Italian American Community in San Antonio

Italian immigrants began arriving in San Antonio in the 1870s. By 1890 a number of families had established an Italian neighborhood northwest of downtown. In April of that year a small group gathered together in a fruit store at the corner of Commerce Street and Plaza de Armas to organize a benevolent association. They obtained a charter for the Christopher Columbus Italian Society on May 14, 1890. Meeting in a variety of locations, the society conducted a fund-raising campaign and in 1926 purchased property at the corner of Morales (now Piazza Italia) and Concho (now Columbus) Street. Part of the land was conveyed to the Catholic Diocese of San Antonio for the construction of San Francesco Di Paola Church, and the Christopher Columbus society hall was built next door the following year. Franklin Square was renamed Columbus Park in 1957, when the Christopher Columbus Italian Society dedicated a statue of the explorer during a special Columbus Day celebration. Descendants of the original Italian settlers continue to preserve their culture and heritage. They remain an integral part of the city's diverse population.