Historical Marker
Confederate Tannery
Historical marker location:
San Antonio, Texas
( Northeast corner of North St. Mary's and Alpine in Brackenridge Park)
Marker installed: 1965
To fill footwear, harness and saddlery needs of the South; established 1863 on this site, then 2 miles above city limits. Operated in summer as well as winter, because tanning agent, a soup made of chopped mesquite wood, soaked deeply into hides. Thus, unlike other tannins, this prevented loss in hot weather. Plant treated 6,000 hides at a time. Shoemakers of Confederate Texas were to be concentrated here. A cotton and woolen mill, run by San Antonio river power, was also built on plant site.
Other wartime Texas products included salt, hats, cotton cards.
Texas was once an independent country: After winning its independence from Mexico in 1836, Texas became its own country, known as the Republic of Texas. It existed as an independent nation for nine years before being annexed by the United States in 1845.