Eight Unusual San Antonio Historic Institutions

1

Samuel Gompers statue

Probably the most disliked statue in the city, the Gompers monument rests on Market Street across from the convention center. When the Fairmount Hotel was moving to its new location in 1985, onlookers were rooting for the building to run into the statue.

Gompers established the American Federation of Labor in 1886, which started with 150,000 highly skilled craftsmen, who were not easily replaced by strikebreakers. Therefore, the union was extremely successful in gaining concessions from employers. The labor movement was mainly on the East Coast and had little effect on San Antonio, which was beyond the reach of the Industrial Revolution and early labor activity at the time.

The only reason the statue of Gompers sits downtown is that he died in San Antonio, at the St. Anthony Hotel in 1924. He was returning from an international labor conference in Mexico, and his train stopped overnight here. AFL-CIO gave the monument to the city in 1974.

2

North Pole marker

Ever wonder how many miles it is to the North Pole? Someone obviously did. At the southeast corner of Dewey Street and Main Avenue, behind San Antonio College, sits a marker that points out that the North Pole is 4,189 miles away. For many years, the origin of the sign was a great mystery.

The Samuel Gompers statue on Market Street, across from the Convention Center.

The building, which has passed through many hands, was once home to the Evergreen Drugstore. The store was owned by R. T. and Victor Jones from 1920 to 1943. R. T. Jones’s daughter-in-law is Marianna Jones, who later became president of the San Antonio Conservation Society. In the March 1995 issue of the S.A.C.S. News she recounted the story of the sign:

About 1940, in the midst of one of the coldest winters in San Antonio history, a car struck and damaged the Main Avenue storefront. As so often happens, the tile could not be matched and, while the Jones brothers pondered solutions, a customer complained about the incredible weather, saying it must be as bad as that at the North Pole. A discussion about how far it must be to the North Pole ensued, so “RT” vowed to write Rand McNally to find out—and in due time an answer arrived: “4189 miles.” Coincidentally, a cement worker involved in another project in the area, hearing of the Jones brothers difficulties with their storefront damage, offered to create a sign in the problem place. RT, quite a prankster, thought the North Pole idea would be a great joke, hence the relatively well known sign.

3

Pat Memorial

Located on Wilson Avenue in Fort Sam Houston, this memorial was erected in honor of Pat the Horse, who retired after twenty-six years of military service when the 12th Field Artillery Unit was motorized. Pat died in 1953, at the age of forty-five, but his memory lives on.

4

Water Museum

Established in 1976 in the historic Schroeder-Yturri home on the City Water Board property on Commerce Street, the Water Museum was run by the water board but had irregular hours and was such a well-kept secret that even many water board employees knew nothing of it. A brass plaque outside the building proudly proclaims the museum’s existence, despite the fact that the exhibits were moved to the basement when the board needed more office space, effectively closing the obscure attraction.

5

Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa

Located at 138 Beethoven Street on the east side, this shrine commemorates a thousand years of Polish Christianity. Built in 1966, it honors the black Madonna, Poland’s most important religious icon. In addition, the pink granite memorial also honors silent film star Pola Negri, who made San Antonio her home in the twilight of her life. It is the only shrine anywhere that honors both. Nuns from Poland staff the facility, and masses in Polish are held there daily.

6

Ursuline Academy’s curious clock tower

When the old convent and school were built on Convent Street, it was on the edge of town. Since no one lived to the north of the academy, the tower was built without a clock facing that direction. The young ladies who attended the academy used to say that there was no clock on the north side because they would not be caught giving the time of day to a Yankee.

7

Old Spanish Trail marker

In 1929 Bexar County had the most paved roads in America, including the very first one to cross the nation, the Old Spanish Trail. Probably the most used road, the Old Spanish Trail is often confused with the Camino Real, established by the Spanish, which is believed to be the oldest road in America. The Old Spanish Trail was actually started in 1915 and completed in 1924, making San Antonio the geographic center of modern paved thoroughfare. Today, Interstate 10 follows the route set by that early road. Sadly, there are few reminders of the once great road. Behind an electrical box on the corner of Fredericksburg and Vance Jackson Roads is a stone bench bearing the wrought iron letters “OST,” one of the last relics of the Old Spanish Trail.

8

Barney Smith’s Toilet Seat Art Museum

Located at 239 Abiso Avenue in Alamo Heights, Barney Smith has over 500 decorated toilet seats that hang for public viewing. Smith originally decorated the seats as a hobby, but a local artist visiting his yard sale noticed the unusual art form and alerted a local TV station. After the station ran a story on the objets d’art, Smith was overwhelmed with attention. In August 1992 he opened his garage as a museum. When visiting, be sure to see the toilet seat that features a chunk of the Berlin Wall, the one with barbed wire from Auschwitz, and the one with a piece of the space shuttle Challenger. Over a thousand people a year now visit the retiree’s attraction. Barney asks that you call first before stopping by.