December 4 in San Antonio history…

1899 
The city is given the gift of present-day Brackenridge Park by George W. Brackenridge.

1961
A mention in the San Antonio Light that the new Randolph High School was looking to schedule football games for fall brought a flurry of calls to Principal Earl Hall.  Six games have been scheduled already, said Hall, and he is looking for one more on either November 2 or November 9.  All the games will be played on the road, as the playing field probably will not be ready in time for the fall season.

1979
City Manager Tom Huebner denies a parade permit to the Iranian students in San Antonio who wished to protest the presence of the Shah in San Antonio.  The Ku Klux Klan, who vowed to hold a parade if the Iranian students were allowed a protest parade, are also denied a permit.

September 13 in San Antonio history…

1957
The northern lights, visible from San Antonio for the first time in many years, had lawmen frantically looking for “the big fire” early Friday morning.

1961
The San Antonio Light reports that Hurricane Carla has destroyed all but one of Galveston’s pleasure and fishing piers, including the Balinese. (The Balinese was rebuilt but finally destroyed by Hurricane Ike on September 12, 2008.)

1987
Pope John Paul II visits San Antonio and gives a Mass for an estimated 350,000 people in Westover Hills on the site of what is today Stevens High School.  He also visits Plaza Guadalupe, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, San Fernando Cathedral and Municipal Auditorium.

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.”

March 5 in San Antonio history…

1921
The Carter-Mullaly property at East Houston, Bowie and Nacogdoches streets near the Alamo has been sold for $42,000 cash to T. F. Roberts of Wichita Falls.  For many years, the property was used by the Carter Mullaly Transfer Line and was the headquarters of the old-time stage lines that left from San Antonio.

1961
The San Antonio Symphony Society’s 17th Annual Grand Opera Festival ends today with the performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida.”

1966
At 8:05 a.m., firefighters finally extinguish the massive five-alarm blaze that consumed Produce Row. The blaze began at 11:30 p.m and raged for over eight hours.  At the same time, a four-alarm fire burned the Stemens Card Company on Fredericksburg Road.  These two fires required the service of every firefighter in the city.  “I’ve never seen as much fire in one night,” said Chief M. L. Rogers.

February 26 in San Antonio history…

1868
The clock tower on the Ursuline Convent is erected.  There is no clock on the north side of the tower because there was no settlement north of that location at the time.

1936
Amelia Earhart, famed woman flyer, in San Antonio for a visit, speaks to students in the auditorium at Thomas Jefferson High School at 8:15 a.m.  Her speech is entitled, “Flying for Fun.”
(Earhart left Oakland on her around-the-world flight on May 21, 1937 and disappeared on July 2.)

1961
Sixty-six college students, both African-American and white members of the Students for Civil Liberties,  stage a second peaceful demonstration at the Majestic Theater.  The demonstration fails to change the theater’s policy on segregation, however.

January 20 in San Antonio history…

1881
The first issue of the San Antonio Light rolls off the printing presses. It remains in circulation until January 28, 1993.

1961
Jackie Gleason hosts his new show “You’re in the Picture” at 8:30 p.m on KENS Channel 5.  The show is cancelled after only one episode.  For the next week’s episode, he spends the entire 30 minutes apologizing for how bad the show was.

1981
San Antonians celebrate as the 52 American hostages are freed after 444 days in Iranian captivity.  The release came 30 minutes after Ronald Reagan took the oath of office, becoming the 40th President of the United States.  Former President Carter was informed during his last flight aboard Air Force One on his way to his home in Plains, Georgia.

December 7 in San Antonio history…

1835
A Mexican sniper kills Ben Milam in the courtyard of the Verimendi Palace. Two others die in the assault.

1950
A record-breaking cold wave sends temperatures plummeting down to an early morning low of 14 degrees in San Antonio.

1961
The City Council authorizes a loan of $680,000 from the National Bank of Commerce for the purchase of a new fleet of 30 air-conditioned busses.  Delivery is expected in May.  The board has already purchased 45 air-conditioned buses.

December 4 in San Antonio history…

1899
The city is given the gift of present-day Brackenridge Park by George W. Brackenridge.

1961
Texas Attorney General Will Wilson reveals a plan calling for the construction of a new museum adjacent to the Alamo, calling it “a sort of walk-through panorama of the dramatic, exciting story of the Texas Revolution.”  The proposed new museum is outlined as part of the attorney general’s plan to bolster Texas’ sagging tourist industry.

1968
Colonies North Shopping Center opens for business at Wurzbach and Ironside Drive.  Stores include:  Handy Andy, Winn’s, Michael’s (clothing), Treasure Cove, Cheer Shop liquor store, M&M Hardware and  Colony Furniture Mart.

December 3 in San Antonio history…

1869
The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word formally dedicate Santa Rosa Hospital, then known as Charity Hospital, located at Cameron and Commerce Streets.  An advertisement in the San Antonio Express promised that the Infirmary would open to “all persons without distinction of nationality or creed.”

1961
The Thomas Jefferson Mustangs, with future UT and NFL star Tommy Nobis, lose to the Corpus Christi Ray Texans, 26-7, in a State quarterfinal game in Corpus Christi.

1992
While in San Antonio to film his Christmas special, “Bob Hope ‘s 4-Star Fiesta Christmas From San Antonio”, entertainer Bob Hope visits Bob Hope Elementary School at 3022 Reforma Drive – the only elementary school in the nation named for him. Second-grader Jennifer Ramirez, 7,  presents him with a red school t-shirt and a kiss on the cheek.  “Is it true you’re going to build us a swimming pool?” one boy asked. School officials hid their embarrassment and quickly led the students in a chorus of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

September 13 in San Antonio history…

1957
The northern lights, visible from San Antonio for the first time in many years, had lawmen frantically looking for “the big fire” early Friday morning.

1961
The San Antonio Light reports that Hurricane Carla has destroyed all but one of Galveston’s pleasure and fishing piers, including the Balinese.

1987
Pope John Paul II visits San Antonio and gives a Mass for an estimated 350,000 people in Westover Hills on the site of what is today Stevens High School.  He also visits Plaza Guadalupe, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, San Fernando Cathedral and Municipal Auditorium. (photo courtesy of the San Antonio Express-News)