San Antonio River Walk

The first time we visited the San Antonio River Walk was in November of 2020. It was right at the height of Covid and avoiding crowds seemed to be key in avoiding Covid. So our River Walk tour consisted of a lovely boat cruise but not much actually sightseeing. We wanted more!

Ever since our first visit to San Antonio we wanted to return and actually stroll along the beautiful San Antonio River Walk. So when our friend Jacki suggested we do just that, we jumped at the chance. Our day had started with Duck Donuts’ Maple Bacon Donuts, continued at the gorgeous Japanese Tea Garden and ended at the River Walk.

We were lucky to find a prime parking spot right near steps leading down to the fabulous River Walk. Even as we walked to the steps I was amazed that there was art everywhere.

The lush landscaping and tranquil waterfalls beckoned us to explore as much as we could. Art, tropical plants, waterfalls, meandering river and a myriad of restaurants and shops are what make the San Antonio River Walk so special. Locals and tourists alike flock to this unique attraction in the enormous Lone Star State of Texas.

It has taken centuries to get from the river’s discovery to the awesome attraction that the San Antonio River Walk is today. It was the vision of a young architect, Robert H. H. Hugman. He was the one with the brilliant idea, in 1929, of winding pathways and bridges flanking the river. It was his beautiful solution for harnessing the river running through downtown. The design was meant to manage heavy seasonal rains in order to save both lives and money. But it wasn’t until much later that the full vision of the Father of the River Walk realized its’ full potential.

Here’s the timeline:

In 1536, Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca, who had been a shipwrecked captive of Indians, visited the area in Texas. He saw and described the River.

Exactly 2 centuries later, the fist bridge was built to span the San Antonio River. That bridge connected the Presidio with Mission San Antonio where the present day Commerce Street bridge is located today.

Then, in 1792 all the missions were closed down by the Spanish government. The land was distributed to the mission Indians that had been attached to the compounds. Through the late 1800s and early 1900s, San Antonio’s growing population and expanding boundaries caused most of problems brought about by flooding. Truly, if steps had not been taken in the 1920s to control the flooding   , later commercial development along the river wouldn’t have even been a possibility.

In 1919, engineers reported that heavy flooding could cause major damage to San Antonio. And their prediction came to fruition in 1921 when, on September 9th, a cloudburst over the Olmos Basin and the San Antonio River put 9-feet of water on Houston Street in floods that killed about 50 people.

After that efforts were made to prevent future flooding. The old City Market House on Market Street was torn down in 1925 in order to open a path for a flood bypass channel. And in 1926 work began on a bypass channel. Final plans for flood control were published that included draining the river bend and making it a storm sewer with a street over it. The Conservation Society convinced the commissioners to save City Hall by putting on a puppet show there and taking them on canoe rides to show them the river.

1927 saw the completion of Olmos Dam. And in 1929 Robert Hugman presented his plan for “The Shops of Romula and Aragon” to the Mayor, two city commissioners, property owners, and civic leaders. The proposal endorsed the bypass channel and recommended flood gates at the north end, a small dam at the south end, and a tainter gate in the channel to check the flow and create pools of water. The bypass channel was completed, but the Depression prevented any further expenses.

The Texas Centennial was in 1936 and the manager of the White Plaza Hotel, Jack White, visited City Hall to urge the river be cleaned up and beautified. The Mexican Businessmen’s Association and White put on A Venetian Night which was the first river parade. The San Antonio River Authority was created in 1937.

Ground was broken on October 25, 1939 for Hugman’s River project, with him as the architect. A river carnival and night parade with held in 1941. The walkways, stairways to street level, footbridge, rock walls lining banks, and Arneson River Theater were completed in 1941, along with the restoration of La Villita. And in 1945 the funding was approved to extend the River Walk from the northern end of the loop to the Tropicano Hotel site.

When in 1946, a major flood hit downtown San Antonio the damage was minimized by the Dam and bypass channel. Casa Rio Restaurant, the first restaurant in the river bend, opened.

Since the early 1950s tourists and locals have enjoyed strolling along the stunning River, taking pleasure in all that it has to offer. The San Antonio River Walk is truly a marvel of nature and ingenuity that continues to evolve and grow. It will be an inspiration for visitors for centuries to come!!!