San Antonio, Texas

Newspaper articles about San Antonio tell stories of historic battles, natural disasters and a proud history of multiculturalism. The city was named in 1691 by Father Damian Massanet for St. Anthony. However, the first permanent settlement was not established until 18 years later with the founding of the Mission San Antonio de Valero (The Alamo). The arrival of immigrants from the Canary Islands in 1731 led to the establishment of San Antonio de Bexar. From these two settlements San Antonio grew into the third largest city in Texas.

For the first 100 years of its history, the Spanish controlled the city, losing control briefly in 1813 after the Battle of Alazan and again after the Siege of Bexar in 1835. On February 23, 1836, a Mexican army led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna set up camp on the outskirts of San Antonio. A group of volunteers and regular army soldiers, including American heroes Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, took refuge in the Alamo and prepared to defend the city from the Mexican army. After a two week siege, the Mexicans stormed the fortress on March 6, 1836. During the battle, all of the Alamo�s 189 defenders were killed, including Crockett, Bowie and Colonel William Travis. However, Mexican control would be short lived, as Santa Anna�s army was decimated short time later at the Battle of San Jacinto. San Antonio would come under Mexican control twice more in 1842, but neither occupation lasted long. In February of 1861, the city would again be embroiled in battle when the local Texas militia forced the Federal army garrison to surrender its holdings, one full month before the state seceded from the Union.

San Antonio is no stranger to natural disasters as the first came in 1819, when severe flooding left 16 people dead. The city was struck by a flood again in 1865, killing three citizens. However, the largest flood in the history of San Antonio occurred in 1921. Early in the year, city engineers put forward a plan to remove trees from the river banks as a flood control measure. The mere suggestion brought vehement protest from the people of San Antonio and the plan was scrapped. On September 9, 1921, a cloudburst over the Olmos Basin dropped nine feet of water into the heart of downtown San Antonio, causing millions of dollars in property damage and killing 50 people.

San Antonio boasts a highly diverse population and is one of a growing number of cities in the US with a non-white majority population. The city has never lost touch with its heritage, yet it has certainly not fallen behind the times. This is evident on the streets of the city, where colonial Spanish architecture is still nestled in among modern buildings. San Antonio's high concentration of Catholics, largely due to the predominantly Hispanic population, roughly 58%, led to a visit from Pope John Paul II during his 1987 tour of North America.

The history of San Antonio is full of fascinating stories, from historical battles to tragic natural disasters. The city is home to the Alamo, River Walk, San Antonio Spurs, along with historical legends like Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, Ben Milan and William Travis. Click on the timeline above to view newspapers in chronological order or begin searching newspaper articles with your own key words.