Saint Anthony Hotel
a.k.a. Saint Anthony InterContinental San Antonio
300 Travis St., San Antonio, TXConsidered a decade ahead of its time when it was built in 1909, the St. Anthony Hotel represents San Antonio's early era of modernization and transformation. The hotel played an important role in transforming San Antonio into a modern city of the 20th century. The progressive business element of the city awakened at the tum of the century to the fact that San Antonio should actively pursue plans for future growth in order to compete with rival cities. San Antonio was recognized as a distinctive city because of its rich history, its interesting architecture, and its resort attractions. A group of enterprising men set out to provide the city with the necessary municipal, commercial, office, and hotel developments to compliment its historic and natural features.
Christened in honor of the city's namesake, San Antonio de Padua, the St. Anthony was an indication of the confidence being placed in the city and its future. Hailed by one writer as "...the Waldorf of the Prairie,"! the St. Anthony attracted distinguished visitors from, all over the world—Douglas MacArthur, Will Rogers, Eleanor Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John Nance Gamer. It rapidly joined the ranks of notable hostelries.
Bibliography
Dielmann, Leo M.J., Collection. Unidentified newspaper article on file with Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library, San Antonio, Texas.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.