August 21 in San Antonio history…

1918
Monsignore Arthur Drossaerts, formerly rector of the Catholic church at Baton Rouge, La., but at present located in New Orleans in an official capacity, has been named as bishop of San Antonio to succeed Rt. Rev. John W. Shaw, former bishop, who was elevated to the archbishopric of New Orleans a few months ago.

1927
With approximately 100 artesian wells pumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of water daily, it is only a matter of time until the San Antonio River dries up, acting Mayor Phil Wright declared today.

1928
Notification of the acceptance by the Secretary of War of the site offered by San Antonio as the future home of the Air Corps Training Center, was received here today.  Land for the “West Point of the Air” was donated by the city.

1976
Southwest Airlines opens San Antonio International Airport’s first ground level jetway gate.

August 17 in San Antonio history…

1928
The Uptown Theater at West Ashby and Fredericksburg Road holds its grand opening.  The new theater is owned and operated by the Victor Theater Company, which has been operating in San Antonio nearly a year.  One of the features of the new theater is the offering of a family ticket, which will admit a whole family at nominal cost.

1955
More than 30 youngsters who share Davy Crockett’s August 17 birthday date gathered to whoop it up at a Chamber of Commerce-sponsored party in Brackenridge Park today.  Sporting coonskin caps and Davy Crockett t-shirts, they gathered around TV star Johnny Lane who led them in singing “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” and “Home on the Range.”

1956
The Edwards Aquifer reaches its lowest recorded level at 612.5 feet.

July 22 in San Antonio history…

1928
Bids are being received for the new one and two-story bus terminal buildings to be constructed at the corner of Navarro, Martin and Pecan streets.  The building is to be of brick, stone, tile and concrete construction and is to be of Spanish design.  It will cost approximately $200,000.

1953
The San Antonio Public Library is breaking all records in its 50th anniversary year.  Books now total more than 500,000 on downtown branch shelves.

2012
The Martinez Social Club in southeast San Antonio celebrates its 100th anniversary.

April 28 in San Antonio history…

1928
The City-Central Bank and Trust Company is formed with the merger of three San Antonio banks, The City National Bank, The Guaranty State Bank and The Central Trust Company.  Despite being one of the largest banks in San Antonio, they will not survive the Great Depression.

1960
Joske’s closes the Chuckwagon and Camelia Room restaurants when African-American customers ask for service there.

1961
For 30 minutes today, beginning at 3 p.m., San Antonio is “under attack.”   At that time, according to Martin M. Eser, co-ordinator, city and county civil defense mechanisms swing into action. And theoretically, not actually, the entire population of San Antonio is evacuated. Eser said: “City and county governmental functions, again in theory, were to be transferred to Leon Springs and Cascade Caverns.  Eser said city officials did not go these alternate headquarters, but civil defense units set up communications at these points. San Antonio’s dry run for disaster is part of the massive nation-wide exercise called “Operation Alert — 1961.”

February 24 in San Antonio history…

1928
Radio station KTSA (“Kum To San Antonio”) goes on the air.

1984
Henry Mancini conducts the San Antonio Symphony in the newly renamed Lila Cockrell Theater for the Performing Arts.  In a ceremony earlier in the day, the theater is renamed from the Hemisfair Theater for the Performing Arts to honor the former mayor of San Antonio.

1985
San Antonians are given their first look at the newly refurbished Municipal Auditorium after completion of a two-year renovation project.  The building was gutted in 1979 by a fire started by a workman’s cigarette.

February 1 in San Antonio history…

1859
The Menger Hotel (right) holds its grand opening.

1928
The Milam Cafeteria opens in the Milam Building at the intersection of Soledad and Travis streets.

1972
A crowd estimated between 400 and 450 welcome the new San Antonio Brewers, after the San Antonio Missions moved to Midland to become the Cubs for next season.  Speakers include Texas League President Bobby Bragan, Brewers owner and general manager, John Begzos and former Milwaukee Brewer Bob Uecker.

January 18 in San Antonio history…

1886
Leopold Wolfson buys the White Elephant Saloon to expand his dry goods business.   The building is destroyed on Oct. 1, 2011 in a fire.

1928
Pedestrian traffic control will be inaugurated in San Antonio within 30 days, police said today.  Equipment for installing pedestrian signal lights arrived today.  The city commission must now assess penalties for jaywalking.

1930
San Antonio shivered in its coldest winter temperature recorded since 1899 as the temperature falls to an 11 degree reading.  A four degree reading was recorded in 1899.

January 16 in San Antonio history…

1920
Prohibition as directed by the 18th Amendment takes effect tonight at midnight.

1928
The Bluebonnet Hotel at St. Mary’s and Pecan street opens for business.

1986
“A spectacular line of thunderstorms slams into the Alamo City just after nightfall, causing no major flooding but a lightning strike to a utility pole knocks out power to Ingram Park Mall for an hour.

January 2 in San Antonio history…

1903
The Traction Company has placed vestibule (closed) cars on its lines to the Hot Wells. The new style cars were appreciated by the employees Wednesday evening, one of the year’s most disagreeable nights.

1954
Teen-age vandals set fire to the 55-foot municipal Christmas tree on Alamo Plaza. Only the steel frame and a charred utility pole remain (right).

1985
After a morning of sleet and freezing rain, a winter storm dumps 2.4 inches of snow on the Alamo City, surprising weather forecasters.  This is the first snow since January 13, 1982 and the most since February 22, 1966.

January 1 in San Antonio history…

1928
The dawn of the New Year brings a low temperature of 19 degrees, still a record low for New Year’s Day.

1942
The first law requiring automobiles in Bexar County to be titled and registered takes effect.

1984
The Fiesta Dinner Playhouse closes after a run of just over six years.