Neighborhoods of San Antonio
Encyclopedia
The city of San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...

 is composed of a number of neighborhoods, spreading out surrounding the central downtown area.

Downtown

San Antonio's downtown district, the center point of the city, is a popular destination for tourists, due to attractions such as the Alamo
Alamo Mission in San Antonio
The Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas....

, Riverwalk
San Antonio River Walk
The San Antonio River Walk is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath downtown San Antonio, Texas...

, Tower of the Americas
Tower of the Americas
Tower of the Americas is a 750-foot observation tower/restaurant in San Antonio, Texas. The tower was designed by San Antonio architect O'Neil Ford and was built as the theme structure of the 1968 World's Fair, HemisFair '68....

, and the Rivercenter Mall, which consists of over 100 stores, 21 restaurants, three movie theatres, and the Rivercenter comedy club.

Alamo Heights

Located in the north-central corridor about two miles (3 km) north of downtown and laid out roughly down the north-south axis of Broadway, this area (ZIP Code 78209) is bordered to the south by Mulberry Avenue, to the north by Interstate 410
Interstate 410
Interstate 410 is a loop route of Interstate 10 around San Antonio, Texas. It is identified as Connally Loop in honor of former Texas governor John Connally...

, to the east by Fort Sam Houston, and to the west by US 281. The enclave cities of Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills are included in this area. This area also includes a large swath of Broadway from Mulberry to Loop 410. Inside this area is also Mahncke Park
Mahncke Park
Mahncke Park, San Antonio is an urban neighborhood and park located in San Antonio, TexasThe park connects the San Antonio Botanical Gardens to Brackenridge Park...

 (the neighborhood and the park), the Witte Museum, Brackenridge Park, Botanical Gardens, San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio Country Club and Japanese Tea Gardens. The whole of 78209 zipcode is sometimes referred to as "Alamo Heights" even though the precise boundaries of the Alamo Heights city and school district are much smaller than the boundaries of the zip code.

Midtown

Bounded by Hildebrand Avenue to the north, Highway 281 to the east, I-10 to the west and I-35 to the south, Midtown features an assortment of neighborhoods ranging from the working class Beacon Hill to the up-and-coming Five Points to the established upper middle class Monte Vista. Each neighborhood has distinctive housing characteristics, from Victorian in Beacon Hill to French Eclectic, Neoclassical and Italian Renaissance in Monte Vista.

Midtown is one of the most historic areas of metro San Antonio, home to Temple Beth-El
Temple Beth-El (San Antonio, Texas)
Temple Beth-El is a synagogue located in San Antonio, Texas. Originally founded in 1874, it is the oldest synagogue in South Texas. The current temple at the corner of Belknap and W. Ashby, just north of San Antonio Community College. Temple Beth-El is a Reform Jewish congregation, and a...

, the Pearl Brewery
Pearl Brewing Company
The Pearl Brewing Company was an American brewery, established in 1883 in San Antonio, Texas. In 1985, Pearl's parent company purchased the Pabst Brewing Company and assumed the Pabst name...

, Trinity University
Trinity University (Texas)
Trinity University is a private, independent, primarily undergraduate, university in San Antonio, Texas. Its campus is located in the Monte Vista Historic District and adjacent to Brackenridge Park....

, and neighborhoods such as Five Points, Tobin Hill, Monte Vista Historical District
Monte Vista Historical District
The Monte Vista Historic District is a neighborhood of about 3,000 people located near downtown San Antonio. The district stretches from the southern area near San Antonio College to its most northern point along Hildebrand Avenue . It was officially registered in the National Register of Historic...

, Alta Vista, Beacon Hill, University Hill, and Trinity Heights.

Olmos Park Terrace, a neighborhood that was granted historic district status by the City of San Antonio in 2007, lies just north of Hildebrand next to the City of Olmos Park
Olmos Park, Texas
Olmos Park is a city located within San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,343 at the 2000 census. The city is the second wealthiest location in the San Antonio metropolitan area after Hill Country Village.- Government :...

. It borders the neighborhoods of Midtown, Uptown Broadway, and Downtown.

Uptown Broadway - Uptown Loop

Uptown Central consists of a very large area separated by two segments.

Uptown Broadway is home to a concentrated area of "old money" bedroom communities. These communities are Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, Lincoln Heights, and Terrell Hills. Combined the total population of these three communities is almost 16,000 people on 4.2 square miles (11 km²). That is a density of nearly 4,000 people per square mile (1,500 km²).

Famous people that reside in Uptown Broadway include Thomas Gibson
Thomas Gibson
Thomas Ellis Gibson is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his roles as Daniel Nyland in the Medical drama series Chicago Hope, as Greg Montgomery in the comedy series Dharma & Greg, and as Supervisory Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner in the highly-popular CBS drama, Criminal...

 (Terrell Hills), Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones is an American actor and film director. He has received three Academy Award nominations, winning one as Best Supporting Actor for the 1993 thriller film The Fugitive....

 (Terrell Hills), and many others. This area is home to quite a few high-rise residential buildings, with more planned. Uptown Broadway is also home to many trendy boutiques as well as the University of the Incarnate Word
University of the Incarnate Word
The University of the Incarnate Word is a private Catholic university located within the cities of San Antonio and Alamo Heights in Texas, United States....

 and two very prominent museums, the McNay Art Museum
McNay Art Museum
The McNay Art Museum, founded in 1950 in San Antonio, is the first modern art museum in the State of Texas. The museum was created by Marion Koogler McNay's original bequest of most of her fortune, her important art collection and her 24-room Spanish Colonial Revival-style mansion that sits on ...

 and the Witte Museum
Witte Museum
The Witte Museum, established in 1926 under the charter of the San Antonio Museum Association, is located adjacent to Brackenridge Park in San Antonio, Texas, on the banks of the source of the San Antonio River. It is dedicated to the history, science, and culture of the region. Nearby is the San...

.

With nearly five million square feet (465,000 m²) of retail and nearly 20 million square feet (1.86 km²) of office space. Retail in Uptown Loop consists of well known North Star Mall
North Star Mall
North Star Mall is a premier shopping mall in San Antonio, Texas with anchor tenants Dillard's, J.C. Penney, Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Forever 21, as well as over 200 specialty stores, some exclusive to the San Antonio market, including Arden B, Armani Exchange, The Cheesecake Factory,...

; San Pedro Towne Center, with Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...

, Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...

, DSW
DSW, Inc.
-History:DSW opened its first store in July 1991 in Dublin, Ohio. In 1998, Value City Department Stores, Inc. purchased DSW. In December 2004, Retail Ventures, Inc. consolidated several brands. Until July 5, 2005, DSW operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Retail Ventures, Inc...

, and a Toys R Us-Babies R Us combined superstore; Park North Plaza, at the site of what was once Central Park Mall. The new Park North Plaza includes an Alamo Draft House movie theater, Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, many restaurants, Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...

, Sears, an Aloft hotel and many more shops. North Star Mall
North Star Mall
North Star Mall is a premier shopping mall in San Antonio, Texas with anchor tenants Dillard's, J.C. Penney, Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Forever 21, as well as over 200 specialty stores, some exclusive to the San Antonio market, including Arden B, Armani Exchange, The Cheesecake Factory,...

 is anchored by Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...

, Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...

, J.C. Penney
J.C. Penney
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. is a chain of American mid-range department stores based in Plano, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas. The company operates 1,107 department stores in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. JCPenney also operates catalog sales merchant offices nationwide in many...

, Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue is a luxury American specialty store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises , a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the high-end specialty store market in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, i.e. 'the 3 B's' Bergdorf, Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor...

, Forever 21
Forever 21
Forever 21 is an American chain of clothing retailers with branches in major cities in The United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East that offers fashion and accessories for young women and men....

 and The Cheesecake Factory
The Cheesecake Factory
The Cheesecake Factory, Inc. is a restaurant company in the United States. The company operates 165 upscale, casual, full-service dining restaurants: 151 under The Cheesecake Factory mark, 13 under the Grand Lux Cafe mark and one under the RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen mark...

.

North Central

North Central is home to many small cities landlocked within the city of San Antonio. Some of these cities are the San Antonio CO-OP district, Castle Hills, Dellview, Hill Country Village, and Hollywood Park
Hollywood Park, Texas
Hollywood Park is a town in Bexar County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,983 at the 2000 census. It is an enclave of San Antonio and is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

. The area also includes the upscale neighborhoods of Elm Creek, Inwood
Inwood, Texas
Inwood is an upscale housing community located in the north-central suburbs San Antonio, Texas . Nestled in the wooded, hilly Texas Hill Country, Inwood saw rapid growth and housing construction during the early to mid-1990s. This growth coincided with the rapid growth of north San Antonio as a...

, Rogers Ranch, and Bentley Manor as well as the upper-middle class neighborhoods of Deerfield, Churchill Estates, Hunter's Creek, Oak Meadow, and Summerfield.

Far North Central

Far North Central is home to many of San Antonio's most luxurious homes. Such upscale master-planned communities in this area include Scenic Oaks, Sonterra, Canyon Springs and Stone Oak
Stone Oak
Stone Oak is an affluent master-planned, deed restricted, multi-use development in far north central San Antonio, Texas. Stone Oak is north of Loop 1604 and west of 281. The area is known for its numerous gated-communities and well landscaped medians. For privacy, many of Stone Oak's communities...

.

Celebrities in residence include "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...

, Bruce Bowen
Bruce Bowen
Bruce Bowen Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'7", 200-lb. Bowen played small forward and graduated from Edison High School and Cal State Fullerton...

, Joe Horn
Joe Horn
Joseph Horn is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft, and also played for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...

, Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria
Eva Jacqueline Longoria is an American actress, best known for portraying Gabrielle Solis on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives...

, Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...

, Tony Parker
Tony Parker
William Anthony "Tony" Parker is a French professional basketball player who currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA....

, Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...

 and Malik Rose
Malik Rose
Malik Jabari Rose is an American former professional basketball player, and current broadcaster, serving as a studio analyst for the New York Knicks, and the lead color analyst for the NBA D-League team, the Austin Toros.-High school and college:Rose graduated from Overbrook High School in...

.

Northeast side

The northeast side is home to Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located east-northeast of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 902d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....

, Schertz
Schertz, Texas
Schertz is a city in Bexar, Comal, and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The population was 31,465 at the 2010 census.On July 16, 2007 CNNMoney.com rated Schertz one of the best places to live in the United States...

, Converse
Converse, Texas
Converse is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Converse is located at ....

, Universal City
Universal City, Texas
Universal City is a city in Bexar and Guadalupe Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It borders San Antonio to the northeast, and is adjacent to Randolph Air Force Base. The population was 14,849 at the 2000 census. Through Universal City is Pat Booker Road, the commercial thoroughfare of the city...

, Selma
Selma, Texas
Selma is a city in Bexar, Comal, and Guadalupe Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area...

, Kirby
Kirby, Texas
Kirby is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. It is an enclave of San Antonio and is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Founded as an agricultural settlement along the Southern Pacific railroad, the city was transformed into a suburban community upon its incorporation...

, Windcrest
Windcrest, Texas
Windcrest is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,105 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Windcrest is located at ....

, and Live Oak
Live Oak, Texas
Live Oak is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. The population was 9,156 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Live Oak is located at ....

. Four school districts educate this side of town, including Judson ISD
Judson Independent School District
Judson Independent School District is a public school district based in San Antonio, Texas .Judson Independent School District covers and serves the incorporated cities of Converse, Kirby, and Selma as well as portions of Live Oak, Universal City and San Antonio.In 2009, the school district was...

, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD and North East ISD
North East Independent School District
North East Independent School District is a school district located in Bexar County, Texas, . North East ISD serves the north central and northeast areas of Bexar County, covering approximately . North East ISD serves the cities of San Antonio, Castle Hills, Hill Country Village, Hollywood Park,...

. The northeast side also houses The Forum, which is one of San Antonio's largest shopping centers consisting of a variety of shops and restaurants (located on the corner of Loop 1604 and I-35). Rolling Oaks Mall
Rolling Oaks Mall
Rolling Oaks Mall is a regional shopping mall located in northeast San Antonio, Texas, at the intersection of Loop 1604 and Nacogdoches Road. The mall is anchored by Dillard's, Macy's, J.C. Penney, and Sears...

 also serves this area (located on the north side of I-35 at Loop 1604 and Nacogdoches Road).

Northwest side

The northwest side of San Antonio is home to a wide range of neighborhoods, suburbs, and businesses unique to the Alamo City.
The community is the location of the main campus of the University of Texas at San Antonio
University of Texas at San Antonio
The University of Texas at San Antonio, commonly referred to as UTSA, is a state university in San Antonio, Texas. With an enrollment of more than 30,000 students, it is the third-largest of nine universities and six health institutions in the University of Texas System and the eighth-largest in...

, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is an institute of health science education and research, located in the South Texas Medical Center....

, and the Northwest Campus of University of the Incarnate Word
University of the Incarnate Word
The University of the Incarnate Word is a private Catholic university located within the cities of San Antonio and Alamo Heights in Texas, United States....

, which includes the Rosenberg School of Optometry.
Also located in northwest San Antonio is the Medical Center district, which is home to the South Texas Medical Center
South Texas Medical Center
The South Texas Medical Center consists of of medical-related facilities in northwest San Antonio.The STMC, which directly serves 38 counties, consists of forty-five medically related institutions; separate medical, dental and nursing schools, five higher educational institutions, twelve...

 hospital and research district. The Medical Center is surrounded by neighorhoods including Bluemel, Oak Hills
Oak Hills
Oak Hills may refer to:settlements* Oak Hills, Monterey County, California * Oak Hills, San Bernardino County, California* Oak Hills, Oregon* Oak Hills, Pennsylvaniaschools* Oak Hills High School, in Cincinnati, Ohio...

, Mockingbird Hill and Cinnamon Creek. Insurance and banking giant USAA
USAA
United Services Automobile Association is a Fortune 500 financial services company offering banking, investing, and insurance to people and families that serve, or served, in the United States military. In 2011, there were 8.4 million members. The company reported a net worth of $19.3 billion in...

 is also headquartered in the area.
The corporate headquarters of Valero; Security Service Federal Credit Union
Security Service Federal Credit Union
Security Service Federal Credit Union, commonly shortened to SSFCU, is a federally insured, state chartered, 6 billion dollar, more than 840,000 members, natural person, credit union operating from over 65 service centers in Texas, Colorado, and Utah...

; NuStar Energy
NuStar Energy
NuStar Energy L.P. is a Fortune 500 company based in San Antonio, Texas. The company was established in 2007 after separating from Valero. The company operates of pipeline and 85 terminal facilities across six countries allowing for the storage of almost 80 million barrels of oil making NuStar...

; and Kinetic Concepts are all located in the area, mainly along the I-10 corridor. The area is also home to Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Six Flags Fiesta Texas is a seasonally operated theme park located on approximately of land in San Antonio, Texas.Six Flags Fiesta Texas is the major entertainment component of USAA's La Cantera, a 1,600 acre master-planned development in northwest San Antonio...

; the upscale open air shopping center The Shops at La Cantera
The Shops at La Cantera
The Shops at La Cantera is an upscale open-air regional shopping mall located in northwest San Antonio, Texas, USA, near the Loop 1604 and Interstate 10 interchange. The initial phase of the project opened on September 16, 2005. The center sits on a site in La Cantera, a master-planned resort...

, anchored by Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...

, Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...

, Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...

 and Nordstrom
Nordstrom
Nordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...

; and the 2000000 square feet (185,806.1 m²) suburban retail center The Rim, anchored by Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is a privately held retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor recreation merchandise. Bass Pro Shops is known for a large selection of hunting, fishing, and other outdoor gear.-History:The owner, John L...

' Outdoor World, and The Palladium, a 19-screen movie theater featuring IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...

 screens. This area also includes prestigious neighborhood The Dominion, which is home to David Robinson
David Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...

, many current San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....

 players and coaches, and George Strait
George Strait
George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...

. The wealthy city of Shavano Park is also on the Northwest Side, as is Camp Bullis
Camp Bullis
Camp Bullis Military Training Reservation is a U.S. Army training camp located in Bexar County, Texas, just northwest of San Antonio, USA. The camp is named for Brigadier General John Lapham Bullis ,...

.

Far West side

This is one of the fastest growing areas in Metropolitan San Antonio. A large part of this area is outside of the San Antonio city limits, but is served by Bexar County Government. Here you will find Sea World Texas, Northwest Vista College
Northwest Vista College
Northwest Vista College is a public community college within the Alamo Community College District in San Antonio, Texas. It is one of the top community colleges in the United States. Northwest Vista College offers open admission.- History :...

, QVC, Wachovia, CitiCorp and several other large employers. The Far West subdivisions attract many military families who relocate from all over the US due to its close proximity to Lackland AFB. With new homes starting in the low to mid 100's, the area attracts many middle-class families and first time home buyers. Major roads include Loop 1604, State Highway 151, U.S. Highway 90, and Loop 410. Due to the recent real estate boom in the area, Christus Santa Rosa Westover Hills Hospital, numerous businesses including Kohl's, HEB Plus, and Super Wal-mart have moved in as well as many restaurant chains and other specialty stores to the new master planned community of Alamo Ranch.

West side

Known for its Mexican and Tejano culture, which is showcased in places like the Guadalupe Street commercial and entertainment district and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower is a historic Roman Catholic church, located in San Antonio, Texas. The church is distinguished as one of sixty-five in the United States bearing the papal designation of "minor basilica." Despite its religious importance it is not the...

, the West side is also home to the historic Our Lady of the Lake University, and St. Mary's University. The west side is a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood.

The West side's historic Prospect Hill neighborhood, one of the first communities to be built in this area, is rich in history and is within the original 36 miles of downtown San Antonio. Notable Prospect Hill residents (past and present) include former San Antonio Mayor / 10th US HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros
Henry Cisneros
Henry Gabriel Cisneros is a politician and businessman. A Democrat, Cisneros served as the 10th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the administration of President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997...

, actress Carol Burnett
Carol Burnett
Carol Creighton Burnett is an American actress, comedian, singer, dancer and writer. Burnett started her career in New York. After becoming a hit on Broadway, she made her television debut...

, and Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez
Henry B. Gonzalez
Henry Barbosa González was a Democratic politician from the state of Texas. He represented Texas's 20th congressional district from 1961 to 1999.-Background:...

. The housing is primarily modest 2- and 3-bedroom homes with a mix of early 1900s and post-WWII houses.

South Side

This area is located south of Downtown. The South Side is characterized as a predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods, upwards of about 85 to 97 percent. South of Cesar Chavez along South Presa/South Saint Mary's/South Alamo streets and, more recently, South Flores is an area known as Southtown. Southtown includes the King William Historic District and the Lavaca neighborhood, as well as the warehouse and loft conversions of Blue Star Contemporary Art Center
Blue Star Contemporary Art Center
The Blue Star Contemporary Art Center is the acting contemporary art museum of San Antonio. Known simply as Blue Star, it was established as a grassroots response to the cancellation of a contemporary arts exhibit at the San Antonio Museum of Art in 1985. The effort established a vibrant venue for...

 along South Flores/Probandt/Cevallos streets. Once labeled Texas' most eccentric neighborhood by Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...

 magazine, Southtown is known for its diverse community, art galleries, restaurants, and Victorian era homes. There is a heavy concentration of resident artists and contemporary art spaces, such as those found on emerging South Flores. Restaurants and bars in Southtown include Bar America, Blue Star Brewing Company (adjacent to Blue Star Contemporary Art Center), Rosario's, La Tuna, El Mirador, The Friendly Spot, and The Monterey. Art spaces and galleries include Blue Star Contemporary Art Center, UTSA Satellite Space, San Antonio Art League, SAY Si!, Joan Grona Gallery, David Shelton Gallery, Cactus Bra Space, Three Walls Gallery, Justice Works, REM Gallery, San Angel Folk Art, Stone Metal Press, and Fiber Artspace. On the first Thursday of the month the serious area art galleries have openings. On the first Friday of every month, Blue Star essentially acts as the hub of the downtown event known as First Friday. A diverse crowd of art lovers can visit galleries, art spaces, vintage stores, and street vendors selling art and jewelry, all while listening to live music. Second Saturday is usually on the following weekend after First Friday but sometimes falls on the very next day. Second Saturday is a monthly showcase of the area commonly known as SoFlo (a trendy abbreviation for the South Flores street where it is located) also known by its inhabitants as the South Flores Arts District. The area is only a few blocks South of the Blue Star District but is popular for those who want a less crowded environment than the one found at First Friday. Art galleries include One9Zero6, FL!GHT, LoneStar Studios, Salon Mijangos, Gallista Gallery, and Triangle Project Space. Artists in the area with studios include Andy Benavides, Justin Parr, Ed Saavedra, Zane Lewis, Thomas Cummins, and Dario Robleto. Once a year in the Fall, the S.M.A.R.T fair is an annual festival held to support the various arts in San Antonio.
Also on the south side of town is Texas State Highway Loop 13
Texas State Highway Loop 13
Loop 13 is a partial loop route around the city of San Antonio in the U.S. state of Texas. Prior to Interstate 410 , Loop 13 served as the primary loop for the city. Loop 13 follows Military Drive from U.S. Highway 90 through the south side of the city. It then follows W.W. White road after it...

 more commonly known as Military Drive. Loop 13 served as the cities primary loop before Interstate 410 was constructed. Millitary Drive links many of the cities millitary facilities on the southern part of town such as Lackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located west-southwest of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....

, Kelly Field Annex the former Kelly Air Force Base
Kelly Air Force Base
Kelly Field Annex and is a former United States Air Force facility located in San Antonio, Texas. In 2001, the runway and land west of the runway became "Kelly Field Annex" and control of it was transferred to the adjacent Lackland Air Force Base, part of Joint Base San Antonio...

, Stinson Municipal Airport
Stinson Municipal Airport
Stinson Municipal Airport , originally called Stinson Field, is a reliever airport located six miles south of downtown San Antonio’s central business district...

, and Brooks City-Base
Brooks City-Base
Brooks City-Base was a United States Air Force facility located in San Antonio, Texas, southeast of Downtown San Antonio.In 2002 Brooks Air Force Base was renamed Brooks City-Base when the property was conveyed to the Brooks Development Authority as part of a unique project between local, state,...

 formally Brooks Air Force Base before turning into W.W. White Rd. which heads north becoming Farm to Market Road 78
Farm to Market Road 78
Farm to Market Road 78 is a farm-to-market road connecting San Antonio and Seguin, Texas.-Route description:The western terminus of FM 78 is in Bexar County, near Fort Sam Houston and the southern end of the concurrency of Interstates 35 and 410 in San Antonio. Access to FM 78 is available from...

 leading to Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located east-northeast of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 902d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....

 in Universal City, Texas
Universal City, Texas
Universal City is a city in Bexar and Guadalupe Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It borders San Antonio to the northeast, and is adjacent to Randolph Air Force Base. The population was 14,849 at the 2000 census. Through Universal City is Pat Booker Road, the commercial thoroughfare of the city...

. A huge growth in the south side came when Toyota decided to build a manufacturing plant that produces the Toyota Tundra
Toyota Tundra
The Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup truck introduced by Toyota in the year 2000. It was widely considered to be the first full-size import-brand truck built with an American look and feel and a refined V8 engine. The Tundra was eventually nominated for the North American Truck of the Year...

 and more recently Toyota Tacoma
Toyota Tacoma
The Toyota Tacoma is a pickup truck produced and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation since 1995. The Tacoma was a compact pickup until a model redesign in 2005 when it was reclassified to a mid-size...

 pick-up trucks, near Texas State Highway 16 and Interstate 410
Interstate 410
Interstate 410 is a loop route of Interstate 10 around San Antonio, Texas. It is identified as Connally Loop in honor of former Texas governor John Connally...

 interchange. Most of the south side's shopping centers are located on Military Drive near major intersections. Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...

 & Southwest Military Drive, South Park Mall which is anchored by such stores such as Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...

, Sears, Bealls (Texas)
Bealls (Texas)
Bealls is a United States chain of department stores headquartered in Texas. It is owned by Stage Stores Inc. The chain overlaps with the Florida-based Bealls chain, although the two are not related...

 and J.C. Penny. Along the intersection of Interstate 37
Interstate 37
Interstate 37 is a intrastate Interstate Highway located within the U.S. state of Texas. The highway was first designated in 1959 as a route between Corpus Christi and San Antonio. Construction in the urban areas of Corpus Christi and San Antonio began in the 1960s and the segments of the...

 & South New Braunfels, The McCreless Market Shopping Center formally McCreless Mall which is an open air shopping center anchored by H-E-B Plus!, Bealls (Texas)
Bealls (Texas)
Bealls is a United States chain of department stores headquartered in Texas. It is owned by Stage Stores Inc. The chain overlaps with the Florida-based Bealls chain, although the two are not related...

, and a 16 screen Cinemark Theaters. And the Southeast Military Drive and IH-37 corridor is home to City-Base Landing that has such stores as Super Wal-Mart, H-E-B
H-E-B
HEB Grocery Company, LP is a privately held San Antonio, Texas-based supermarket chain with more than 315 stores throughout Texas and northern Mexico. The company also operates Central Market, an upscale organic and fine foods retailer.H-E-B ranked No...

, Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...

, and Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...

. City-Base landing West is also the home of a brand new state of the art Mission Trail Baptist Hospital that opened in 2011, the first new hospital on the south side in nearly forty years. Another new addition is the Brand New Mission Branch Library on Roosevelt Avenue near the San Jose Mission. This library was built on the site of the old Mission Drive-In which was the last drive-in theater in the city for many years. The drive-in was recently remodeled until it was vandalized and was deemed too expensive to reopen. A single theater is still preserved in it's memory.
The South Side is also home to Palo Alto College
Palo Alto College
Palo Alto College is a community college located in the San Antonio, Texas area. It is a member of the Alamo Community College District.-History:...

 and the newly opened Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
Before the beginning of this decade many of the cities young population would cruise "Military". Many classic cars and lowriders would drive close to the 35 intersection and muscle cars and import street racers would hang out close to the 37 intersection along the main entrance of what was once the main gate of Brooks A.F.B.
The south side is predominantly Hispanic especially in it's inner city neighborhoods such as Harlandale, Palm Heights, Columbia Heights, Hot Wells, Highland Hills, Indian Creek, Valley Hi, and Palo Alto.
Four out of five of the cities historic missions are located on the south side along the San Antonio River
San Antonio River
The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in north central San Antonio, approximately four miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the Guadalupe River about ten miles from...

 besides the Alamo
Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a battle fought during the Texas Revolution.Alamo may also refer to:-Places:*Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas*Alamo, California*Alamo, Georgia*Alamo Township, Michigan*Alamo, Nevada*Alamo, New Mexico...

 or Mission San Antonio de Valero. Mission San Jose (Texas), Mission Concepcion
Mission Concepcion
Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña was established in 1716 as Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de los Hainais in East Texas. The mission was moved in 1731 to San Antonio...

, Mission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano was a Spanish mission in Southern California, located in present-day San Juan Capistrano. It was founded on All Saints Day November 1, 1776, by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order...

, and Mission San Francisco de la Espada
Mission San Francisco de la Espada
Mission San Francisco de la Espada was a Roman Catholic mission established by Spain near San Antonio de Bexar in northern New Spain in 1731 to convert local Native Americans to Christianity and solidify Spanish territorial claims in the New World against encroachment from France...

. The San Antonio River Walk
San Antonio River Walk
The San Antonio River Walk is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath downtown San Antonio, Texas...

 is also extending into the south side and can now be seen all the way into Concepcion Park and is continuing to grow further outwards towards Military Drive. San Antonio's famous "Ghost Tracks" is located in the cities McCreless Meadows neighborhood near the intersection of Villaman Rd. and Shane. An old tale that a school bus was in an accident many years ago and a group of children were supposedly all killed. A phenomenon is supposed to happen when your vehicle is put in neutral with the ignition off, the vehicle begins to roll up hill crossing the tracks all on its own. It is said that the children's ghost are pushing your vehicle out of the way of a passing train. Many people put talcum powder all over their vehicle and fingerprints will begin to show up after the tracks are crossed. All the streets located in the neighboring neighborhood are named after what is supposedly named after all of the children that were killed there long ago.
The southern part of the city does not extend as far outward towards Texas State Highway Loop 1604 like much of the far northern parts if the city do. Much of the city outside loop 410 remains unincorporated and rural. the suburb of Elmendorf, Texas sits along south side's two main lakes, Victor Braunig Lake
Victor Braunig Lake
Victor Braunig Lake, formerly known as East Lake, is a reservoir on Calaveras Creek and Chupaderas Creek 17 miles south of downtown San Antonio, Texas, USA. The reservoir was formed in 1962 by the construction of a dam to provide a cooling pond for a power plant to supply additional electrical...

 and Calaveras Lake (Texas)
Calaveras Lake (Texas)
Calaveras Lake is a reservoir on Calaveras Creek, located 20 miles southeast of downtown San Antonio, Texas, USA. The reservoir was formed in 1969 by the construction of a dam to provide a cooling pond for a complex of power plants, to supply additional electricity to the city of San Antonio...

.

East Side

Home to Saint Paul Square, the Alamodome
Alamodome
The Alamodome is a domed 65,000 seat, multi-purpose facility that is primarily used as a football/basketball stadium and convention center in San Antonio, Texas, U.S...

, San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo in San Antonio, Texas, USA is one of the largest livestock shows and rodeos in the country. Started in 1950, the annual event takes place over three weeks in February...

, the AT&T Center
AT&T Center
AT&T Center is an indoor arena, located in San Antonio, Texas, USA. It seats 18,581, for basketball , 13,800, for ice hockey and 19,000, for concerts or religious gatherings and contains 2,018 club seats, 50 luxury suites and 32 bathrooms .It was completed in 2002, as the SBC...

 and its older neighbor, the Freeman Coliseum
Freeman Coliseum
The Joe and Harry Freeman Coliseum is a sports and concert venue in San Antonio, Texas, USA, built in 1949.It has been host to thousands of events including the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, concerts, trade shows, motor sports, circus, professional sports including professional bull riding,...

. Other northern cities include Windcrest, a northeastern suburb known for its extravagant Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...

 light displays. The southeastern suburb of China Grove is located along US 87 and was the subject of a Doobie Brothers song entitled China Grove
China Grove (song)
"China Grove" is a song from The Doobie Brothers' 1973 album The Captain and Me. It was written by original lead singer Tom Johnston, before he fell ill in 1975 and was replaced by Michael McDonald. The song is based on a real town in Texas with the same name. The connection is obvious given its...

. The East Side is predominantly an African-American neighborhood. The East Side most notable residents were actress Joan Crawford and congressman Percy Sutton of New York. Joan Crawford was born and raised on the infamous Cherry Street area. Soap star Al Freeman was also born and raised in San Antonio along with actress Paula Pentriss.

See also

  • Carl Wilhelm August Groos House
    Carl Wilhelm August Groos House (San Antonio, Texas)
    The Carl Wilhelm August Groos House is located in the King William Historic District of San Antonio, in the U.S. state of Texas. It was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1977. Designed by Alfred Giles in 1880, the building contractor was John H. Kampmann. Giles used a Victorian...


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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