Today had perfect weather for a walking tour! Upon my host Teri’s recommendation, I contacted San Antonio Walks for their King William neighbourhood tour. They didn’t have any other takers for their 9:45 a.m. tour today, but they called me this morning to ask if I wanted to join the 1:45 p.m. tour. Indeed!
‘King William’ was actually Wilhelm of Prussia. This neighbourhood was mostly built by affluent Germans in the mid-1800s. There is a lot of focus on the Spanish influence in Texas, but not so much of just how much the Germans contributed to this state. And, yet, there is German everywhere, especially in the town names, such as Gruene.
The King William neighbourhood had a real downslide in the early 1900s but came back up in the middle of the 20th century and is now one of the most prized neighbourhoods in the city. It is filled with beautiful mansions and more modest homes, all abutting tree lined streets, and within walking distance to the San Antonio River and the Riverwalk.
Our guide, Gary, had so much information about the history of the houses and his beloved city and the architecture. I couldn’t even begin to try to summarize it. I put as much info as I could in the photo gallery, but, really, I can’t do justice to a two-hour tour that cost just $16!
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- Yesterday’s massive storm cloud rolling in.
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- Many of the King William neighbourhood mansions are in some form of the Italianate style.
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- The Guenther flour mill. There is a restaurant attached.
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- Close up of the hilarious tower, built in the 1920s and once the tallest building in San Antonio.
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- San Antonio River.
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- Here, the Riverwalk has a guardrail.
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- The Guenther house, which is now a restaurant.
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- I met my guide at the corner of E Guenther and King William. There was ample FREE parking on King William.
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- The greenery around this house shows how San Antonio exists at the convergence of four climate zones. The tall dark skinny tree is a cypress.
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- This wooden fence is original from the 1800s!
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- I like how this otherwise symmetrical house has a little bay on the side.
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- I’m a sucker for a round tower.
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- This house with the round tower is the Edward Steves house and is now a museum.
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- Mr. Steves got this fountain in Philadelphia during the centennial celebrations in 1876.
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- This house is more Greek-style.
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- Across the street is this house with the intercrossing brick on its corners.
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- Close up of the cornice on the Greek-style house.
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- These houses are twins.
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- First peek of my favourite house on the block.
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- Another peek at it.
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- WOW.
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- Across the street is this rather Parisian looking house.
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- Close ups of my favourite house.
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- Just… wow.
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- The front door is magnificent! And I love how that snakelike detail from the fence sneaked into my picture!
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- I’M also a sucker for a square tower.
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- A cheery yellow house.
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- Gary told us who owns this house, but I won’t tell as I don’t want to get him in trouble!
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- Miami-style art deco-type house.
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- Traditional Texas home.
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- I’ve never seen shutters like these before.
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- This sandstone house stands serene.
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- This door has three panels.
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- This is the house that goes on forever.
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- Pretty orange flowers.
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- Buggy stone (step for getting on a horse or carriage) with the homeowner’s initials carved into it.
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- The modest(ish) Sartor house.
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- Gazebo near the intersection with St Mary street.
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- We can just see the top of the courthouse, which was designed by the same dude who designed my favourite house of the tour.
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- This house is now home to the King William Conservation Society.
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- It’s really cute! It was designed after a house in Italy.
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- Notice the windows on the left?
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- The windows follow the roofline.
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- This is a house in the ‘Texas vernacular’ style. There is one entrance for the ladies leading into the kitchen and the other entrance is for the men.
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- This house is in sad disrepair but boasts Corinthian columns.
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- The lack of paint reveals that the details on the columns are made of terracotta.
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- This house was recently restuccoed. The owner bought it in the late 1970s for $48,000.
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- The most ‘castle-like’ house on the tour has a rear that is more like a New England-style house.
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- It needs a little colour…
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- Thankfully, there is some stained glass.
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- The balustrade is made of rough stone.
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- I love these short columns with braiding.
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- This is a jewel of a small home, built by a judge.
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- Entrance to the Riverwalk.
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- Interesting roof.
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- The water was very muddy today.
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- James Street (I think) bridge.
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- I was trying to photograph a lizard and instead caught these kayakers.
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- See the lizard?
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- See him now? He was sooo cute. He even jumped onto Gary at one point!
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- Bye-bye lizard!
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- Looking down the river to downtown.
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- Downtown San Antonio.
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- This staircase seems to float.
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- Rear of the Steves house.
I now feel that I can leave San Antonio. I would have had unfinished business had I not done this tour.
I knew you would enjoy the King William’s district. Too bad you missed the Mad Hatter for coffee.
That’s why I wanted to do the AM tour, to get coffee before or after. I don’t do coffee after noon except on the odd day (like today) where I have brunch food for lunch.