San Antonio 365: On This Day in History tells one story a day in the history of the Alamo City, from popular lore to lesser known events critical to understanding its people and culture. The result is a treasure trove of remarkable tales highlighting small ripples that created big waves in the region’s history. The stories in San Antonio 365 are fun and enlightening slices of history, but they also highlight our collective need to learn from the past. Internationally known as a center of business and tourism, San Antonio has also been the site of significant episodes in the fight for equal rights and justice, the importance of economic and cultural diversity, and the evolution of good government. Among the 365 stories are the anti-Communist riot at Municipal Auditorium led against Emma Tenayuca, the segregation of cinemas and swimming pools, and the 1955 integration of San Antonio schools. Charming anecdotes and quotes bring each story to life. For instance, did you know that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid cooled their heels on the streets of San Antonio a few miles from what would became Interstate 10—where the rock group R.E.M. filmed their iconic video “Everybody Hurts”? A lively essay introducing each month underscores the important ways that history is never just about the past. As Kurt Vonnegut said, “History is merely a list of surprises. It can only prepare us to be surprised yet again.” San Antonio 365 brings to life more than three hundred years of surprises, highlighting both historical moments that have been overlooked and those told again and again—and the compelling characters who shaped the city.

In the Loop: A Political and Economic History of San Antonio, is the culmination of urban historian David Johnson’s extensive research into the development of Texas’s oldest city. Beginning with San Antonio’s formation more than three hundred years ago, Johnson lays out the factors that drove the largely uneven and unplanned distribution of resources and amenities and analyzes the demographics that transformed the city from a frontier settlement into a diverse and complex modern metropolis. Following the shift from military interests to more diverse industries and punctuated by evocative descriptions and historical quotations, this urban biography reveals how city mayors balanced constituents’ push for amenities with the pull of business interests such as tourism and the military. Deep dives into city archives fuel the story and round out portraits of Sam Maverick, Henry B. Gonzales, Lila Cockrell, and other political figures. Johnson reveals the interplay of business interests, economic attractiveness, and political goals that spurred San Antonio’s historic tenacity and continuing growth and highlights individual agendas that influenced its development. He focuses on the crucial link between urban development and booster coalitions, outlining how politicians and business owners everywhere work side by side, although not necessarily together, to shape the future of any metropolitan area, including geographical disparities. Three photo galleries illustrate boosterism’s impact on San Antonio’s public and private space and highlight its tangible results. In the Loop recounts each stage of San Antonio’s economic development with logic and care, building a rich story to contextualize our understanding of the current state of the city and our notions of how an American city can form.

San Antonio is in the national spotlight as one of the fastest growing and most dynamic emerging major cities in America. Yet local lore has it that every Texan has two hometowns—his own and San Antonio. The Alamo City's charm, colorful surroundings, and diverse cultures combine to make it one of the most interesting places in Texas and the nation. In San Antonio Uncovered, Mark Rybczyk examines some of the city's internationally known legends and lore (including ghost stories) and takes a nostalgic look at landmarks that have disappeared. He also introduces some of the city’s characters and unusual features, debunks local myths, and corrects common misconceptions. Rybczyk embraces San Antonio's peculiarities by chronicling the cross-country journey of the World’s Largest Boots to their home in front of North Star Mall; the origins of the Frito corn chip and chewing gum; the annual Cornyation of King Anchovy; and Dwight Eisenhower's stint as the football coach at St Mary’s University. This completely updated, new edition of San Antonio Uncovered highlights San Antonio as a modern, thriving city with the feel of a small town that sees beauty in the old and fights to save it, even something as seemingly insignificant as an old Humble Oil Station; and its diverse inhabitants as those who appreciate the blending of the old and the new at the Tobin Center and fight to save what’s left of the Hot Wells Hotel.