Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part I (Alamo: reviews, comparison)

[wCat]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

Could this be the same Ramada Inn? I have seen this picture before and thought that it couldn't be because the address is 333 NW Military. A google maps query revealed that there no address in the 300 series anywhere on NW Military. We grew up near NW Military and I don't remember there ever being a Ramada Inn out there. However, this card is from the 50's and I did little sluething (No wacko nut-job recointering this time) and discovered that Harry Wurzbach road and NW Military highway where once the same road. It was called Harry Wurzbach's Military Highway and it ran exactly the same path as 4-10 today takes by North Star Mall. That section of what is now 4-10 is what connected Harry Wurzbach to NW Military. Fasinating history, apparently they called it a "Military highway" because it linked Ft. Sam to the training grounds that would eventually become known as Camp Bullis. I am sure it's no coincidence that it also ran conveniently close to the Wurzbach estate and farms which became present day Colonies North.

OK...totally swinging the topic over to Harry Wurzbach and NW Military HWY. I have recently been doing some research in this area and it really is interesting how these roads evolved. I have been trying to sort out the Wurzbach's across town, and I'm getting close to having some answers.

Before either highway was constructed, the soldiers at Camp Travis (training grounds North and adjacent to Fort Sam Houston) would march on a two day trek up to New Braunfels. The first night would be a stop in Selma...and day two landed them at Landa Park. They would be followed by supply trucks for food and equipment. Then they would turn around and head back to CT and along the way pass the next group of trainees. All of this was happening on the Austin Rd, which was one of the busier thoroughfares out of town. Some of the troops were sent up to Camp Bullis by way of Hwy 12 to Fredericksburg Rd (Hwy 12 was formerly a FM road called Zercher Rd....now part of Loop 410).

These maneuvers were very rough on the Austin Rd and one of the CO's at Camp Travis petitioned for a better route to Camp Bullis. Prior to WWII, the connection to Hwy 12 was made, along with the section cutting North to Camp Bullis. This highway was initially named U.S. Military Hwy....and then later the full length was named after Harry Wurzbach...being Harry Wurzbach Military Hwy. After the war ended....the training lessened and treks by foot to camp were relocated. The International Airport was constructed and Loop 410 was completed in the early 60's cutting off part of the connection between Ft Sam and Camp Bullis. The South End retained the named "Harry Wurzbach Rd" out of Ft Sam....and the North End retained "NW Military Hwy"
up to Camp Bullis. The NW was added because of it's Southern "sister" Hwy...SW Military Hwy. NW and SW were never connected. At one time, plans were underway to connect all the military installations around the city.....which was the basis for Loop 410. It was, however never used for that purpose.

The part I have not verified yet is where Harry Wurzbach lived in San Antonio. He is listed as being from Seguin, but born in San Antonio. He was a US Congressman who served on the Military Affairs committee. He was related to the "Wurzbachs" of the I-10 area...son and brother who lived in that area. There were also "Wurzbachs" that owned about 90-100 acres of land near adjacent to the Oakwell Farms development. I'm researching that family to see if Harry ever lived in that area. From what I have discerned from my notes, Harry Wurzbach Military Hwy was named in his honor more for his service to the country and support of the growth of the military, rather than being associated with the area. The growth of Ft Sam, Camp Bullis and all the military installations around San Antonio were far reaching beyond this area. The US Government strongly supported the military facilities here as the different military campaigns waxed and waned.

Very interesting stuff! ...ok...I'm a total history nerd...

[jg1208]

The carousel from Central Park Mall was purchased by Eagle's Nest church in 2006. Since then
Eagle's Nest has had a new church built and a name change at a different location. The new location
is called Summit Christian Center on Marshall Rd. between 281 N. and Bulverde Rd. That is where you
can find the beautiful carousel.

P.S. You can rent it for parties.

[Sweetie Pie]

Originally Posted by jg1208

The carousel from Central Park Mall was purchased by Eagle's Nest church in 2006. Since then
Eagle's Nest has had a new church built and a name change at a different location. The new location
is called Summit Christian Center on Marshall Rd. between 281 N. and Bulverde Rd. That is where you
can find the beautiful carousel.

P.S. You can rent it for parties.

Thanks JG, I was wondering which carousel it was, that the Church bought. My friend was at the new Summit Christian Ctr. a few weeks ago for a children's event, and described how beautiful the carousel looked in it's specially made structure. Also, that you could rent it out for private events. I must stop by and take a look sometime.

[Paka]

How cool...would love to see it again.

[faith63]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

I did manage to find this postcard featuring the sky ride over sunken gardens

Does anyone know what became of the Japanese family that lived at the Tea Gardens at Suken Gardens prior to WWII?

[DickZ]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

...Several months ago I posted that i heard that the Old San Francisco Steakhouse was reopened.... Fast foward to last night, on a whim I decided to take my wife there since they reopend. I can tell you this: The steak I had was better than Morton's or Ruth's Chris.

...They still have the girl on the swing and (don't mention this to my wife) she looked hotter then the girls I remember as a kid (although I don't think I appreciated the female form as much at 7 or 10 as I do now).

Thanks for the update, GW. It's great to hear that the steak is that good, and that the girl on the swing is back!

I'll be sure to take my brother and sister there the next time I come for a visit. We started going there the first year the place opened.

[DickZ]

Originally Posted by faith63

Does anyone know what became of the Japanese family that lived at the Tea Gardens at Suken Gardens prior to WWII?

The following according to Wikipedia (and I'm pretty sure the tour guides explain it this way also):

"In 1919, at the city's invitation, Kimi Eizo Jingu, a local Japanese-American artist, moved to the garden. In 1926, they opened the Bamboo Room, where light lunches and tea were sold. Kimi and Miyoshi Jingu maintained the gardens, lived in the park, and raised eight children. Kimi was a representative of the Shizuoka Tea Association and was considered an expert in the tea business nationally. He died in 1938, and in 1941 the family was evicted with the rise of anti-Japanese sentiment of World War II.

"The gardens were renamed the Chinese Tea Gardens, and a Chinese-American family, Ted and Ester Wu, opened a snack bar in the pagoda until the early 1960s. In 1984, under the direction of Mayor Henry Cisneros, the city restored the original 'Japanese Tea Garden' designation in a ceremony attended by Jingu's children and representatives of the Japanese government."

[Snowglobe]

Originally Posted by Sweetie Pie

I thought Playland's carousel was sold off to different individuals.

According to the book by Ed Gaida about Playland Park that was published in 2007 and has a chapter on the carousel, it went to Bell's Amusement Park in Tulsa in 1980. It operated there until 1985 and in 1986 returned to San Antonio where it was sold at public auction.

This is very eerie to me because I grew up in SA and my husband grew up in Tulsa. We most likely rode the same carousel ride in our respective hometowns as kids, many years before we met.

[Willsatx]

Originally Posted by wCat

OK...totally swinging the topic over to Harry Wurzbach and NW Military HWY. I have recently been doing some research in this area and it really is interesting how these roads evolved. I have been trying to sort out the Wurzbach's across town, and I'm getting close to having some answers.

Before either highway was constructed, the soldiers at Camp Travis (training grounds North and adjacent to Fort Sam Houston) would march on a two day trek up to New Braunfels. The first night would be a stop in Selma...and day two landed them at Landa Park. They would be followed by supply trucks for food and equipment. Then they would turn around and head back to CT and along the way pass the next group of trainees. All of this was happening on the Austin Rd, which was one of the busier thoroughfares out of town. Some of the troops were sent up to Camp Bullis by way of Hwy 12 to Fredericksburg Rd (Hwy 12 was formerly a FM road called Zercher Rd....now part of Loop 410).

These maneuvers were very rough on the Austin Rd and one of the CO's at Camp Travis petitioned for a better route to Camp Bullis. Prior to WWII, the connection to Hwy 12 was made, along with the section cutting North to Camp Bullis. This highway was initially named U.S. Military Hwy....and then later the full length was named after Harry Wurzbach...being Harry Wurzbach Military Hwy. After the war ended....the training lessened and treks by foot to camp were relocated. The International Airport was constructed and Loop 410 was completed in the early 60's cutting off part of the connection between Ft Sam and Camp Bullis. The South End retained the named "Harry Wurzbach Rd" out of Ft Sam....and the North End retained "NW Military Hwy"
up to Camp Bullis. The NW was added because of it's Southern "sister" Hwy...SW Military Hwy. NW and SW were never connected. At one time, plans were underway to connect all the military installations around the city.....which was the basis for Loop 410. It was, however never used for that purpose.

The part I have not verified yet is where Harry Wurzbach lived in San Antonio. He is listed as being from Seguin, but born in San Antonio. He was a US Congressman who served on the Military Affairs committee. He was related to the "Wurzbachs" of the I-10 area...son and brother who lived in that area. There were also "Wurzbachs" that owned about 90-100 acres of land near adjacent to the Oakwell Farms development. I'm researching that family to see if Harry ever lived in that area. From what I have discerned from my notes, Harry Wurzbach Military Hwy was named in his honor more for his service to the country and support of the growth of the military, rather than being associated with the area. The growth of Ft Sam, Camp Bullis and all the military installations around San Antonio were far reaching beyond this area. The US Government strongly supported the military facilities here as the different military campaigns waxed and waned.

Very interesting stuff! ...ok...I'm a total history nerd...

Great post about Wurzbach, it amazing how the street used to be before the airport was built. I saw something online about this same subject and wish I would have remembered.

[BudB]

For those interested in the old Playland Park Carousel, here is a quote from the History of Playland Park; "This 1917 C.W. Parker carousel turned in San Antonio's Playland Park from 1940 until the park's closing in 1980. From 1981 to 1985 it operated at Bell’s Amusement Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1988 the carousel was auctioned off in pieces. The San Antonio Carousel Foundation is currently in the process of buying and restoring all the original pieces. Space has been allocated in Hemisfair Park for the historic ride to operate once it is restored." This is good news indeed and if you're interested in more park history go get a copy of Ed Gaida's wonderful book titled JUST FOR FUN! Jimmy Johnson's Playland Park. It is a great book with lot's of fotos from the beginning to the end of that magical place out on N. Alamo.