San Antonio River

The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas near San Antonio and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. The river is 240 miles long and crosses five counties: Bexar, Goliad, Karnes, Refugio, and Wilson.

1. San Antonio Springs is the name of a cluster of springs in Bexar County, Texas. These springs provide a large portion of the water for the San Antonio River. What is the elevation above sea level?

• 580 feet
• 680 feet
• 715 feet

2. The first documented record of the river was from Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca on his explorations of Texas. What was the year?

• 1535
• 1545
• 1555

3. The river was later named after San Antonio de Padua by the first governor of Spanish Texas, Domingo Terán de los Ríos. What was the year?

• 1681
• 1691
• 1701

4. During the Texas Revolution, the river was host to several major conflicts. What was NOT one of these fights?

• Battle of Concepcion
• Battle of the Alamo
• Battle of Shiloh

5. Five major 18th century Spanish missions are lined up along the historical course of the river, including Mission Espada, Mission Concepcion, Mission San José, and Mission San Juan Capistrano. The most famous mission is San Antonio de Valero

• True or False?

6. The San Antonio River Walk is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath downtown San Antonio, Texas. Lined by bars, shops and restaurants, the River Walk is an important part of the city's urban fabric and a tourist attraction in its own right. What is it also known as?

• Paseo del Río
• Pathe del Rio
• Rio del San Antonio

7. The River Walk was the idea of an architect in the late 1920s. As an alternative to paving over the troublesome San Antonio River, he drew out a plan he called "The Shops of Aragon and Romula" which allowed for both flood prevention and commercial development. Who was the architect?

• Wade Boggs
• Frank Lloyd Wright
• Robert Hugman

8. Crucial funding came in 1939 under the WPA and resulted in the initial construction of a network of some 17,000 feet of walkways, about 20 bridges, and extensive plantings including some of the bald cypress (others are several hundred years old) whose branches stretch up to 10 stories and are visible from street level.

• True or False?

9. In 1981 the Hyatt Regency San Antonio opened with a new pedestrian connector that linked Alamo Plaza to the River Walk with concrete waterfalls, waterways and indigenous landscaping. Known as the Paseo del Alamo, this river "extension" actually flows from Alamo Plaza into the San Antonio River through the atrium of the hotel. This connector not only allows the hotel to market itself as being on Alamo Plaza and on the River Walk, but it provides the city with an urban park that connects the city's two largest tourist attractions.

• True or False?

10. What river goes the San Antonio River flow into The river flows into ten miles northwest of the San Antonio Bay?

• Macon River
• Gila River
• Guadalupe River

San Antonio River Answers

1. 715 feet
2. 1535
3. 1691
4. Battle of Shiloh
5. True
6. Paseo del Río
7. Robert Hugman
8. True
9. True
10. Guadalupe River

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