The original Horn Palace - Wild Bill Keilman's saloon, diner and Blue Book information center (then - about 1920)...

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/gdillpb1/Billie%20Keilmans%20Horn%20Palace%201920_1.jpg

...and now (2015)...

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/gdillpb1/Billie%20Keilmans%20Horn%20Palace%202015.jpg

This was located on the west side of (Old) Corpus Christi Road just south of Loop 13 about half way to Dan Court.

The property was in Rudolf Keilman's vast acreage parts of which were sold for Brooks Field and the Howell Refinery on South Presa. The Keilman Cemetery is located just northwest of the cell tower site but is accessible only by Seal Team #5 helicopter rappel. Opposite the refinery on South Presa was the Keilman Motor Courts managed by Orville Keilman, nephew of Wild Bill.

George Dill

Then - Brooke Army Hospital under construction at Fort Sam Houston (1936)...

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/gdillpb1/BAMChospital1936.jpg

...and now (2015)...

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/gdillpb1/BAMChospital2015.jpg

This fine old building is once again empty as the gummit moves various activities in and out.

Opened in 1938 (just in time for the Second Great War) the place saw some real action from 1945 to 1949 as the Baby Boomers filled the maternity wards.

Less than four years after the hospital's grand opening there was a big scramble on the sixth floor as the delivering doctor couldn't find the only pair of forceps 'til the last minute - the reason my mother always complained about my being a difficult child.

George Dill

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and I'm really enjoying looking through all of the great historical photos of my favorite city in the world. I have a request: I'm renting office space in the building that is now called the Davenport Lounge, located at 203 N Presa, on the corner of W Market and N Presa. I have been able to find out that each of those buildings were built in the 1920's, and that the Old Alamo National Bank used to be behind them. There's a great space between the Davenport and Zinc Bistro called Charles Court that used to be a service alley to the bank and those surrounding businesses. I would love to be able to have some historical shots of those buildings on the wall and know what kinds of businesses occupied those buildings since they were built. I have spent hours looking online for photos, which led me here, but turned up nothing. It's almost as if that one block between Commerce and Market has been completely avoided by photographers! If anyone has any photos, or could direct me to where I can find them, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

Thanks for stopping by.

I have not found any photos of that block either. I've gotten most of my stuff from here:
https://lib.utsa.edu/collections/historical-collections

I also know that main library and the conservation society has old photos as well. I would email them and ask if they know of any. I'll keep an eye out as well. The Zinc patio is one of my favorite low-key spots downtown.

quote:

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Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and I'm really enjoying looking through all of the great historical photos of my favorite city in the world. I have a request: I'm renting office space in the building that is now called the Davenport Lounge, located at 203 N Presa, on the corner of W Market and N Presa. I have been able to find out that each of those buildings were built in the 1920's, and that the Old Alamo National Bank used to be behind them. There's a great space between the Davenport and Zinc Bistro called Charles Court that used to be a service alley to the bank and those surrounding businesses. I would love to be able to have some historical shots of those buildings on the wall and know what kinds of businesses occupied those buildings since they were built. I have spent hours looking online for photos, which led me here, but turned up nothing. It's almost as if that one block between Commerce and Market has been completely avoided by photographers! If anyone has any photos, or could direct me to where I can find them, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

Visit...

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/sanborn/s.html

...then scroll to the San Antonio maps.

The 1922 series includes maps of the downtown area with annotations as to business name and activity.

Also available by subscription(?) is the San Antonio Directory for many years.

I believe that the Davenport building has a building next to it that is on the corner but I can't read the scroll on the upper story facade using go ogle street view.

Trivia - The "old" Alamo National Bank building is now called the Commerce building and was moved south more than 16 feet to widen the street.

Let us know if any of the Sanborn maps show Charles Court.

Thanks.

George Dill

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Save your searching on the Sanborn maps for 1922 San Antonio as the sheet we need is in Volume 3 which I can not find on the web - you?

Here is a 1896 Sanborn for the area of Charles Court on Presa...

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac332/gdillpb1/San%20Antonio%201896%20downtown1.jpg

...which shows a definite opening between buildings from Presa to Navarro.

On go ogle street view the Navarro end of Charles Court is a 3-feet wide gated gap between buildings.

I searched through a 50,000-plus image database for San Antonio and found many old photos but none were good leads.

Onward through the fog...

George Dill

p_bubel said:

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Hi, did you take the now photo?

Interstate 10 at Culebra Road looking north in 1949.

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I did

Man, this thread popping up was a blast from the past. I wish I had this much free time again.

Then again, perhaps not.

The Alamo Bank picture brings back memories. I worked at a financial firm that foreclosed that property in the 80's. That building has a basement that still extends out under Commerce. Also, the basement still had the gated vaults where gold was stored. It was already historically designated when we took over.Tried to paint the entry gates and got shut down by the Association for lack of approval.LOL

If you are going to do a post on Pearl Brewing, you should include an entry on the Koehler mansion.312 W Ashby. Now belongs to SA College. He built it high on a hill so he could see the brewery and confirm that his guys were working. Beautiful property.