What life was like in San Antonio, earlier than air-con
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1of78St. Mary’s University football players wore long sleeves and pants in the 1920s. It was probably hot as hell without cooling air conditioning, but they still had great hair. Courtesy, St. Mary’s University
2of78The San Antonio Transit Company, which later became VIA, didn’t have air-conditioned buses until 1948. The windows on this St. Mary’s College bus from the 1920s were probably always open.Courtesy, St. Mary’s University3of78
4of78Check out the long sleeves on the 1910 baseball team at St. Louis College, which later became St. Mary’s University. They had no AC, but do you think they complained about the heat?Courtesy, St. Mary’s University
5of78Working next door to the Alamo at Degen’s Brewery, San Antonio’s first, was probably sweaty business in 1904. They didn’t have air conditioning, but at least they had beer. Ernst Raba /San Antonio Conservation Society6of78
7of78San Antonio police substation No. 2 was constructed in 1901 on the corner of Guadalupe and South Smith streets. It had one telephone connected to the main police station, and definitely no AC.San Antonio Police Department Historical Society
8of78From the looks of these cooks in 1900, the phrase “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen” probably originated (or not) at St. Louis College, now known as St. Mary’s University. They look miserable with no AC. 9of78
10of78Stop complaining about the heat. Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders didn’t have air conditioning when they were training in San Antonio in 1898, and they turned out just fine.San Antonio Express-News / File photo
11of78Click through the slideshow for stereoscopic views of San Antonio from the 1800s. 12of78
13of78In this view of the Alamo Plaza, the Alamo can be seen in the far right.
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
14of78The Alamo
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson/New York Public Library Digital Collections15of78
16of78A list on the back of the cards show the range of stereoscopic views photographers sold.
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
17of78Breakfast on Military Plaza
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections18of78
19of78Mexican selling candy
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
20of78Chili-con-carne tables
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Frank Hardesty, New York Public Library Digital Collections21of78
22of78Mexican supper in Military Plaza
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
23of78Cathedral access from the Military Plaza
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections24of78
25of78The Alamo
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879New York Public Library Digital Collections
26of78River view of San Antonio
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879 27of78
28of78Western Depot
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
29of78A list on the back of the cards show the range of stereoscopic views photographers sold.
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson/New York Public Library Digital Collections30of78
31of78Commerce Street
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson/New York Public Library Digital Collections
32of78Commerce Street
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson/New York Public Library Digital Collections33of78
34of78Commerce Street
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson/New York Public Library Digital Collections
35of78Pagarias’ (Mexican women selling birds.)
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879 36of78
37of78Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital CollectionsDoerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
38of78Mexican selling wood
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections39of78
40of78Hay Peddler
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879
41of78Mexican selling candy
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections42of78
43of78Caballero
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
44of78Old Alamo Store, Great Stone
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections45of78
46of78Exterior view of an old church
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
47of78Mexican beggar
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879
Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections48of78
49of78Texas boy
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
50of78Government Depot
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections51of78
52of78S.A. River with St. Mary’s Church
Stereoscopic view
Frank Hardesty, New York Public Library Digital Collections
53of78San Antonio River
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections54of78
55of78S.A. River with St. Mary’s Church, Doerr & Jacobson: Stereoscopic views, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
56of78San Antonio River
Stereoscopic view, 1880Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections57of78
58of78San Antonio River
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson/New York Public Library Digital Collections
59of78San Pedro Park
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections60of78
61of78San Pedro Park
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
62of78View of four men standing in front of the Alamo
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections63of78
64of78Stereoscopic views, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson/New York Public Library Digital Collections
65of78The Alamo
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections66of78
67of78San Antonio River
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
68of78The Alamo
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections69of78
70of78The Alamo
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
71of78Window. Mission San Jose de Aguayo.
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections72of78
73of78San Fernando Cathedral
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Frank Hardesty, New York Public Library Collections
74of78Mission San Jose
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections75of78
76of78Mission Concepcion
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections
77of78La Purissima Concepcion de Acuna Mission
Stereoscopic view, 1876-1879Doerr & Jacobson, New York Public Library Digital Collections78of78
Not surprisingly to anyone who has lived through a San Antonio summer, the Alamo City has a number of historic firsts when it comes to innovations in air conditioning:
The St. Anthony Hotel at 300 E. Travis St., which opened in 1909, was the first hotel in the world with fully functioning air conditioning, according to its website.
The St. Anthony Hotel at 300 E. Travis St.Jennifer Whitney/Express-News
The nearby Milam Building, at 115 E. Travis St., was the first air-conditioned high-rise office building in the U.S. when it was built in 1928.
The Milam Building, at 115 E. Travis St., was the first air-conditioned high-rise office building in the U.S.
JERRY LARA
When the Majestic Theatre opened the next year in 1929, it was the first theater in Texas to have air conditioning. In fact, it was San Antonio’s first air-conditioned place that was open to the public, according to its registration form for the National Register of Historic Places.
The Majestic Theater is shown in 1954.UTSA Special Collections
In 1936, department store Joske’s became the first fully air-conditioned store in Texas. It was such a big deal that they featured it in advertisements.
In 1936, department store Joske’s became the first fully air-conditioned store in Texas. Photo circa 1970.Express-News
Click through the slideshow above to see how people lived in San Antonio before the air conditioner changed our lives forever.
jruff@mysa.com
Twitter: @julie_ruff
