City Hall, San Antonio

Sitting in the center of Military Plaza (Plaza de Armas), this Italian Renaissance Revival building, established in 1722 by the Spanish settlers of Texas who had earlier set up a garrison at San Pedro Creek which runs along the western border of the plaza, is the city’s first seat of government and one of the oldest public buildings in continuous use in the U.S.

The plaza itself has a long history. Moses Austin came here in 1820 seeking permission from the Spanish governor to settle Anglo-American colonists in Texas. Construction of the City Hall in the center of the plaza largely changed its character and put an end to the open air market, the "Chili Queens" and the rowdy activities of the cowboys, cattlemen and gamblers who used to frequent the area outside the early Old Spanish Governor's Palace and "Bat Cave" jailhouse.

Built in 1888-1891, the edifice was designed by Otto Kramer, the architect acclaimed for his work in New York, Chicago and Saint Louis. Originally, the building boasted of three-stories, topped with conical and mansard towers, as well as an octagonal, 135-feet high tower with a clock that had to be cranked 160 times, once a week, to keep it running – the look you'll probably see on the old San Antonio postcards. The overall appearance was significantly altered in 1927 when the towers and corner turrets were lopped off and a fourth floor added; the clock, damaged in removal, had to be scrapped.

As the municipal government grew, the City Hall grew with it. While many of the city departments have moved to other buildings by now, offices of the mayor and city council still remain in this historic property.