Walking King William

Texas' Coolest Neighborhood

San Antonio's King (Wilhelm) William Neighborhood

To complete my final blog series from San Antonio I offer some photos from a walk in the King William Historic District. 

Sometimes referred to as "Sauerkraut Bend" (due to its location along the San Antonio river and being the neighborhood of wealthy German merchants in the 1800's), the King William is a leafy 25 block neighborhood near downtown. 

The land on which it rests, originally part of the grounds to The Alamo, holds the distinction of being designated Texas' first historic district.

When I visited San Antonio many years ago this neighborhood had sort of a "Grey Gardens" feel to it; with lots of amazing old houses all resting in a state of arrested decay. 

Upon my return this year I found most have transformed from moth to butterflies. History rich gleaming showpieces. I covet them.....

So please plan a couple of hours on foot or on bicycle to experience the King William. And remember the Blue Star Brewery and Pioneer Mill are both nearby offering super shops like San Angel - one of the finest outsider art shops anywhere, and food and drink of all sorts.

The Elias Edmonds House 1875

(Where Mrs. Edmonds operated a "Ladies Boarding School")

The Carl Harnisch House 1884

(One of San Antonio's earliest brick homes)

The Steves Homestead 1876

(Which featured San Antonio's first indoor swimming pool)

The Ike West Home 1892

The Norton/Polk/Mathis House 1876

The George Kalteyer House 1892

(Designed by architect James Riely Gordon - known for his Texas courthouses)

Stonework Detail Kalteyer House

Generous Lots With a Canopy of Leaves

A 1940's Moderne 

(Occupying the former tennis court of the Groos house)

Merely walking through a neighborhood like this starts everyone with a heartbeat daydreaming about what it would be like to live there.

I truly love places like that.

Roadboy's Travels © 2012

Roadboy Visits The Alamo

A Key to America's Westward Destiny

In 1835 David (Davy) Crockett, discussing his unsuccessful run for the Tennessee legislature, told voters "you may all go to hell and I'll go to Texas!"

Soon after he indeed migrated to the Mexican Territory of Texas.

Less than a year later his name was etched in history when he perished as a defender of the former mission compound in San Antonio referred to simply as The Alamo.

The Alamo

The Fountain in Front of the Alamo Library

The Alamo Museum

Starting with my very first visit in 1968, San Antonio has always been one of my favorite cities. I have visited it many times. Yet, in all my visits, I had never visited The Alamo. 

So last Thursday I spent an afternoon wandering its humble grounds. As I wandered I came to realize that The Alamo is far more than sacred ground to Texans, it actually played a pivotal role in the eventual unification of our nation, making it nothing less than sacred ground to all Americans. 

The 200 Alamo defenders held off Santa Anna's massive army for an incredible 13 days. Their unexpected and fierce resistance provoked Santa Anna upon breeching its walls to systematically kill all of its defender's.

He then dispatched the surviving woman and children to inform other Texans of the fate awaiting them should they resist him.

Instead of striking fear it galvanized the resolve of the Texas rebels giving them the battle cry "Remember the Alamo". A month later, despite being vastly outnumbered, Sam Houston defeated and captured Santa Anna at San Jacinto.


The Alamo
A Timeline of Destiny

• 1821
After 110 years under Spanish control, Texas becomes a part of Mexico and recruits settlers from the US to act as human buffers between the Mexican nationals already in Texas and the Comanches. Anglo homesteaders come by the tens of thousands and soon outnumber the Mexicans creating concern to the Mexican government.

1829-1834
Mexico imposes property taxes, increases tariff on US shipped goods, and enacts various punishing laws on the settler's. The settler's resent the laws and reject Mexico's demands.

1834
General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna revokes the Mexican constitution, becomes dictator of Mexico and sets out to quash the Texas rebels.

1836
Stephen Austin calls Texans to arms declaring independence from Mexico. A 13 day battle and loss to Santa Anna at The Alamo mobilizes rebels ultimately leading to the defeat of Santa Ana.

1836-1845
Texas becomes a Republic (although still regarded by Mexico as its Territory.)

1845
Texas becomes a state which stirs Mexican resentment and provokes the Mexican American War.

1846-1848
The Mexican American War ends with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo giving the US complete control of Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah along with parts of Colorado, Kansas and Wyoming.

1849
Gold is discovered in California and the rush of westward migration becomes a stampede.

The battle of the Alamo had played a remarkable role in the unification of the modern contiguous United States.

Today's Alamo Residents 

So, if you visit San Antonio (and you should) please...

Remember The Alamo!


Roadboy's Travels © 2012