SAN ANTONIO – Nestled in the heart of downtown, the Spanish Governor’s Palace stands as one of San Antonio’s oldest surviving landmarks and a reminder that South Texas played a key role in the nation’s fight for independence.
“We are standing in the National Historic Landmark Spanish Governor’s Palace,” Colleen Swain said. “It houses the original remnants of the 1722 presidio. It was the comandancia, which is the home and office of the Spanish garrison captain.”
The building has served many purposes over the past three centuries. Swain said it remained a military residence until the early 1800s before becoming everything from a tire shop to the Hole in the Wall Saloon.
“It was a lot of different things until the 1920s,” Swain said.
The structure narrowly escaped destruction thanks to preservationist Adina De Zavala, who successfully urged the city to purchase and restore the property in 1928. The palace underwent another major renovation in 2010.
Beyond its architecture, the site also tells the story of San Antonio’s connection to the American Revolutionary War.
Swain said Spanish citizens in San Antonio and Goliad answered a request from Bernardo de Gálvez, sending thousands of head of cattle and other supplies to Louisiana to support Spanish forces aiding the American colonies.
“Those supplies were cattle because they were very successful ranchers,” Swain said. “A couple thousand head of cattle were sent to support the American war effort.”
The Spanish Governor’s Palace is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday and is closed on Mondays. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for military members with an I.D. and children 7 to 13 years old.
Visitors can also see a commemorative plaque installed by the Daughters of the American Revolution recognizing the site’s historical significance.
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