Good Morning and Happy #FascinatingFriday!
Ever wonder what life in #SanAntonio was like in 1890? Check out this map of the City published over 130 years ago! The map includes #realestate advertisements from a long-lost era of the industry, but it’s fascinating to see how our city has and hasn’t changed.
Here are a few interesting observations I’ve noted:
1️⃣ The “East End Addition” (now Jefferson Heights) and Lake View (now Elmendorf Lake) both touted “Street Cars and Rapid #Transit Street Railway” as major amenities, connecting these areas to #downtown.
2️⃣ Navarro Park, near Elmendorf Lake, is shown with traffic circling around it on the map, but today, NW 24th Street cuts directly through the park, dividing it into two halves.
3️⃣ An ad for John T. Hambleton & Co., located at 4 East Commerce Street, highlights farms, ranches, and city properties for sale to "home seekers and capitalists". Fun fact: Hambleton married Imogene Dignowity, the daughter of Dr. Anthony Michael Dignowity, after whom the Dignowity Neighborhood and #Park is now named.
4️⃣ San Pedro Springs Park, Crockett Park, and Madison Square Park remain in their original spots, but back then, there was no towering I-35 running through the #neighborhood.
5️⃣ At least two companies (Rucker, Dignowity & Co. and J.W. Magill & Co.) were advertising real estate services in both #SouthTexas and #Mexico, reflecting the long-standing #economic ties within the region.
What do you notice about the map? I could go on about this all day! 😄
#history #urbanplanning #texas
