Native American Occupation
Beginning in the late 1500s, Europeans sporadically entered South and Central Texas, although they did not settle there until the early 1700s...
Spanish Exploration & The Colonial Era
Early development in San Antonio, including at the first site of Mission San Antonio de Valero, was temporary in nature and was influenced by many factors including geography, proximity to water, and defensive concerns...
Mexican & Texas Republic Periods
The early nineteenth century was a time of unrest in both Mexico and the northern frontier. Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla formally began his rebellion against the Spanish government in 1810. The rebellion against Spanish rule took shape in San Antonio a year later in 1811 with the Casas Revolt...
Early Statehood & Antebellum Periods
Late in December of 1845, the United States Congress approved the Texas State Constitution, and Texas became as a state. Prior to statehood, San Antonio and the Texas frontier was a dangerous place full of uncertainty...
Railroad Era & Industrial Development
In 1877, the Galveston, Harrisburg, and San Antonio Railroad arrived in San Antonio and sparked major growth in both business and population. Four years later, the International‐Great Northern Railroad reached the city, and several other lines followed...
Military & Postwar Development
The establishment of military flight training centers, such as Brooks and Kelly army airfields, represented a major factor in San Antonio’s growth during the 1910s and 1920s...
Recreation & Heritage Tourism
In response to San Antonio’s rapid growth during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many local residents became concerned with the associated loss of the city’s historic landmarks. This concern coupled with the city’s increasing status as a tourist destination prompted the development of the local tourism and heritage conservation industry...