ABOUT US
Traverse the OSTCC and Experience Authenticity that is Alive and Ever Changing
The OSTCC in San Antonio, Texas, was designated by Texas Commission on the Arts in the beginning of 2019. The purpose of the TCA cultural corridors program is to encourage and promote the arts for energizing the economy, businesses, and tourism.
Our OSTCC is 2.5 miles beginning at Hildebrand and Fredericksburg road, then going down to North Flores and Savings Street, ending at the world renowned Artpace founded by the late Linda Pace, in San Antonio, Texas.
The OSTCC mission is to promote and sustain this area of Fredericksburg Road to North Flores focusing on existing and new arts organizations, artists, businesses, and highlighting legacy establishments that are located along the trail.
The OSTCC website has been built to be inclusive of the 7 surrounding neighborhoods that are Monticello, Jefferson / Woodlawn Lake, Keystone, Beacon Hill, Alta Vista, and 5 Points which the OSTCC navigates. Synergy and alliances are critical to collaboration which will enrich this area as a whole.
From businesses to arts groups to historic neighborhoods, residents of San Antonio, and tourists seeking authentic experiences will not be surprised at the depth of history that the Old Spanish Trail Cultural Corridor encompasses. Not only does the OSTCC have history from the early 1800’s but it also has emerging new vibrant small businesses that give San Antonio its vibe in a big way.
The Local Sense of businesses with the arts make for an incredibly rich corridor that is a must see and must experience area of San Antonio.
TRAVERSE THE TRAIL, EXPERIENCE AUTHENTICITY
"WHERE THE EDGE AND LEGACY MEET"
The History
The Old Spanish Trail - Then and Now
The History of the OSTCC in San Antonio, Texas
On the backs of horses and on foot, in the 1700’s the Conquistadores begin to forge the trail that went from Florida to California. The midway point, San Antonio has been a stopping and starting point of much travel that occurred by wagons drawn by mules to take goods to town from the surrounding farms and ranches.
The 1800’s wagon trains and stagecoaches came thru San Antonio, with one two story house still standing on our OST CC being a stagecoach inn. Across from the stagecoach inn at 1108 N Flores, the Declaration of Mexico was written by Venustiano Carranza, leader of the Mexican Revolution and eventually President of Mexico in 1917. You will find a Texas Historical Marker there today in commemoration.
In 1919 after the cars and travel were more prevalent, San Antonio’s Gunter Hotel was chosen as the location for the Old Spanish Trail Association, which was one of the first groups planning an interstate highway from St Augustine to New Orleans. They named the association after the Spanish explorers which kept the legacy alive.
There have been several commemorations, since with one in 2004 commemorating a 100-year centennial by the City of San Antonio and Bexar County.
The centennial celebrations can be seen on the OST100 website below.
OST CC designated in 2019 by the Texas Commission on the Arts recognizes the rich history of the Old Spanish Trail’s businesses, arts, neighborhoods which is authentic and cherished by its residents.
Old Spanish Trail Centennial
More information about the history of the Old Spanish Trail is available from the Old Spanish Trail Centennial Celebration Association.
OSTCC Historical Points of Interest
Landmarks and Legacy Businesses
1729-1977
VENUSTIANO CARRANZA HISTORIC MARKER - FIVE POINTS NA - 1917
President Venustiano Carranza, the 44th President of Mexico, stayed at 1108 North Flores St while in exile with his niece, Celia Carranza Cepeda de Trevino. The house was built in 1914 and was a central point in San Antonio in organizing the course of the Mexican Revolution and their plans for the future. Legend has it that he wrote part of the Constitution of 1917 at this address. The home of Celia Carranza hosted many social and cultural events for powerful Mexicans that had been exiled. Guests to this home included Leonides Gonzalez, the general manager of La Prensa newspaper. La Prensa newspaper is still in existence today and reaches the Latino community in San Antonio on a daily basis. President Carranza also served as the Primer Jefe, the First Chief of the Constitutionalists factions from 1914 to 1917. He also was elected and served as a Senator and Governor for Coahuila. President Carranza was assassinated during the Mexican Revolution in 1920.
SAN PEDRO PARK AND SWIMMING POOL - ALTA VISTA NA - EST. 1729
San Pedro Springs Park is the oldest park in Texas and the second oldest public park in the United States. Located near downtown San Antonio, the 46-acre park has a rich history dating back at least 12,000 years, with its springs having attracted Indigenous groups like the Payaya people.
ALAMO HARDWOODS - FIVE POINTS NA - EST. 1921
We take the soft and hardwood supplies business personally. We’ve been satisfying Central and South Texas’ hardwood and millworking needs since 1921, and we’ll be here long after the competition has faded away. We’re not salesmen — we’re craftsmen.
M.K. DAVIS RESTAURANT - FIVE POINTS NA - EST. 1956
In 1956, Melvin and Aurora Davis purchased a Lone Star Ice House and renamed it M.K. Davis Ice House, unknowingly making history. Initially offering cold beer, picnic tables, and sausage botanas, the menu grew as their customer base expanded. Mr. Davis took charge of the kitchen while Mrs. Davis managed the customers, and they started by serving hamburgers, hot dogs, and fried chicken.
GARCIA'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT - BEACON HILL NA - EST. 1960
The Garcia family has been serving San Antonio for over 58 years. Started by Julio and Yolanda in 1962. Their sons Andrew and John continue their legacy. Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant is most famous for their daily specials and brisket tacos. Voted best Mexican restaurant for brisket tacos by USA Today in 2018.
BLANCO CAFE - BEACON HILL NA - EST. 1974
Blanco Cafe is a family-owned San Antonio institution serving classic Tex-Mex food and all-day breakfast at affordable prices. It was founded by Alejandro F. San Miguel in 1974 with the opening of its original location at 1720 Blanco Road in the Beacon Hill neighborhood.
CHRIS MADRID'S - BEACON HILL NA - EST. 1977
Chris Madrid's is a historic San Antonio burger restaurant founded in 1977 by Chris Madrid and known for its beloved Texas-style burgers, such as the famous Cheddar Cheezy and Tostada Burger. After Chris Madrid's death in 2012, the family continued running the business until selling it in 2017. A devastating fire forced a temporary closure and a move to a food truck, but the restaurant reopened in its rebuilt location in 2019, maintaining its original charm.
COOL CREST MINIATURE GOLF COURSE - KEYSTONE NA - EST. 1929
Cool Crest is one of the oldest miniature golf courses in the United States, located at 1402 Fredericksburg Road in San Antonio. Originally opened in 1929 during the country's miniature golf craze, it features two distinct 18-hole courses—one from 1929 and the other from 1959.
WOODLAWN THEATER - KEYSTONE NA - EST. 1945
Woodlawn Comedy is a premier full-service production and events company providing top-tier live comedy and entertainment performances at the historic Woodlawn Theatre. The venue is strategically located in the Art Deco district within 10 minutes of downtown San Antonio. Designed by renowned architect John Eberson in 1945 and is now a flagship for Comedy shows in San Antonio, with a seating capacity of 985 (floor and balcony seating). The Woodlawn Theatre boasts a vast performance stage, 2 dressing/green rooms to accommodate more than 6 performers, and advanced lighting, audio, and visual production technology.
WOODLAWN LAKE - WOODLAWN NA - EST. 1889
Woodlawn Lake was the dream of real estate developers in the 1880s who wanted to build West End, a residential subdivision on San Antonio’s rural west side. Today, after more than 100 years, Woodlawn Lake remains a popular gathering spot for visitors from throughout San Antonio. Residents use a walking trail daily, fish from the boat dock, and swim at the pool. In the late 1990s the park became the site of the city’s annual Fourth of July celebration, complete with fireworks and a parade. It continues to draw enormous crowds each year.
BRANNEN'S HARDWARE STORE - JEFFERSON NA - EST. 1950
Brannen's Inc., which operates at 1835 Fredericksburg Road, was started in 1947 by Fred Brannen. However, at that time, it was an Army surplus store. Although often referred to as a "hardware store" by the Old Spanish Trail community, Brannen's primarily serves the construction and manufacturing industries, rather than the general public.
JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL - MONTICELLO PARK NA - EST. 1932
Thomas Jefferson High School is located in northwest San Antonio, Texas. The school occupies 33 acres adjacent to the intersection of Wilson Boulevard and Donaldson Avenue. It is named for Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States, founder of the University of Virginia, and main author of the Declaration of Independence.
DIBBLE'S HOBBIES - JEFFERSON NA - EST. 1905
Dibble's Hobbies, located at 1029 Donaldson Avenue in the Jefferson Village shopping center, has been in its current location since 1957. It is considered the oldest hobby shop in San Antonio and possibly in Texas. The business was originally founded in downtown San Antonio around 1905, though it started as a hardware and bicycle shop.
Stage Coach 1800s