HemisFair Park was the site of the 1968 World’s Fair, a planned cultural fair to celebrate “the confluence of civilizations in the Americas” and the City of San Antonio’s cultural diversity. Today it contains numerous buildings and structures dating from the Spanish Colonial Era through the mid-twentieth century, many of which have been designated as State Archeological Landmarks. HemisFair Park is also a City of San Antonio local historic district. Visitors can imagine water flowing through the reconstructed Acequia Madre, envision what life was like in the simple adobe homes of the Spanish and Mexican eras, and see mansions constructed in the late nineteenth century. The park was built on the site of a historic neighborhood, much of which was razed to make way for its construction. Twenty two buildings that were saved and adapted as well as two reconstructions can be found in the park today. Additionally, visitors can view structures constructed specifically for the World’s Fair, including the Tower of the Americas, an iconic feature of the San Antonio skyline.

The tower, designed by renowned architect O’Neil Ford, has recently been determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (City of San Antonio n.d.; Harris et al 2011; UTSA Center for Cultural Sustainability 2011). Though most of the resources within the park are not immediately visible from the trail alignment, the main entrance to the park fronts onto S. Alamo Street. The table below lists the historically significant buildings in the park, and there are several websites with additional information on the evolution of the property and its historical significance.

More information regarding the history of the park and associated buildings can be found on other City of San Antonio websites, on the Texas State Historical Association’s Handbook of Texas Online, as well as on the Hemisfair Association’s website.