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Gl'NTER, 550 rms. all with bath, enlarged and completely modernized, center of activities. OST headq., Baker hotel system. HAMILTON, 65 rms., moderate priced, quiet street, nice hotel. JEFFERSON, 70 rms., moderate priced commercial in business center. MENGER, 300 rms., 200 with bath, a noted tourist hotel many years, spacious lobbies, patio, old southern dinners. Baker hotel system. PLAZA, 500 rms., all with bath, new, splendidly equipped modern hotel home. ROBERT E. LEE, 200 rms., all with bath, new, well liked, well equipped, S2.50 down. Percy Tyrrell hotel system. ST. ANTHONY, 450 rms., fine hotel, spacious lobbies, large veranda facing park. TRAVELERS, 150 rms., comfortable, popular commercial hotel, centrally located. All well regulated, well located hotels.
CAMPS—Nice free municipal camp in riverside grove at Josephine St. Numerous private camps. The two listed below rank among the best in the United States for equipment iind service.
GRANI >E COURT TOURIST Al’MTS. 2-3-4 rms., kitchenettes, showers, living rms., dinettes, well furnished; nice lawns, flowers, excellent service. Mulberry and Jones Sts., near Brackenridge Park.
ANGELES COURT. Attached bungalows of most modern character, on OST west. Equal to hotel Apmts. See display adv.
For pleasant auto service—Jamison’s at 3rd and Broadway and Lowry’s at 1227 Navarro. Jamison has filling sta., washes, greases, carries accessories and Hood tires. Lowry has filling st., quick tire service, accessories and Kelly tires. The men are efficient and attentive.
INF.—Old Spanish Trail headquarters at Gunter Hotel. S. A. Automobile League, (AAA) Crockett Hotel; Chamber of Commerce. Aztec Bldg.
THRU THE HILLS
San Antonio to Kl Paso—582 miles
Road Conditions
Tliih section is usually driven without hardship in two and three days. Well graded, well maintained gravel prevails; 200 mi. are paved. The roadbed is broad, grades and curves are comfortable. At Koosevelt for 12 mi. the Llano Kiver is forded a dozen times on under-water concrete bridges; between the fords the old trail is maintained. A new road is to be built. Tl.is ri\er trail with its spring water and shady groves is enjoyed by most people. Dry weather prevails in West Texas.
Description of Country
The Old Spanish Trail westward from San Antonio cuts directly thru the Texas Hill Country to Kl Paso. The mileage is shortened and the traveler enjoys the rugged hills and sparkling waters that have made the Hill Country noted for its cattle and goat ranches and popular for recreation. The elevation and the dry sunsihne make the climate enjoyable and allow all-year outdoor sports and pleasures. Fourteen Clearwater rivers are in West Texas. ISexar, Kendall, Kerr and Kimble counties have a thousand miles of spring-fed rivers and creeks. Very good drinking water prevails. Hotels serve generous country meals. Three new, fine hotels have just been built and others enlarged. Camps of all kinds are settling in the Hill Country—church encampments, auto, ranch and recreation ramps, boys’ and girls’ character camps, boy and girl scouts and numerous other institutional camps. In the Davis Mts. the .Madera Springs mountain club is developing with every convenience for all-year service and all kinds of pleasures and for Old Spanish Trail travel.
Old History
In 1(581 La Salle with a colonizing expedition from France sought the Mississippi Kiver to take possession of the vast Mississippi Valley in the name of his king. He failed in this and landed in 1685 on the Texas coast. Spain learned of this colony on territory it claimed and in lfi8D sent an expedition from Mexico; they reached the La Salle site and found La Salle had been murdered by his men and the French were dead or gone away. A second expedition in 1090 continued northward and founded missions in the Nacogdoches district in Fast Texas. In 1699-1700 a group of missions was established south
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of the liio Grande between the present Eagle Pass and Laredo. In 171G-17 four new missions were established near Nacogdoches but Spain found Nacogdoches too remote an outpost so in 1718 the mission, now the historic Alamo, was transferred from the Kio Grande and a fort (presidio) was established near it— and San Antonio dates from this. In 1720 the Mission San Jose was established. In 1731 the Villa of San Fernando de Bexar (townsite) was started and the missions Concepcion, San Juan and San Francisco were transferred from the Nacogdoches district to the San Antonio Kiver.
From San Antonio other missions were established over a wide area. Gradually the outlying missions were abandoned or Indians destroyed them. The San Antonio missions grew into great establishments, line stone churches and other buildings and irrigating systems were built. Today the ruins bear mute testimony to great achievement. These enterprises, so deep in a savage land, were remarkable achievements even in that brilliant age.
LEON SPRINGS. Jet. to Camp Stanley, one of the large U.S. military reservations. R. Aue Service Station, good.
*BOERNE. Beginning of West Texas Ilill Country; sheep, goat and cattle ranches. KENDALL INN, PHILLIPS and HILLTOP hotels. Free and cabin camps.
LIVE OAK SERVICE STA. (at sign, “North Boerne”) Goodyear, Firestone tires; rest rms., iced drinks.
GUADALUPE RIVER at Comfort; this river now followed for 25 ini.
COMFORT. On the Guadalupe river. These hills and valleys between Comfort and Boerne offer some of the prettiest driving scenery in America. Rustic drives among the hills. Pretty farms in the valleys, goat ranches back in the liills and canyons. Elevations and dry sunshine provide a stimulating climate. Hermann Sons Home on a hill crest westward.
MEYER HOTEL—Mrs. and Mrs. Ellenberger. Pleasant country place, good meals. §2.50 to $3.00 A.P. Open day and night.
COMFORT AUTO CO. Ford dealers. Well equipped garage and service.
COMFORT DRIVE-IN FILLING STA. Tires, repairs, accessories, general service, rest rms. 6:30 A. M. to 9:30 P. M.
HIGHWAY SERVICE STA. Grease rack, tires; iced drinks; general service. 6:30 A. M. to !):00 P. M.
ARMADILLO FARM. 3.6 mi. west. (Chas. Appelt). You have seen the odd looking armadillo baskets on sale. See these queer animals alive at the world's only armadillo farm.
Free camp on river, east.
CENTER POINT. On a river bluff; a hill town resort. Church encampment near. Several small hotels, BRUFF HOUSE leads. Camp space along (lie river. Cabin camp in a riverside grove on OST west.
BURNEY’S GARAGE and service sta. Grease rack, tires, gen. repairs. Ford and Cliev. parts, storage, labor §1, tow car. Ph. 3, 5:30 A. M. to 9:30 P. M.
COX & EDENS GARAGE, service sta.. Ford dealers, parts, repairs on all cars, labor §1, tow car. 6 A. M. to 10 P. M.
*KERRYILLE. A resort capital of the hills. Largest primary wool and mohair market in Texas. Numerous camps along the river; cabin and free auto camps, boys’ and girls' character camps, church encampments. East 3 mi. on the OST, the American Legion !?2.000,000 hospital now conducted by the U.S. Government; adjoining are the Schreiner Institute and the Presbyterian Encampment. BLl'E BONNET HOTEL, new, modern, 140 rms., overlooks Guadaglupe River. ST. CHARLES and other hotels.
INF.—Chamber of Commerce.
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Old Spanish Trail Document (015)
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Hancock County Historical Society
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