Alamo Plaza

#101 Alamo Chapel

Media ID 94

AlamoplzaFolder-DRThiredofficer.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1921-1942. Subject: San Antonio Public Service Company operated buses from 1921 to 1942. Photo crop of Alamo chapel with bus, two women and what may or may not be an SAPD officer. View is east from the sidewalk.

#102 Houston Street view west.

Media ID 100

AlamoplzaFolder-HoustonAtAlamoPlaza.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1904-1909. Subject: Color enhanced post card.

#103 Gallagher Building

Media ID 95

AlamoplzaFolder-Gallagher1.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1877. Subject: photo crop of Gallagher building (1877). US Post Office on first floor. View ESE from across the Blum and Alamo Street intersection. No streetcar rails (service begins 1878) can be detected in the photograph and the Sanborn maps indicate that the buildings just south have awnings which are not present in the photograph. Therefore the subject photograph is dated from building completion.

#104 San Antonio Club and Grand Opera House

Media ID 96

AlamoplzaFolder-grandopera1886.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1891-1908. Subject: Photo montage consisting of a photo crop of the San Antonio Club and Grand Opera House at a point between 1891-1908 and a photo crop of an advertisement from a newspaper concerning its first opening night in 1886.

#105 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 90

AlamoplzaFolder-Alamunkdate.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1871-1877. Subject: Alamo Chapel and plaza. City station for accounting of carts loaded with rubble stone is present in front of chapel. City began this program in earnest after its purchase of the Galera in1871. The plaza is becoming one as the dividing stonework between the Plaza de Valero and Alamo Plaza is removed. The Convento (north of chapel) has not yet been overbuilt by wooden warehouse of Honore Grenet which occurs in 1877. View is NNE across plaza.

#106 Alamo Plaza Park

Media ID 93

AlamoplzaFolder-alplza1898.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 4 July 1898. Subject: Photo crop of a photo crop pinned to a grid board. Alamo Plaza. Double track. Block pavement. Hugo and Schmeltzer building. Landscaping in center of plaza. No apparent traffic movement rules. Handwritten ascription “July 4, 1898.”

#107 Alamo Chapel

Media ID 92

AlamoplzaFolder-AlmoChapel1926FranklinDealer.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 24 Jan 1926. Subject: Less clear photo crop of Birdsong family with Franklin vehicle at the Alamo Chapel.

#108 Alamo Plaza at Houston Street.

Media ID 98

AlamoplzaFolder-hist-car-961.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: Post 1921. Subject: Photo crop of Woolworth building (1921). View is WSW taken from sidewalk in front of Post Office, north side of Houston Street.

#109 West side of AlamoPlaza

Media ID 89

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoViewNorth.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: the week of 8 January 1922. Subject: Photo crop of a book page depicting the West side of Alamo Plaza with a typed and incomplete ascription assigning a date of 8 January 1922. The first silent film version of the play “Baby Mine” was released in 1917 and is playing for one week beginning Sunday 8 January 1922 along with “Riding With Death” starring Buck Jones as can be partially seen advertised under the street cover. The view is north from Crockett Street intersection. Buildings on West side are the San Antonio Club and Grand Opera House (1886) on the NW corner, then the Wickes Building (1886), then the Crockett Block (1882), the Woolworth Building (1921) at the SW corner of Houston and Alamo Plaza. The tallest building in the view is the Gibbs building (1909) on the NW corner of Houston and Alamo Plaza, west and across Alamo Street from the US Post Office and Customs House (1890).

#110 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 87

AlamoplzaFolder-alamosub1888.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1895. Subject: Photo crop of Alamo plaza. View is NNE across plaza from near the Blum street intersection showing the south elevation of the chapel with the entrance to the Police Station. The Hugo & Schmeltzer building can just be seen on the upper left, beyond the chapel. Snowfall on 14 February (Valentines Day) 1895 was 4.2 inches.

#111 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 86

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoStreet1883post.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1883-1888. Subject: Photo crop of west side of Alamo Plaza. View is SSE from Blum Street intersection. Alamo Drug Store/Dreiss building (1877) is in foreground with the Joske brothers (the company became Joske Brothers in 1883), doing business at that location (will move across street in 1888 and leave building vacant). The towered Dullnig Building (1883) can be seen at the corner of Alamo and Commerce (far left of photograph).

#112 Alamo Plaza clearer photograph.

Media ID 84

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoStafter1883.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1883-1888. Subject: Photo crop, slightly clearer than previous photograph.

#113 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 91

AlamoplzaFolder-Alaplza1888.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1889. Subject: Photo crop of a creased photograph on a photo table. View is NNW of west side of Alamo Plaza, from south of Crockett Street intersection, in plaza, showing excellent detail of the San Antonio Club and Grand Opera House (1886) with the round pole sign out front advertising GRAND OPERA HOUSE and the building with no sidewalk cover (1905), the Wickes building (1886), the Crockett Block (1882), and the Maverick Bank Building (1884). Daily movement on the plaza is captured in beautiful detail. The US Post Office and Customs House(1890) can be seen under construction in the background. Notice that the curtains are down on the mule drawn streetcar. The photograph is of such excellent detail that the advertisement for Barnum and London's 15 United Shows (only in 1889) can be read on the construction fence around the Post Office.

#114 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 83

AlamoplzaFolder-alamosnow921.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: Feb 1895. Subject: Photo crop of Alamo Plaza snow scene. 14 February 1895 San Antonio received 4.2 inches of snow. View is SSW from north end of plaza park.

#115 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 80

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplzPrior1909.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1909. Subject: Photo crop of both sides of a Keystone View Company stereoscope card showing Alamo Plaza. Within the view, the Gibbs building (1909) at the NW corner of Houston and Alamo Plaza can be seen under construction. Of interest is the number of automobiles in the plaza and the traffic control device suspended from a pole at the Crockett street intersection. The Plaza is not yet paved with asphalt. However the obverse of the stereo card mentions statistics from 1910. Indicating that the Keystone Company obtained photographs at different times than the text was written.

#116 Alamo Chapel

Media ID 81

AlamoplzaFolder-Alamoprior1912.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1890. Subject: Alamo Chapel. View is NNE showing the south elevation of the chapel with police station removed. The Hugo&Schmeltzer Building is present. The street looks as if it is being prepared for paving (1890).

#117 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 78

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoPlzaViewNorth1908-1909.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1909. Photo crop of a photograph copied possibly from a book or from which a Keystone View Company stereoscope card. Within the view, the Gibbs building (1909) at the NW corner of Houston and Alamo Plaza can be seen under construction. The number of automobiles in the plaza and the traffic control device suspended from a pole at the Crockett street intersection can be seen somewhat more clearly.

#118 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 79

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplzNW.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1871-1877. Subject: Photo crop and drawing of west side of Alamo Plaza. View is WNW from plaza showing the SW corner of the meat market (1871) and a row of buildings.The two long buildings to the north, with peaked roofs, are seperated by what will become Crockett Street.

#119 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 77

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoplzaviewENE.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1925-26. Subject: Photo crop of Alamo plaza. View is ENE and elevated probably taken from the Wickes Building (1886). The Medical Arts Building (1926) would appear to be almost completed.

#120 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 75

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplzaSE.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: Post 1925. Subject: Excellent photo crop of Alamo Plaza and Menger Hotel (1859). View is SSE and elevated across plaza from Grand Opera House. Crockett Street was connected through the plaza between in 1925. All automobiles viewable are fabric tops (All metal "turret" tops not produced in mass until the middle 1930s).

#121 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 74

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoPlzaPost1912Arial.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: Post 1927-1932. Subject: Photo crop of Alamo Plaza. View is East and aerial. Crockett Hotel expansion (1927) is present. Purchase and razing of structures adjacent to the Alamo Chapel and formation of the Alamo compound (Plaza-Houston-Bonham-Crockett in 1932) has not yet been accomplished.

#122 Alamo Plaza at Houston Street

Media ID 72

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoPlzaMaverickBankBldgPre1921.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1913-1921. Subject Photo crop of a book page with printed (incorrect) ascription of the Maverick Bank building (1884), which was purchased by Swearingen-McCraw (Not McGraw) in 1894. The Sommer’s Drug Store was in the building from 1913. The Swearingen-McCraw Building was razed in 1920 and replaced by the Woolworth Building (June 1921). Of special interest is the officer, under the umbrella, controlling traffic at the intersection.

#123 Alamo Plaza US Post Office and Customs House

Media ID 73

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplzaPO1898.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1890-1893 Subject: US Post Office and Customs House (1890). North side of Alamo Plaza. View is NNE from Alamo Street at a point about even with the southern corner of the Maverick Bank building. The tables of the "Chili Queens" recently displaced from Military Plaza can be seen to the right foreground.

#124 Alamo Plaza JFK and LBJ

Media ID 71

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoPlzaJFKandLBJ12Sep1960.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 12 September 1960. Subject: Photo crop of crowd scene at Alamo during presidential campaign of Senator John F. Kennedy. View is east from plaza.

#125 Alamo Plaza at Blum Street

Media ID 69

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoPlzaGallagherBldgPO.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: pre 1878 Subject: Slightly less clear photo crop of Gallagher building (1877). US Post Office on first floor. View ESE from across the Blum and Alamo intersection. No streetcar rails (service begins 1878) can be detected in the photograph. The pole light at the front door would be gas.

#126 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 67

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplzaCQ.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1903-1910. Subject: Slightly different photo crop of a Post Card with typed original ascription “Mexican Chili Stands, San Antonio, Texas.” Subject card rendering depicts US Post office (completed August 1890) North side of Alamo Plaza. Hugo & Schmeltzer building (1877) is present to the east. Plaza fountain (installed in 1903 and removed in 1910) is shown surrounded by tables. Streetcar tracks at left. View is NNE from Alamo Street. Additional cut block in top left corner carries "www.thealamocity.com".

#127 Alamo Chapel and environs.

Media ID 63

AlamoplzaFolder-Alamoplza1920.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1918. Subject: Photo crop of Alamo Plaza. View is east showing Alamo Chapel in background with decorated Christmas Tree on plaza located on the southern end of the traffic island. There is a US flag in evidence. It is probable that this is Christmas 1918. World War I having ended on 11/11/1918.

#128 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 68

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplzadrt.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1903-1910. Subject: Photo crop of Alamo Plaza. View is south across the plaza, taken (almost certainly) from the Post Office tower. Fountain (1903-1910) is present in center foreground. Bismark Café (1908 –1918) is present. Stamped ascription “PROPERTY OF THE DRT LIBRARY” on bottom. Photo embossed LEWISON’S STUDIO SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS at left corner.

#129 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 66

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoPlza1960.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: Post 1950. Subject: Photo crop of Alamo Plaza showing progression of the "Alamo Compound" both to the east and south of the chapel. View is SSE. The Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT) library (1950) is present.

#130 Alamo Plaza west side

Media ID 64

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplza1922.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: the week of 8 January 1922. Subject: A typed and incomplete ascription assigning a date of 8 January 1922. The view is north from the Crockett Street intersection. Buildings on West side are the San Antonio Club and Grand Opera House (1886) on the NW corner, then the Wickes Building (1886), then the Crockett Block (1882), then the Woolworth Building (1921) at the SW corner of Houston and Alamo Plaza. The tallest building in the view is the Gibbs building (1909) on the NW corner of Houston and Alamo Plaza, west and across Alamo Street from the US Post Office and Courthouse (1890). The exposure date during the week of 8 January 1922 is accurate. The advertisement on the front of the Grand Opera House is for a play. The same advertisement informs that "Riding With Death" staring Buck Jones (1921) will be shown. The street ad can partially be seen under the sidewalk cover.

#131 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 61

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplza1910.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1896-1908. Subject: Poor photo crop of a book page of a photograph of Alamo Plaza. View is north and elevated of the northern portion of the plaza taken from the Gallagher Building (1877). While the exposure of the photograph is prior to 1909 (the Gibbs Building is not present) there are two traffic signal devices, each one hung from a post, sunk into the sidewalk, mid-way along each side of the park, controlling each Crockett Street intersection, which would indicate automobile traffic.

#132 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 85

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoStpost1883.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photograph: 1883-1888. Subject: Another slightly different photo crop of the west side of Alamo Plaza. View is SSE from the Blum Street intersection. The Alamo Drug Store (Dreiss building 1877) is in foreground with the Joske brothers (the company became Joske Bros. in 1883). apparently doing business at that location (the business will move across the street in 1888 and leave building vacant). The towered Dullnig building can be seen at the corner of Alamo and Commerce.

#133 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 65

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplza1937.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1935-1936. Subject: An unusual view of the plaza showing the east elevation (rear) of Alamo Chapel with the ruins of what at one point had been the Soldiers and Sailors Community House of the War Camp Committee during the 1st World War. The new US Post Office and Court House is under construction and will be completed in 1936 and opened in 1937.

#134 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 60

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplza1905.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 7 April 1905. Subject: Photo crop showing President Theodore Roosevelt (standing in the carriage) at the Alamo during a “Rough Rider” reunion. View is east and elevated taken from the Crockett Block (1882).

#135 AlamoPlaza

Media ID 59

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplza1900s.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1921-1933. Poor quality photo crop of an Alamo Plaza Christmas crowd scene at the annual Rotary Christmas Tree event. View is WNW from the Alamo Chapel. The Woolworth Building (opened in June of 1921) is present, so are street cars (last run April 1933).

#136 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 57

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplza1895.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1895. Photo crop of an unknown book page. Subject: Alamo Plaza. View is north from the Gallagher Building (1877) showing primarily the center and west side of the plaza. Book page (5) carries ascription “Alamo Plaza. 1895”.

#137 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 58

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplza1898.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1890-1893. Subject: Very poor photo crop of print exhibited and dated by MY SANANTONIO “from their files” which did not include the caption. The typed ascription; “NO PARKING OF AUTOMOBILES ALLOWED HERE” may be in reference to a nearby sign, not in the crop, that read “CARS STOP HERE” which has mistakenly been understood to mean automobiles, however the sign commonly indicated a streetcar stop and often gave reference to which lines and/or cars could be boarded at that location. R.A. Arthur building (1893) not present.

#138 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 54

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplza1860s.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: ca. 1860. Photo crop of Alamo Chapel and convento with typed ascription “The Alamo in the 1860s (Institute of Texas Cultures).”

#139 AlamoPlaza

Media ID 56

AlamoplzaFolder-Alamoplza1878to1884.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1878-1882. Photo crop of a print pinned to a peg board. Subject: Alamo Plaza. View is NNE and elevated across plaza. Only the Dreiss Building (1877) would have provided the elevation necessary for this photograph. The Alamo Plaza Police Station (the two doors) in the south side of the Alamo Chapel, are present. A Resolution to remove the market house passed in February 1882.

#140 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 50

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplz1890.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1890. Subject: Photo crop of a picture card of Alamo Plaza with hand printed ascription “ALAMO PLAZA 1890.” The view is ESE and elevated across the plaza showing Plaza Park under construction. Almost certainly taken from one of the balconies of the Maverick Bank Building (1884). Menger Hotel (1859) has "sidewalk shops" along its front entrance. Streetcar operation remains mule drawn.

#141 Alamo Chapel and environs.

Media ID 52

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplza22.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: Photo crop of a print of Alamo Plaza. Probably (Dec) 1919. View is east from sidewalk in front of the Crockett Block, showing Christmas Tree on the south end of North Plaza Park. Cannot be earlier as the wartime "Community House" sign (1917-1918) and bracing, south of the Alamo Chapel is not in evidence. Print carries an ascription “PROPERTY OF THE DRT LIBRARY”

#142 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 51

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplz1890s.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1890-1893. Subject: Photo crop of north side of Alamo Plaza. View is north showing “Chili Queen” benches clustered around what appears to be the plaza fountain (1903-1910) just west of the Hugo & Schmeltzer Building (1877). Maverick Bank Building (1884) at left with US Post Office and Courthouse (1890) in center background. However, if the fountain is present, the R.A. Arthur building (1893) must also be present and perhaps simply cannot be seen north of the Post Office.

#143 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 49

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplz4.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1896-1908. Subject: Alama Plaza. View is ESE from the southern tower of Hugo & Schmeltzer (Grenet) Building (1877). The long building immediately south of the Alamo Chapel will remain a Saloon from at least 1896 to 1908).

#144 Alamo Plaza Park

Media ID 48

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplz3.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1890. View is ESE across Alamo Plaza showing park either under construction or recently planted.

#145 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 47

AlamoplzaFolder-alamoplz.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1906. Subject: Photo crop of Alamo Plaza. View is NNE across plaza from corner of Blum and Alamo Plaza. US Weather bureau indicates 3.0 inches on 18 December 1906. At least one other photo in collection is the same but cropped to eliminate the “PROPERTY OF THE DRT LIBRARY” at the bottom.

#146 AlamoPlaza

Media ID 44

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoPlazaPostOfficeAfter1890.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: Post 1905. Subject: Photo crop of Alamo Plaza taken from Crockett Block (1882). The view is NNE towards the US Post Office and Courthouse (1890) and Houston Street intersection. The 1905 addition to the Arthur Hotel (1893), north of the Post Office along Avenue D is present.

#147 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 46

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoPlazCarStopPrior1912.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1890-1910. Street car stop. “CARS STOP HERE.” A common sign which has mistakenly been understood in later years to mean automobiles, however the sign indicated a streetcar stop and often gave reference to which lines and/or cars could be boarded at that location. The Hugo & Schmeltzer Building (1877) is present. The view is east from in front of Crockett Block (1884). The block paving of the plaza (1890). The asphalt paving (1910) is not present.

#148 Alamo Plaza

Media ID 45

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoPlazaViewNorth.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: 1908. Subject: Slightly different photo crop of a book page of Alamo Plaza (See "photo #30") View is north from an elevated position (most likely the Gallagher building 1877). The police sub-station in the Alamo Chapel has been removed. Hugo & Schmeltzer building (1877) is present. The Gibbs building (1909) is under construction. Several of the parked vehicles would appear to be automobiles.

#149 Alamo Plaza Map

Media ID 40

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoPlazaMap.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: N/A Subject: Photo crop of an outline map of the Alamo Compound imposed over the modern (2018) features of the area.

#150 Alamo Plaza Park

Media ID 43

AlamoplzaFolder-AlamoPlazaPost1912.jpg

Photo crop exposure date: unknown. Exposure date (or window) of subject photo: June to November 1918. Photo crop of a Real picture post card (RPPC) with hand written ascription “Address Kelly Field #1 Line “C” San Antonio, Tex.” Subject photograph is north view of Alamo Plaza from Gallagher Building. Card has border caption “Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, Texas on Southern Pacific Lines.”