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San Antonio’s Colorful Past et’s face it, you are not going to leave San Antonio without getting a history lesson. Any number of L museums offer more artifacts and memorabilia than you can shake a rifle at. You can see the story of the Alamo unfold in front of you and around you in several different dimensions. Why not start Thanks to a colorful past with here so you can show off on the plane? many influences, today’s San The native Payaya Indians were the first to make their Antonio is truly a mix of cultures. homes along what is now called the San Antonio River. Their Here’s some perspective for name for it was “Yanaguana,” which means “refreshing (or you—if you are Caucasian, clear) waters.” The Spanish government, trying to extend its colonial you’re a minority in San Antonio. might north of the Rio Grande, claimed the Texas territory The city is bilingual, and you are from 1519 to 1821, using it as a rest stop along the way to more than likely than not to run French trading posts in Louisiana. Spanish explorers who into someone who doesn’t came to the river in 1691 gave the river the name that stuck in speak your language. Signs are honor of the feast of St. Anthony. likely to be in both Spanish and The city itself was founded in 1718 by Father Antonio English. You generally hear Olivares, who established the Misión San Antonio de Valero Spanish words pronounced with in the name of the Spanish crown to try to convert the local the proper accent—La Villita, for Native Americans to Catholicism and, ultimately, to groom example, is pronounced Lah them into productive Spanish citizens. Vee-YEE-tah. The mission was turned into a military station in the early According to the 2000 census, 1800s, and was renamed “Alamo,” the Spanish word for cottonwood, in honor of the soldiers’ hometown. nearly 59% of San Antonio’s When Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821, population is Hispanic—41% the area came under Mexican control. In August of that year, Mexican alone—32% white, 7% Stephen Austin was granted a permit to admit 300 U.S. black, 2% Asian—a combination families into the territory. of influences from Native Ameri- The American settlers were chomping at the bit for self-rule, cans, Old México, the Republic and Texas finally declared its independence from Mexico in of Texas, German immigrants, 1836 when unrest in Mexico brought battles to Texas. In the Wild West, African Ameri- February of that year, a group of Texans and Tejanos (Texans of cans, and the Deep South. Mexican decent) unsucessfully defended the Alamo in the The same census ranked San famous battle against the Mexican leader, General Antonio Antonio ninth in size among the López de Santa Anna, and some 4,000 supporting Mexican nation’s cities with a population troops. Among the 189 soldiers who died during that 13-day siege were Jim Bowie, a renowned knife fighter, and Davy of 1.14 million. Clearly, San Anto- Crockett, famed frontiersman and former congressman from nio has outgrown its image as a Tennessee. rough-and-ready frontier town. A month later, Texan troops led by Sam Houston led a With the new SBC Center (an surprise attack on Santa Anna’s troops in San Jacinto, and the arena for basketball and music Mexican leader was captured, bringing the Texas Revolution to events), a greatly expanded con- an end and a new beginning for the Republic of Texas. vention center, expanded fund- After the 10 hard years of independence that followed its ing for River Walk and Mission hard-won victory over Mexico, Texas was finally granted Walk improvements, and plenty admission as the 28th member of the union in 1845. of money poured into facelifts At the time, San Antonio was still the biggest city in Texas for public buildings and preser- until the rise of Galveston. From 1900 until 1930, when vation of old buildings, the city Galveston was nearly destroyed by a hurricane, San Antonio was again the largest city, until it was overtaken seems to have come of age. by Houston and Dallas. ● 8 APPLIED CLINICAL TRIALS SUPPLEMENT actmagazine.com June 2003 Arneson River Theater This could be a nice way to spend a warm Texas evening. The unusual theater holds performances across the river from the spectators. Dance performances are scheduled at the theater Wednesday through Saturday evenings after the conference. Juneteenth Citywide events commemorate the day (19 June 1865) that Texas slaves received word of the Emancipation Proclamation. Geography San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau, AL Rendon San Antonio is located in the middle of the high The River Walk prairie, or range, in South Texas, about 150 miles esisting the charms of the much-mentioned River from México, and about 120 miles from Corpus Walk, or Paseo del Rio, which borders the San Anto- Christi and the coast of the Gulf of México. Texas Hill nio River as it winds for about two-and-a-half miles Country provides some relief around the northern Rthrough the downtown area in a sensuous, horseshoe- edge of the city with rivers and rugged terrain. shaped curve, may be difficult. Unlike what we hear about most things in Texas, it’s not a big river—it averages about 30 feet wide, and just 5 to 7 feet deep, in the downtown area. But the city has put a good deal of effort into enhancing the allure of the signature walkway. Scenery ranges from restaurant patios to shops to lush sub- tropical plants. The result is sort of a Texas version of a Venetian canal, with commercial boats transporting tourists to various loca- tions where they can happily relieve themselves of their trav- elers checks. The river was not always a respected asset of the city, how- ever. In 1921, a huge flood that killed 50 people and caused millions of dollars in property damages had many cityfolk calling for covering the river with concrete and using the riverbed as a sewer. Thanks to the work of a small group of women who formed the modern-day San Antonio Conserva- tion Society, the river survived. WPA work crews completed most of the walks in 1939–1941. The river’s reputation continued to suffer, however, until the HemisFair 1968 inspired commercial development and beautification. The River Walk of today has lush landscaping, including subtropical plants, 75 species of trees (bald cypress is most dominant, followed by pond cypress and crepe myr- tle), and an abundance of flowers. The design is mainly cred- ited to the late Robert H.H. Hugman, a landscape architect. A project is underway to extend the River Walk from Brackenridge Park in the north to the missions to the south, adding amenities such as improved walkways, landscaping, and lighting. ● June 2003 actmagazine.com APPLIED CLINICAL TRIALS SUPPLEMENT 9 San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau, Nancy Hoyt Belcher HemisFair Park Tourism is the Number 2 indus- try in San Antonio—second only to health care and medical facilities—and the city is spend- ing a great deal of money to make sure it stays that way. The convention center, where you will no doubt spend most of your time, was named for Henry B. Gonzalez, a well- liked, outspoken U.S. Represen- Remember San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau, Morris Goen tative who served in Congress in 1961–2000—the longest term ever for a Hispanic. The newly expanded and landscaped convention cen- the Alamo ter complex sits amidst 15 acres of lush landscaping. It is linked by an air-conditioned footbridge to the Not that any self-respecting 750-foot tall (that includes the antenna) Tower of the Americas, which was built for the Worlds Fair in 1968 Texan would let you forget (dubbed HemisFair) to symbolize the progress made among nations in the Western Hemisphere. Observation decks provide an excellent view of the city from about 600 feet up (a fee is charged to ride the elevator). Also on the convention center grounds are a kids’ park and the Institute for Texas Culture. 10 APPLIED CLINICAL TRIALS SUPPLEMENT actmagazine.com June 2003 Don’t forget to bring... Rain gear. At first glance, June Walking shoes. With sunny sure seems like a good time of skies, ready access to the pic- year to be in San Antonio. Prob- turesque Riverwalk trail and many ably not too hot yet, right? Prob- attractions right in the downtown San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau, Al Rendon ably dry? Probably, yes, but just area, and history oozing from Did you know... as you do with your pharmaceu- every corner, San Antonio is an • As part of the annexation agreement tical products, you have to bal- inviting city for walking. You’re ance probability with practical- already bringing comfortable between the Republic of Texas and ity. May and September may shoes for the conference itself— the United States, Texas was allowed technically be the wettest months bring some even more comfortable to retain title to public lands, a situa- (averaging about 3 inches and 4 shoes for walking tours. tion unique among the 50 states. inches, respectively—a mere sprinkle for Spanish dictionary. It wouldn’t hurt, • That large red, steel object at the cor- anyone from the Pacific Northwest), but if only to help translate those menu ner of Alamo, Commerce, and Lasoya the months in between can be a mixed items from Spanish or to brush up on bag. Last year, the drought in June was how to say, “¿Donde esta el baño?” is the “Torch of Friendship,” a four- so bad the city imposed lawn-watering which means, “Where is the bathroom?” story art piece designed by Mexican restrictions at the end of June.

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