Taken from the roof of San Fernando Cathedral showing the plaza, the “Bat Cave” (1852), a large portion of the buildings along the west side of the plaza and a distance along West Commerce. The Charity Hospital (1869) that will become the St. Joseph’s Children’s Asylum building is present at the NE corner of Cameron and West Commerce. The Steves block (1880) is not present in the line of buildings on the west side of the plaza.

#33

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1886-1891Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is ENE from a point within the plaza showing “Chile Queen” tables, partial views of the west and south elevations of San Fernando Cathedral and the west elevation of the building housing the cigar store and saloon between San Fernando and the Southern Hotel. The gentleman standing on the porch directly under the cigar sign with his left hand on the post would appear to be wearing a metal object at the front of his hat and another on his left breast.

#34

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo:Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is ESE and elevated. Taken most likely from the “Bat Cave” showing market activity. A. Heusinger Hardware (1880) is present on the south side of the plaza and the South Flores Street Car (line laid in 1884) can be seen.

#35

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1877.Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is west along Commerce Street. Taken from a point in the middle of Commerce Street just east of L. Moke’s Store. Past Moke’s there are two small stores ( drawn in somewhat taller than they actually are), then the entrance to a wagon yard alongside and behind Moke’s Store, then the two-story Charity Hospital that will become St. Joseph’s Orphan Asylum at the corner of Cameron Street. The two story, across Cameron, is a saloon.

#36

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1887-1888.Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is NNW across the plaza. Taken, most likely, from the Southern Hotel showing market activity, the “Bat Cave” (1852) and buildings along both the west and north sides of the plaza. Of note is the mound at the rear and side of the “Bat Cave.” It is piled against the wall of the jail compound. It would appear to be scraping from the plaza. Prior to beginning the cut for the foundation of the new City Hall. The original photograph carried the designations (LtoR) JACOBSON PHOTO “216” MILITARY PLAZA. MARKET. 2 E. HOUSTON STREET, SAN ANTONIO. The photograph was a taken by Mrs. Mary. E. Jacobson, who had her studio at 2 E. Houston in San Antonio from 1887 to 1891.

#37

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1884-1889.Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is west. Taken from a point in the plaza showing the line of buildings on the west side of the plaza to include the Steves Block (1880), the Fashion Theater (1884) and the other buildings that run to the SW corner built by Simon Fest. Dated by the Fashion Theater opening in December of 1884 and the building of the City Hall beginning in 1889.

#38

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1881Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is WSW. Taken from a point within the plaza showing market and “Chili Queen” activity as well as businesses along the south side of the plaza. Must be earlier than 1883 as L. Scheihagen has not yet been bought out by his clerk R.J. Hoffheinz as Scheihagen still has his name on the store and the Texas Barrel House is present (1881).

#39

Photo crop exposure date: unknown.Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1883-1884Subject: Photo crop of Military Plaza. View is east and elevated. Almost certainly taken from the “Bat Cave” showing market activity, the rear of the Frost building, the Kampmann Block (1884) completed or nearing completion, the rear of San Fernando Cathedral. Note the Stamping on the cover of the wagon in the foreground.

Military Plaza

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