During the 1930s, the population of San Antonio increased by 43%, and the city was developed rapidly, especially in the Downtown area. To accommodate street cars and modern traffic, streets and roads were widened. Mexican workers in the city experienced numerous hardships during the 1930s, as revealed by several critical events. One of the city’s most notable causes of national attention was the Pecan Shellers’ Strike against the Southern Pecan Shelling Company in 1938.
In 1900, San Antonio became the state’s largest city. It remained in the top spot until 1930 when Dallas and Houston overtook the Alamo City. In addition to connecting the city to major markets, it contributed to the mainstream of American society. The 1930s were when record labels such as Victor, Bluebird, OKeh, Columbia, American Record Corporation, Decca, and others sought out artists for field recordings in San Antonio.
Below are some stunning historical photos that will take you back to 1930s San Antonio. They show us a whole different world than we know today.
#1 Ed Rivas with mule-drawn streetcar at Main Plaza with Bexar County Courthouse in the background, 1933
#2 Striking pecan shellers picketing on the sidewalk in front of the Southern Pecan Shelling Company at 135 East Cevallos Street, 1938
#3 A striking pecan sheller throws a stone as he stands in the street, 1938
#4 Bluebonnet Hotel, San Antonio, 1930
#5 Aerial view of Alamo Plaza, 1931
#6 Looking east down Houston Street at the Battle of Flowers Parade, 1939
#7 1927 Ford Roadster pickup truck decorated with slogans supporting the pecan shellers’ strike, 1938
#8 Demonstration of unemployed workers outside City Hall, 1930
#9 Views along the Fredericksburg and Northern Railroad, 1939
#10 Views along the Fredericksburg and Northern Railroad, 1939
#11 Feast of Christ the King procession from St. John’s Seminary, 1930s.
#12 Procession crossing the west side of Military Plaza on way to the consecration of Most Rev. Joseph M. Preciado, rector of San Fernando, to be titular bishop of Tegea, Panama, 1934
#13 Franklin Roosevelt and party in front of the Alamo during his visit to celebrate the Texas Centennial, 1936
#14 Beginning restoration of the granary at Mission San Jose, 1932
#15 Buster and Sissie, chimpanzees named for Franklin D. Roosevelt’s grandchildren, posed with Paramount newsreel camera at the Brackenridge Park Zoo, 1934
#16 Women formerly employed by Finck Cigar Factory at 602 Buena Vista Street, 1933
#17 Police arresting Aurora Vallejo during the San Antonio Laundry Strike, 1937
#18 Strike pickets outside of Shirlee Frock, 109 S. Pecos Street, 1937
#19 Members of the jury for the Maury Maverick poll tax trial, 1939
#20 Robert Hein and Fred Stark in zoo pony cart, 1939
#21 War Mothers Memorial outside windows in Municipal Auditorium that were broken during riot protesting Communist rally, San Antonio, 1939
#22 Protestors and spectators outside Municipal Auditorium before beginning of Communist rally, San Antonio, 1939
#23 Concrete arch over the San Antonio River, 1939
#24 Firemen turn hoses on the rioters outside Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas, 1939
#25 San Antonio Missions on the outfield of Tech Field, 1937
#26 Italian American members of San Antonio Missions eating spaghetti, 1939
#27 San Antonio Laundry Strike – women getting into company truck, 1937
#28 Philippine President Manuel Quezon visiting San Antonio, 1937
#29 San Antonio Missions team, 1937
#30 Parking meter in middle of weeds near corner of Jefferson and E. Pecan Streets,1938
#31 Office of Roscoe R. Haley, M.D., 216 N. Santa Rosa Avenue, San Antonio, 1939
#32 Sanitary Tortilla Manufacturing Company, 108 S. Laredo Street, San Antonio, 1938
#33 Demolition of houses near Vera Cruz and San Jacinto Streets, 1939
#34 The San Antonio River, looking south, 1930
#35 Jerrie Smith, Corinne Miller and Taddie Klein (l.-r.) scrub flats which will serve as scenery at the opening production in the Little Theatre, 1938
#36 Barefoot boy at ticket window of Teatro Progreso, 1938
#37 Kenneth Savage standing beside his speed boat, Goo-Goo, 1937
#38 Pinky Ponce on top of train full of donated toys at Miller Park, 1938
#39 Street litter from 1939 Fiesta Parade, 1939
#40 Crowd lining Alamo Plaza for 1937 parade, 1937
#41 John Williams and children on ferris wheel at 1938 Fiesta Carnival, 1938
#42 Model of Mission San Jose, 1933
#43 Mrs. J.A. Petty and Mrs. Fannie Applewhite posed beside the Alamo gate, 1939
#44 Retirement review for Gen. Ovenshine, 1937
#45 Mrs. Ray Elliott and Mrs. Albert Robey in car in front of the Alamo, 1937
Mrs. Ray Elliott of Laredo, in car, and Mrs. Albert Robey of San Antonio leave from in front of Alamo on Laredo-Kansas City, Mo., trip. They will represent Mothers of America at conclave of safety experts in Kansas City. Their organization has taken Mothers' Safety Appeal into 26 states.''
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#46 Train at train station, 1948
#47 San Antonio firemen in drills at Central Fire Station, 1937
#48 Ruins of church and convento, Mission San Jose, 1931
#49 San Antonio firemen in drills at Central Fire Station, 1937
#50 Views of the new Federal Building and Post Office on Alamo Plaza, 1937
#51 Views of the new Federal Building and Post Office on Alamo Plaza, 1937
#52 New Salado Valley School on Bitters Road, construction aided by W.P.A., 1938
#53 Kampmann Building before demolition, 1939
#54 Photograph shows J.G. Finnegan (left) and Kenneth Laird with Brack, an enridge Park donkey), 1939
#55 Various floats in the 1937 Battle of Flowers Parade, 1937
#56 Floats in the 1937 Battle of Flowers Parade,1939
#57 Hippopotamus building at the San Antonio Zoo during construction, 19363
#58 Bexar County track meet at Edison High School, 1937
440-yard dash at the Bexar County Track Meet held at Edison High School. L-1562-A shows K. L. Berry, Jr., of Alamo Heights High School leading at turn. L-1562-B shows Walter O'Conner of Edison High School winning at finish line. L-1562-C shows Walter O'Conner with a muscle cramp.
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#59 Rear of caliche block house, behind 112-114 S. Laredo Street, San Antonio, 1935
#60 Lucky Teter, a daredevil automobile stunt driver, attempting to turn over a 1935 Plymouth 4 drive car at Hell Drivers exhibition at Eagle Field.
#61 The fire escapes at Brackenridge High School, 1935
#62 San Antonio Laundry strike – View of women pickets carrying umbrellas, 1937
#63 Seating area under construction at outdoor river theater, 1939
#64 Portrait of Bill Nelson, a baseball player for the San Antonio Missions, 1937
#65 San Antonio River flood photographs, 1935
#66 Street vendors unloading cushions for the 1937 Battle of Flowers Parade, 1937
#67 One-story frame apartment house, 811 1/2 W. Travis Street, San Antonio, 1938
#68 Battle of Flowers parade on Broadway, 1939
#69 Exterior of building, southwest corner of S. Pecos and E. Commerce Streets, 1937
#70 Members of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union, 1937
#71 Small attached houses, Numbers 9 and 4 Dinero Alley, San Antonio, 1937
#72 Mansion of Mrs. Alice T. Morgan on Alameda Circle in San Antonio, 1936
#73 Sig Gryska, a baseball player for the St. Louis Browns, 1937
#74 A newly built bridge on Highway 66 over the Guadalupe River, 1936
#75 Felesfora Benavides sweeping street after 1937 Battle of Flowers Parade, 1937
#76 W.W. Lorrilard standing beside new road grader, 1939
#77 Portrait of Wallace Ingram standing in front of a 43-foot pleasure boat his father, Jack Wallace, had recently completed building, 1936
#78 Ice plant near Comfort, 1939
#79 Women in travel trailer encampment, 1939
#80 A boat with a construction site in the background at Port Lavaca, 1936
#81 The state penitentiary in Huntsville, 1935
#82 2nd Division motorcycle squads on review, 1939
#83 Portrait of Phil Scott of Brackenridge High School football team, 1936
#84 Goliad State Park auditorium under construction, 1937
#85 Portrait of tennis player John Bromwich, 1937
#86 The 2nd Division on review at Fort Sam Houston, 1939
#87 Back of apartment house, 538 N. Laredo Street, San Antonio, 1937
#88 Building a steel and concrete bridge across the Medina River, ten miles south of San Antonio, 1935
#89 Exterior of the James Vance Residence, 1939
Reminders of former glory still linger among modern improvements in the Texas State Employment Service building facing the Bexar County Courthouse on Nueva Street. The French colonial styled home was started in 1847 by Hames Vance, an Irish immigrant. 19th century notables such as Gen. Robert E. Lee, Gen. Sam Houston, Gen. Grant and the noted Indian fighter, Gen. Bullis, are said to have been among the dignitaries who dined and danced in the palatial 16-room residence.
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#90 Exterior of the J.B. Nelson residence, 1930
#91 Pvt. E.G. Clohecy placing covers on headlights, 1937
#92 Herbert Abbott chaining bicycle to fence, 1937
#93 John Nance Garner and Ross Brumfield fishing, 1939
#94 L.A. LeLaurin stands beside tree removing machine, 1939
L.A. LeLaurin, garbage department superintendent, stands beside tree moving machine built of salvage steel, old auto parts, at a cost of {dollar}450. The ingenuity of members of the city garbage department saved the park Commissioner the price of a new machine. One other such machine in the city cost {dollar}3000.
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#95 Newly completed DRT meeting hall at the Alamo, 1939
#96 Jack Davenport, archaeologist, repainting a Tongan totem pole donated by Porter Loring which stands in front of the Witte Museum, 1938
#97 Dinky Boeck, 1938
#98 Photograph of the front of the Municipal Auditorium showing the Rotarian Christmas tree, 1930’s
#99 Jerry Smith and Imogene Hawley, Lasso Girls, in cab of train engine, 1939
jerry Smith, left, and Imogene Hawley wave from engine cab as they depart from Missouri-Pacific Railroad Station on a 13-day trip to New York World's Fair. They belong to the Lasso Girls from Thomas Jefferson High School. They will advertise Texas and San Antonio
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#100 Parade of unemployed workers, on W. Houston Street, on way to City Hall, San Antonio, 1930s
#101 Aerial view, looking northeast, of downtown San Antonio, June 1930
#102 Warehouse buildings, San Antonio Arsenal, 1930
#103 The front of the Municipal Auditorium showing the Rotarian Christmas tree, 1930
#104 Interior of Chapel of the Miracles, San Antonio, 1920s
#105 Ground crew inspection, Brooks Field, 1930s
#106 Exterior of the Milam Building, 105-125 W. Travis Street, San Antonio, 1920s
#107 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, 1930s
#108 Hill near Helotes, 1930
#109 Smith-Young Tower and the San Antonio River between Martinez and Nueva Streets, San Antonio, 1930
#110 Aerial view of Smith-Young Tower, Plaza Hotel, and surrounding buildings, San Antonio, 1930
#111 Aurora Apartments under construction, San Antonio, 1930
#112 Kollett House, Fredericksburg, Texas, 1930s
#113 Alamo and Medical Arts Building, San Antonio, 1930
#114 Looking southeast from the Milam Building towards Gunter Hotel and Gunter Office Building, San Antonio, 1930
#115 Mexican curio store, San Antonio, 1930
#116 Smith-Young Tower and the Plaza Hotel from Dwyer Avenue, 1930
#117 J. C. Penney Company, 305 W. Commerce Street, 1930
#118 Bexar County Courthouse, Main Plaza, San Antonio, 1930
#119 Medical Arts Building decorated with lights, 1930
#120 Johnson Street Bridge, San Antonio, 1937
#121 Casino Club Building, 102 W. Crockett Street, 1930s
#122 National Bank of Commerce, San Antonio, 1933
#123 Cos House, San Antonio, 1920s
#124 Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad Station, San Antonio, 1937
#125 Sears-Roebuck Store in Smith-Young Tower, San Antonio, 1935
#126 Feast of Christ the King procession from St. John’s Seminary (background, left) to St. Peter’s and St. John’s Orphanage. Mission Concepción in background, 1930
#127 Bull in Roegelein Packing Company, 1930s
#128 The San Antonio River, looking south, 1930
#129 The San Antonio River and the back of buildings that front on Alamo Street, 1930
#130 Exterior of the J.B. Nelson residence, 1930
#131 A.J. Madlem in garden outside convento, 1935
#132 Alamo, San Antonio, 1935
#133 Man speaking outside the Alamo, 1935
#134 The Vogue Building, 301-303 E. Houston Street, San Antonio, 1935
#135 Alamo, San Antonio, late-1930s
#136 Palm trees on Alamo Plaza in front of Federal Building and Post Office, San Antonio, 1935
#137 Alamo and Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, 1935
#138 Gunter Hotel, San Antonio, 1935
#139 Exterior of Mechler’s Shell Service Station, Castroville Road and 34th Street, San Antonio, 1935
#140 San Antonio Loan and Trust Company, 235 E. Commerce Street, and San Antonio National Bank, 213 E. Commerce Street, 1935
#141 San Antonio River flood photographs, 1935
#142 W. Commerce Street looking west toward intersection of Navarro Street, San Antonio, 1935
Advertisers' Building (right), northwest corner of Commerce and Navarro Streets, with Sol Saper Clothing Store on lower floor, Navarro Club on second floor. King Furniture Company in building to the left of Advertisers' Building. Tall sign for The San Antonio Loan & Trust Co. in center.
