December 15 in San Antonio history…

1917
Johnny Reynolds, “The Human Fly,” a steeplejack and building climber of nationwide reputation, held a great throng breathless today as he scaled the Wolff and Marx Building.  On reaching the roof, he took a chair and sat on the edge.  He then climbed the flagpole and balanced himself across the knob surmounting the pole.  Johnny, now a soldier at Kelly Field, was advertising the minstrel show which the men of the aviation section will present at the Empire Theater January 9.

1938
“America’s Sweetheart” and “America’s Boyfriend,” Mary Pickford and Buddy Rogers, make a brief stop at Stinson Field on a trip from Mexico to New Orleans.  Rogers was the star of “Wings” filmed in and around San Antonio and the winner of the first “Best Picture” Academy Award in 1927.

1999
The Wolff family sells the Sun Harvest grocery chain for $21.5 million.

September 24 in San Antonio history…

1977
At a northside restaurant, Hollywood actor Earl Holliman announces plans to open a dinner playhouse at the site of the defunct Hacienda Dinner Theater on Nov. 1.  “There are a lot of big stars who want to come to San Antonio. We are going to give them that opportunity – and give people here a chance to see them,” says Holliman.

1991
Dallas-based Barry’s Camera & Video acquires Studer’s Foto Express, whose first store was opened by Ben Studer on Alamo Plaza in 1926.

1999
The 100th Fighter Squadron of the Tuskeegee Airmen is reactivated at Randolph Air Force Base as the 100th Flying Training Squadron, flying Beeccraft T-6 Texan II, Raytheon T-1 Jayhawk and Northrop T-38C Talon trainers.

August 16 in San Antonio history..

1950
The Northside Rural High School District is formed.

1977
San Antonians mourn the death of singer Elvis Presley, who died at age 42 at his home, Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee early this morning.

1999
North East School District opens their first new high school since 1976 – Ronald Reagan High School – off Huebner Road north of Loop 1604.

 

 

July 23 in San Antonio history…

1981
KENS-TV Channel 5 breaks ground on new headquarters and studios at 5400 Fredericksburg Road.

1993
San Antonio welcomes the US Olympic Festival, which opens today.

1999
Emma Tenayuca, San Antonio labor leader, dies at age 82.

June 8 in San Antonio history…

San Antonio Express advertisement

1955
Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen, stars of the new Disney movie “Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier” are in San Antonio for the movie’s world premiere at the Majestic Theater tonight (right).

1955
A $17,000,000 project to overhaul and upgrade San Antonio schools for the next five years begins today.  Projects include the construction of a new gymnasium for Brackenridge High School and the construction of an auditorium at Lanier High School.

1999
British rock band Def Leppard plays in the parking lot for the grand opening of the new Walmart store at I-10 and DeZavala Road.

February 22 in San Antonio history…

1885
U.S. Marshal Hal Gosling of San Antonio is shot to death by a bandit on a train south of New Braunfels.

1937
The Ripley’s Believe It or Not appearing in the San Antonio Light features a dog owned by Mr. C. F. Schultz of St. Paul, Minnesota (right).  A picture of the dog is drawn by his son, Sparky.  Charles “Sparky” Schultz.  The dog is named Spike, and will be the model for Snoopy in the future “Peanuts” comic strip.

1999
Amtrak opens a new passenger station between Sunset Station and the Alamodome.

February 4 in San Antonio history…

1946
The U.S. Air Force basic training headquarters is moved from Harlingen AFB to Lackland AFB in San Antonio.

1972
Final plans and specifications for initial buildings, site development and utility distribution system at the new University of Texas at San Antonio were approved by UT regents today. Plans cover seven buildings encompassing 799,000 gross square feet of floor space at an estimated cost of $36,522,000.

1999
Solo Serve holds their final liquidation sale and closes after 80 years in business.

January 24 in San Antonio history…

1905
The State Legislature passed a bill to purchase the Alamo for a historic shrine for $65,000.

1938
Demolishing of the old market house on Market Plaza started today.  After the 37-year old structure is razed, construction will begin on a new $168,981 market house.  It will be one story of brick and concrete.

1999
“Old No. 794″ Southern Pacific steam locomotive is moved from Maverick Park to Sunset Station.

September 25 in San Antonio history…

1922
Radio station WOAI (“World Of Agricultural Information”) transmits its first radio broadcast. It is the third radio station in San Antonio.

1960
“The Flintstones” premieres on ABC television affiliate KONO-TV Channel 12 at 7 p.m.  The primetime cartoon was created in color but broadcast in black & white until the third season. They are also sponsored by Winston cigarettes!

1965
Atheist Madelyn Murray O’Hair, noted for her 1963 Supreme Court case banning prayer in schools, is arrested in San Antonio after a flight from Mexico City.  She is taken into custody and jailed under 11 warrants from Baltimore charging her with aggravated assault on policemen.  She was arrested at the Greyhound bus terminal after police missed her at the airport.

September 24 in San Antonio history…

1916
Jack Burke, manager of the Grand Opera House, announces that he has secured the state rights for Tom May’s Electro-Wonder scoreboard and folks that do not go east to watch the World Series will be afforded the opportunity to see each game played at the Grand Opera House on the latest improved scoreboard (right).

1917
To assist federal and local authorities protecting soldiers, the city council passed an ordinance prohibiting the use of autos for immoral purposes and offered a large reward for the arrest and conviction of anyone caught selling liquor to soldiers.

1999
The 100th Fighter Squadron of the Tuskeegee Airmen is reactivated at Randolph Air Force Base as the 100th Flying Training Squadron, flying Beeccraft T-6 Texan II, Raytheon T-1 Jayhawk and Northrop T-38C Talon trainers.