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The Quarry as
Shopping Center
Photo
courtesy Sarah
Reveley, March 2008
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In his excellent
book San
Antonio Uncovered, author Mark Louis Rybczyk has included a chapter
called Six San Antonio Landmarks that are Built in Old Rock Quarries.
Two of the six are related to the Alamo Portland Cement Company. The
first is the Japanese Sunken Gardens in Brackenridge Park, donated
when the cement company relocated to Alamo
Heights in 1907.
The second is the Alamo Heights'
Subdivision of Lincoln Heights, once known as Cementville,
a community that, while not meeting the standard definitions, nonetheless
had schools, a church and residential housing – in the shadows cast
by the huge smokestacks. |
From
Mr. Rybczyk’s book:
“When this plant was built, it was still three miles from the end
of the streetcar line and pretty much a wild, untamed piece of land.
When the company moved all of its operation to Loop 1604 and Green
Mountain Road in 1985, the company town died and the site was shut
down sold to developers. The Cementville headquarters and laboratory
have been redeveloped into restaurants and the old plant has become
the Quarry Market. The smokestacks were incorporated into the design
of one of the retail outlets. The abandoned pit became a golf course.”
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| In his typical
way of inserting a complement whenever he can, Rybczyk adds: “It’s
interesting to note how comfortable San Antonians have become with
redeveloping quarries. In the past, the abandoned quarries were redesigned
to mask the former use. Now, developers embrace the quarry’s past.”
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The
photos in the theatre lobby viewed from the escalator.
Photo courtesy Sarah
Reveley, March 2008 |
The Rodriquez
Fountain built for the Alamo Cement Company Offices
Photo
courtesy Sarah
Reveley, March 2008 |
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A
live Grackle sits on the now dry fountain inside the Rodriquez pavilion
Photo courtesy Sarah
Reveley, March 2008
|
Our hats are
off to developers who incorporate the past into modern attractions.
May their profits increase to fund other projects.
In a related story, another former cement plant awaits a new life.
The Longhorn Cement Company has left extensive ruins just north of
San Antonio. What changes await this abandoned facility
remain to be seen, but its potential is at least as rich as the Quarry
Market. |
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Longhorn Quarry:
Another abandoned San
Antonio cement plant stands vacant near Wurzbach Parkway, just
W of I-35.
(See letter below)
TE photos, February 2008
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The former Longhorn
Cement Plant and Quarry
Photo courtesy Noel
Kerns, October, 2007
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Letter of
correction from photographer Noel Kerns:
"I just noticed your story [with the photos] of the abandoned
quarry in San Antonio.
I took some exterior recon shots of the place, planning to come back
someday and do a night shoot of it. I haven’t returned, but I wanted
to give you a correct location on it. In the article, I notice the
author refered to it as being on Loop 1604, but in reality, it isn’t
even close. It's much closer to I-35.
I’m not 100% positive, but I believe the plant was typically referred
to as the ‘Longhorn Quarry’…that was all I’d ever heard it called
until I read the TE article.
Technically, it’s located on Wurzbach Pkwy, just west of the intersection
of Thousand Oaks." - Noel
Kerns, Dallas, March 13, 2008
"Northeast School District has announced plans to buy it (the
Longhorn Quarry) and turn it into a secondary football stadium."
- Entry on CityData.com |
1940s
Bexar County map
showing Cementville
From Texas state map #4335
Courtesy Texas General Land Office |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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