San Antonio River
San Antonio River Río San Antonio | |
---|---|
Map of the San Antonio River and its associated watershed in South Texas. | |
Location | |
Country | US |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | The San Antonio Springs near the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. |
• elevation | 715 ft (218 m) |
Mouth | |
• location | Flows into the Guadalupe River, 10 mi northwest of the San Antonio Bay. |
Length | 240 mi (390 km) |
Basin size | 4,180 sq mi (10,800 km2)[1] |
Discharge | |
• average | 400 cu ft/s (11 m3/s)[2] |
The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in midtown San Antonio, about 4 miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state.[3] It eventually feeds into the Guadalupe River about 10 miles from San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The river is 240 miles long and crosses five counties: Bexar, Goliad, Karnes, Refugio, and Wilson.
History
Naming the river
The first documented record of the river was from Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca on his explorations of Texas in 1535. The river was later named after San Antonio de Padua by the first governor of Spanish Texas, Domingo Terán de los Ríos in 1691.[3]
On June 13, 1691, Governor Terán and his company camped at a rancheria on a stream called Yanaguana They renamed the stream "San Antonio" because it was Saint Anthony's Day. Father Damián Massanet accompanied Governor Terán on his trip.[4]
Texas Revolution
During the Texas Revolution, the river was host to several major conflicts. The Battle of Concepcion occurred when the Mexican forces in Bexar and Texian militia fired upon each other in a small skirmish on the mission's grounds. The Grass Fight occurred when Texian militia mistook mules carrying grass to feed horses as mules carrying supply and gold money. The siege of Bexar was the climax of all these previous events when the Texian militia surrounded Bexar and began continuous attacks into the Mexican stronghold of Bexar until the Mexican General Martín Perfecto de Cos surrendered.
The Goliad Campaign occurred when 50 Texian militia captured the mission at Goliad, being used as a garrison by the Mexican forces. The Battle of the Alamo occurred when 180 Texian regulars and volunteers occupied a 3-acre garrison built around an old Spanish mission. They withheld a Mexican force of around 3,000 troops for 12 days until the garrison was overrun by a Mexican assault on dawn of the 13th day.
Fiesta
During Fiesta every April, the Texas Cavaliers River Parade runs on the San Antonio River in downtown San Antonio. It is one of Fiesta's most popular events and ticket sales revenue goes to support children’s charities.[5]
Notable features
Five major 18th-century Spanish missions are lined up along the historical course of the river in San Antonio, including Mission Espada, Mission Concepcion, Mission San José, and Mission San Juan Capistrano. The most famous mission is San Antonio de Valero, better known as the Álamo, and its complementing fortress is Presidio San Antonio de Bexar. These five missions in San Antonio are now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Presidio La Bahía and its mission, Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga in Goliad, Texas, are also located along the southern portion of the river.
The waterway is also host to the San Antonio River Walk, one of San Antonio's primary tourist destinations and the centerpiece of the city, with several river improvement projects occurring so far. The Riverwalk was extended to the north in 2009, and that section of the river is now called the Museum Reach and features attractions such as the Pearl Brewery and the San Antonio Museum of Art.[6][7] In 2013, the Mission Reach stretch of the Riverwalk was opened in the south, which features hiking, biking, and paddling trails.[8][9][10]
Work was authorized to begin in 2015 by the Bexar County Commissioners Court on the restoration of the former Hot Wells hotel, spa, and bathhouse, located along the San Antonio River in the south side of the city.[11]
Gallery
- "San Antonio River from Mill Bridge" (postcard, circa 1907)
- The river winds its way through downtown San Antonio.
- The river at Floresville River Park in Floresville in Wilson County
-
- The river passes through Goliad en route to the Gulf of Mexico.
See also
References
- ^ "Guadalupe and San Antonio River Basins, Tx" (PDF). swd.usace.army.mil. 2012-02-21. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- ^ "San Antonio Rv at Goliad, TX". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- ^ a b San Antonio River from the Handbook of Texas Online
- ^ "History of the River Walk". Paseo del Rio Association. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
- ^ "Texas Cavaliers River Parade - San Antonio". texascavaliers.org. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- ^ "San Antonio's Pearl district: A gem of a 'hood". Star Tribune.
- ^ Kaye Perez, Harry; Kaye Perez, Linda (2015-11-11). "River Walk's Museum Reach offers art, food, fun". La Vernia News. Archived from the original on 2017-02-13.
- ^ "San Antonio River Improvements Project". sanantonioriver.org. Archived from the original on 2016-08-19.
- ^ "Kayaking". Mission Adventure Tours. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
- ^ "Bike Tours". Mission Adventure Tours. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- ^ John W. Gonzalez, "Hot Wells poised to spring alive again: County OKs first phase of improvements for new park", San Antonio Express-News, October 10, 2015, pp. 1, A12
External links
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: San Antonio River
- Edwards Aquifer history of the San Antonio River
- Official site of the San Antonio River Walk
- "San Antonio River" . The American Cyclopædia. 1879.
- v
- t
- e
- Architecture
- Culture
- History
- Neighborhoods
- Metropolitan Area
- San Antonio River (Springs)
- The Alamo
- Alamo Cenotaph
- Acequia Madre de Valero
- La Antorcha de la Amistad
- Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower
- Cathedral of San Fernando
- Convention Center
- Earl Abel's
- Guenther House
- HemisFair '68
- Houston Street
- La Villita
- Market Square
- Rivercenter
- River Walk
- St. Joseph Catholic Church
- Tower of the Americas
- Tower Life Building
- San Antonio Zoo and Aquarium
- Artpace
- Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum
- Briscoe Western Art Museum
- Buckhorn Saloon & Museum
- Casa Navarro State Historic Site
- Fort Sam Houston Museum
- Gallista
- Gas Gallery
- Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center
- Guinness World Records Museum
- Institute of Texan Cultures
- McNay Art Museum
- Museo Alameda
- Museum of Aerospace Medicine
- O. Henry House Museum
- Ruby City
- San Antonio Academy Museum
- San Antonio Museum of Art
- Southwest School of Art
- Spanish Governor's Palace
- Edward Steves Homestead
- Texas Air Museum
- Texas Transportation Museum
- United States Army Medical Department Museum
- Witte Museum
- Yturri-Edmunds Historic Site
See also: List of museums in Central Texas
- Alamo City Comic Con
- Arneson River Theater
- Aztec on the River
- Charline McCombs Empire Theatre
- Fiesta Noche del Rio
- Fiesta San Antonio
- Freeman Coliseum
- Majestic Theatre
- Morgan's Wonderland
- Ripley's Believe It or Not!
- San Japan
- Santikos Theatres
- SeaWorld San Antonio
- Six Flags Fiesta Texas
- Splashtown San Antonio
- St. Mary's Strip
- Texas Folklife Festival
- Tobin Center for the Performing Arts (San Antonio Symphony)
- San Antonio Municipal Auditorium
- Woodlawn Theatre
- Bill Miller Bar-B-Q Enterprises
- Christus Santa Rosa
- iHeartMedia
- Frost Bank
- H-E-B
- Jim's Restaurants
- Luby's
- M7 Aerospace
- NewTek
- NuStar Energy
- Rackspace
- San Antonio Express-News
- SAS Shoemakers (SAS)
- San Antonio Water System
- Security Service Federal Credit Union
- SWBC
- Taco Cabana
- Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas
- USAA
- Valero Energy
- Visionworks of America
- Whataburger
and education
- The Alamo Colleges
- Baptist Health System School of Health Professions
- Cancer Therapy & Research Center
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute
- Oblate School of Theology
- Our Lady of the Lake University
- San Antonio Public Library
- San Antonio Municipal Archives
- South Texas Medical Center
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute
- Southwest Research Institute
- St. Mary's University
- Texas A&M University–San Antonio
- Texas Neurosciences Institute
- Trinity University
- University Health System
- University of the Incarnate Word
- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- University of Texas at San Antonio
- Acequia
- San Antonio Botanical Garden
- Brackenridge Park
- Denman Estate Park
- Dwight D. Eisenhower Park
- Friedrich Wilderness Park
- Government Canyon State Natural Area
- Phil Hardberger Park
- Mahncke
- Milam Park
- Miraflores Park
- Roosevelt Park
- San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden
- San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
- San Pedro Springs Park
- O. P. Schnabel Park
- Travis Park
28°30′26″N 96°53′28″W / 28.50722°N 96.89111°W / 28.50722; -96.89111