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Texas
| San Antonio
Five (Nearly
Forgotten) Buildings
of San Antonio
The Star, the
Pig, the Dealership, the Icehouse
and the Chinese Grocery
Fuel, Food, Transportation, Staples and Camaraderie
Photos by Mel Brown,
Sarah Reveley and Jacinto Guevara
Painting by Jacinto Guevara |
Editor’s Note:
Back in 1968 I was crossing Canal Street in New Orleans with a friend.
A person who would now be called “homeless” tapped my friend on the
shoulder to ask for spare change. My friend, perhaps thinking it was
me – turned and in a gruff tone said: “What?!” The would-be panhandler
was surprised at the response and if he had intended to ask for money,
it was immediately forgotten. He stammered: “I j-j-just wanted to
let you k-k-k-know I was here.” These five featured buildings arrived
within a few days of one another with nothing much in common other
than they were all in San Antonio and
three of the five share the same neighborhood. It’s safe to say they
haven’t made the list of 100 must-see locations in San
Antonio, but seeing them together I was reminded of that long-ago
encounter on Canal Street. Collectively these buildings could be saying:
“We just wanted to let you know we are here.” |
Ice House
and Mon Chong Grocery
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Photographer’s
Note:
“I was in San Antonio researching my
Eastside project and found this weathered old ice house on Hackberry
Street. That's Kenneth Dominique in the lower frame looking at the
classic San Antonio structure. These
buildings blanketed that city at one time but are now mostly gone.
The cast concrete sign manages to stay put as has the terra cotta
tile roof. I know where one other store is and it's a bit larger.
I must have driven past that old Ice House a million times but cannot
honestly say that I recall its being there. Some blocks down from
there it happened again when I saw the old Mon Chong market also on
Hackberry. I simply do not remember it - and I grew up about 8 blocks
from it. It's obviously been shut a long time and I'm now told there
are no surviving family members among the Chinese
community in SA.” - Mel Brown,
March 2008 |
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Photographer’s
Note:
“They call it "The Big Pig" but [in reality] it was the baby pig,
the “Big Pig” was BIG. I remember it was a big deal when Papa would
drive by it.
Baby wasn't forlorn until Mamma was torn down to make way for progress.
Both pigs were piggy-cornered to the old Mission Drive-in theatre
on East White and Roosevelt. Mama was a restaurant, and Baby sat happily
nearby. Baby Pig is thought to have served as a carhop shelter in
days gone by at the South Presa Pig Stand, but evidently escaped his
pen in the 1940s. He was re-discovered in the early '90s, sitting
forlornly without his mama. He had been serving as living quarters,
but was returned to his original Presa Pig Stand home and spiffed
up. Sadly, he sits forlornly once again since this Pig Stand went
out of business a year or so ago." – Sarah
Reveley, March 2008 |
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Carlos and the
Pig by Jacinto Guevara
Acrylic on wood
Painting by Jacinto
Guevara
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The Pig as
Art
Artist's Note:
"Carlos and the Pig is my painting of Carlos Cortés, grand nephew
of Dionicio Rodríguez who created the faux-bois sculptures all over
[San Antonio] city and other states. Carlos (standing to the right)
volunteered to repair The Pig Stand pig around 1996 in time for the
Contemporary Art month celebrations." - Jacinto
Guevara |
| This former filling
station probably dates to the late 20s or early 30s. It has recently
been restored as a tax filing / check cashing business. A twin (with
portico) stands at the entrance of the King William District. |
Former
Texaco Station on East Houston and N Olive
TE Photo March 2007 |
| Westside (Prospect
Hill) car dealership circa 1924 |
| The budding artist/
herpetologist Joaquina Guevara paused at the store during her 2008
San Antonio tour. |
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