History of San Antonio, Texas

In 1691, Father Damian Massanet named the area now known as San Antonio in honor of St. Anthony. However, the first permanent settlement was not established until 18 years later when Spanish missionaries built the Mission San Antonio de Valero, known to history as the Alamo, in 1719. In 1731, immigrants from the Canary Islands established the settlement of San Antonio de Bexar. From these settlements San Antonio will grow into the third largest city in Texas.

San Antonio is one of the most fought over cities in North America. During the first 100 years of existence, San Antonio was under Spanish control, until it briefly lost command in June 1813, after the Battle of Alazan. The Spanish then took charge of the city in August 1813, after the Battle of Medina, when the Republican Army of the North was massacred by a Royalist army that included a young lieutenant by the name of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.

The Spanish again lost command of the city in 1835 during the Siege of Bexar. One year later, the city of San Antonio would be the site of one of the most historic battles in American history, the Battle of the Alamo. On February 23, 1836, the Mexican army, led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, arrived on the outskirts of the city; the Siege of the Alamo had begun.

The Alamo was defended by 189 Texans, divided between regular army soldiers led by Colonel William Travis and volunteer rifleman commanded by James Bowie. The Mexican army laid siege to the fortress for two weeks. During this time both sides received reinforcements and by March 5, 1836, the Texans were facing a Mexican army of nearly 2,000. The Mexicans launched an assault on the morning of March 6, 1836 and stormed the fortress. All 189 Texans were killed during the battle; however, nearly 1,600 Mexican soldiers were killed in the battle. After the battle, Santa Anna released some of the non-combatants, hoping to spread fear to the colonists, in fact, the opposite was achieved. The Mexican victory at the Alamo served to embolden the Texans.

Texas declared its independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836, and on April 21, 1836, General Santa Anna and his forces were defeated by Texans led by Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto. In 1842, Mexican forces would reclaim San Antonio twice, but neither seizure would last long enough for Mexico to create a foothold in the region. On December 28, 1845, Texas was granted statehood and admitted into the Union. However, control over San Antonio was again disputed during the early days of the Civil War, when a local militia forced the surrender of the federal arsenal even before the official secession of Texas on March 2, 1861.

After the Civil War, San Antonio prospered as a center of distribution for many trades. In 1877, the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway finally reached the city, ushering in a new wave of economic expansion. By 1900, five other railroads had reached the city and the influx of new faces made San Antonio the largest city in Texas until the 1920s.

Due to its importance as a military center for the US Army and Air Force, San Antonio�s population grew significantly during World War II. The city contains five military installations: Fort Sam Houston and the Kelly, Randolph, Brooks and Lackland Air Force Bases. San Antonio is also home to the first skyscraper in the state.

The city enjoys a fruitful tourist industry, drawing tens of thousands of visitors every year. The city itself has many attractions, such as The Alamo, the famous River Walk and one of the highest grossing professional sports teams in America, the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs have made San Antonio their home since 1973, winning two NBA championships. Additionally, the city�s large Catholic community prompted a visit by Pope John Paul II during his American tour in 1987.