Author Archives: sanantonioriverwalker

Pola Negri……polanegri.com Today we remember Pola Negri…she passed away in San Antonio on this day in 1987. She was born Apolonia Barbara Chalupiec in Lipno, Poland, and from that day, for the next 90 years, her life was full of intrigue and mystery…with just a touch of fantasy. Throughout her career, she would regale storiesContinue reading “Remembering Pola Negri….the silent screen star who made San Antonio her home”

Although she was not born in San Antonio, Karen Hantze Susman put the Alamo City on the world stage on Saturday July 7th, 1962, sixty years ago today, when she won both the Ladies’ Singles crown and then the Doubles Title at Wimbledon. Photo: A young Karen Hantze….Getty Image Karen Hantze was born in SanContinue reading “Game, Set & Match to San Antonio at Wimbledon”

Photo: Torch of Friendship ( with Tower of the Americas ) Photograph by the Author It was on June 27th, 2002, that “La Antorcha de la Armistad” ( The Torch of Friendship ) was dedicated and unveiled in downtown San Antonio. The sculpture, made up of two non-parallel columns reaching to the sky, and connectedContinue reading “THE TORCH OF FRIENDSHIP UNVEILED ON THIS DAY”

Photo: finder.com It was on June 20th, 1922, that a group of 25 Army officers got together at the historic Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, and the decision was made to insure each other’s motor vehicles. This meeting rose out of the frustration of trying to find affordable insurance because military officers were always onContinue reading “Happy Birthday USAA….100 years old !”

Photo: Vanity Fair The 61 year old actor was visiting the Alamo City in May 1957 for the premiere of the biopic “The Buster Keaton Story” starring Donald O’Connor ( as Buster Keaton ), Ann Blyth, Rhonda Fleming and Peter Lorre. It was showing at the Aztec Theater. Photo: FilmAffinity Photo: Buster Keaton and DonaldContinue reading “Buster Keaton. . . the “Great Stone Face” visits San Antonio”

This is the fascinating story of one of San Antonio’s most successful department stores and business partnerships. Wolff & Marx was formed by business partners Abraham Albert Wolff and Daniel Marx in 1883. Their original store was housed in a small 20’ x 30’ adobe building on the corner of Commerce and then Yturri Street.Continue reading “WOLFF & MARX… FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO “MAMMOTH STORE””

Photo: Old Mill Crossing mural on the Riverwalk….Author Photo: Old Mill Crossing mural and Marriage Island …Author Before there were a variety of bridges across the San Antonio River, locals and travelers looked for accessible locations to ford the river with horses, wagons and buggies. Near today’s South Navarro Street bridge it was always aContinue reading “Remembering the Old Mill Crossing mural…dedicated 80 years ago today”

Photo: aarp.org The Museo Alameda was the largest Latino museum in the United States, and the first formal Smithsonian affiliate outside of Washington D.C. The $12 million, 40,000 sq ft museum was located in the historic Market Square area of San Antonio, and it opened to the public in April 2007. Photo: Author “It’s laContinue reading “The night that Linda Ronstadt and the rains came to San Antonio”

It was March 31st 1922 and the New York Yankees with the Brooklyn Dodgers were in San Antonio for an exhibition baseball game. Photo: ebay.com Photo: ebay.com The game was to be played at League Park…formerly known as Block Stadium. It was located on the south side of the city, at the corner of SouthContinue reading “The day that Babe Ruth knocked it out of the park in San Antonio”

Photo: biography.com The four-time Pulitzer Prize winning poet, Robert Frost, paid multiple visits to San Antonio. He spent the winter here from December 1936 until late March 1937, taking up residence at a home close to Trinity University. The Frost family spent Christmas Day at the St. Anthony Hotel, where Robert Frost and his wifeContinue reading “Pulitzer Prize winning poet, Robert Frost celebrated his 63rd birthday and Christmas in San Antonio 85 years ago”