It seems like San Antonio still has a few secrets hidden beneath its surface, as construction near a new minor-league baseball stadium has led to the discovery of two historic structures dating back hundreds of years. Here’s how.
According to a Sunday update from the San Antonio Independent School District, archeologists uncovered “foundational remnants of two residences.” One of those residences was the Newton House, “once home to a San Antonio mayor in the 1800s.”
The site was once home to Col. Samuel Galitzin Newton, “a lawyer who served as an officer in the Civil War before being mayor.” Archeologists also discovered “a portion of the San Pedro acequia system,” which is a gravity-fed ditch irrigation system historically used to bring water to fields and livestock.
“The acequia system consisted of irrigation canals that brought water from spring to farms, homes and mills all the way back in the 1700s,” Yvonne Little, head of SAISD’s Capital Development and Construction Services, said in the Sunday update. “This was an extraordinary discovery for us to uncover this part of San Antonio history.”
“We arranged for the historical investigation of the Fox Tech site as part of our project plan because of where the site was located,” SAISD told the Express-News. “Before beginning our bond work, we collaborated with both the City of San Antonio and our archaeological partners at Pape-Dawson.”
In November 2020, the San Antonio ISD voters “passed two propositions totaling $1.3 billion,” the district’s “Bond 2020” page states. “The bond funding is being used for major school renovations and security, technology, and HVAC upgrades.”
According to a district statement to the Express-News, the discoveries will eventually lead to two new historic sites registered with the Texas Historic Commission.
“A comprehensive archeological report has been generated to include the history of the buildings, their occupants, and the materials the structures were constructed from,” district officials said, noting that they have taken protective measures to preserve the structures.
“To honor these discoveries, we will be placing a plaque in its honor once the project is complete,” the district’s Sunday update reads.