|
Little Church
in La Villita
Courtesy of www.lavillita.com, photographer Rick Hunter
|
Once the site of a Coahuiltecan Indian village, the La Villita Historic
District portrays the building traditions of the early Mexican, European
and Anglo American settlers who shaped the history of San Antonio. During
the Spanish colonial period, the site was a barrio or small neighborhood,
referred to as the "Town of the Alamo." The "town" evolved from the
houses constructed in the 1760s for families of Spanish soldiers attached
to the San Antonio de Bexar Presidio. Because it sat on relatively high
ground, La Villita began to appeal to the wealthier families of San
Antonio. During the 1840s, German and later Swiss and French immigrants
moved into the district, modifying the community and adding European
style architecture. The La Villita Historic District preserves building
types typical of early Texas architecture in the 19th century.
The La Villita Historic District is
bounded by Durango, Navarro, Alamo sts. and the San Antonio River in downtown San Antonio, aprroximately four blocks from The
Alamo. Shops are
generally open daily from 10:00am to 6:00pm. For further information, call 210-207-7235,
visit San Antonio's website
or www.lavillita.com.
The Fairmont Hotel, located in La Villita Historic District, is a Historic Hotels of America member, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
|