San Antonio, Texas

Demographics:

• The population of San Antonio is estimated at 1,351,305
• There are 457,828 households within the city limits
• The average income per household is $41,593
• People who live in San Antonio use the area code 210 (Find a phone number in San Antonio here)

Many famous people have lived in San Antonio, including:
Davy Crockett, James Bowie, Oliver North, Joan Crawford, Carol Burnett, Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Rodriguez, George Strait, Christopher Cross, Charlie Sexton, Shaquille O'Neal, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Historical Notes:
San Antonio received its name because the explorers who discovered the area arrived on St. Anthony Day.

The city houses five of the largest military facilities in the United States today.

Many people consider the Alamo to be haunted, and some tour groups even provide ghost hunts to interested tourists.

The first non-natives to see the land now known as San Antonio were Spanish explorers who originally arrived in 1691 and then returned in 1709. In 1718 a priest named Father Antonio Olivares founded the city with the Royal Presidio and the Mission San Antonio de Valero, which would later be changed to The Alamo. Over the next few years four more missions were established in the area. The Presidio was home to the men who provided law enforcement for the city.

In the 1820's San Antonio fell under the control of Mexico, and American settlers were allowed to take land in Texas. For a while the area was peaceful, but when the Mexican government forbade United States citizens from moving any farther into Texas, a series of battles erupted. One of the most famous battles occurred at the Alamo when 189 Americans, including Davy Crocket and James Bowie, tried to fight off an army of about 4,000 Mexican troops. They held the mission for several days before finally being overcome by the much larger force. This spurred other Americans into action and led to the rallying cry "Remember the Alamo".

By 1845 the United States claimed full ownership of Texas, a fact which was largely responsible for the start of the Mexican-American war. The war lasted until 1848 when the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, which put Texas and several other states under American control.

Following the American Civil War in the later 1800's, the city of San Antonio prospered, largely due to the thriving cattle industry. Over time the city became a mixture of modern architecture and older style buildings. The look of San Antonio is often said to match the diversity of its many residents.