Skip to content

featuring historical research, writing, and media at st. mary's university

  • World History

    World History

    Menu
    • World History
    • Pre-Classical History (to 600 BCE)
    • Classical History (600 BCE-600 CE)
    • Post-Classical History (600 CE-1492 CE)
    • Early Modern History (1492-1789)
    • Modern History (1789-1914)
    • Global History (1900-present)

    From the Ancient World

    The Battle of Zama: Rome's Vengeance

    Posted by Davis Nickle12/01/2020

    From the Modern World

    The Holy See Takes On The Fight Against Climate Change

    Posted by Victor Rodriguez11/30/2020

    Regional Histories

    Menu
    • African and African American Studies
    • Latin American Studies
  • US History

    Early America

    Menu
    • US-Three Worlds Meet (to 1620)
    • US-Colonization and Settlement (1585-1763)
    • US-Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1820s)
    • US-Expansion and Reform (1801-1861)
    • US-Civil War & Reconstruction (1850-1877)

    Perseverance in Preservation: The Hundred-year Historical Development of Woodlawn Lake Park

    Posted by Mario Sosa05/13/2019

    The First Woman Jockey Who made History in a Pari-mutuel Race

    Posted by Kelsey Sanchez11/14/2019

    Jackie Robinson: An Unexpected Hero of Business and Civil Rights

    Posted by Todd Brauckmiller Jr.11/01/2019

    The Shock Heard Around The World: Milgram's Experiment

    Posted by Ava Rodriguez05/10/2019

    Elizabeth Taylor the Vixen Savior

    Posted by Micheala Whitfield05/04/2020

    A Company of Heroes: The Story of the Band of Brothers

    Posted by Amanda Gutierrez11/30/2020

    Al Capone: The Real Life Scarface

    Posted by Raul Vallejo11/15/2019

    A Forgotten Finals: Bill Russell, and the 1966 NBA Finals

    Posted by Kaleb Werku11/12/2019

    Jerry Jones and the Rise of America's Team

    Posted by Juan Arceo11/07/2019

    Tus idiomas te definen, mentalmente hablando

    Posted by Ángel Velarde10/11/2020

    Behind The Tapes: The Actions Taken Towards Impeaching Nixon

    Posted by Thalia Romo11/15/2019

    The People vs. Angela Davis: The Black Intellect on Trial

    Posted by Sydney Hardeman11/10/2019

    The One Device: Story of the First iPhone

    Posted by Bruno Lezama12/08/2019

    A Duel That Left No Victor

    Posted by Nathan Alba05/05/2020

    E-Cigarettes: An Incredible Invention or Complete Catastrophy? Adam Hergenreder Shares His Catastrophic Experience

    Posted by Elizabeth Guardiola11/13/2019

    The Washington Riots: The Fight that Never Stops

    Posted by Judy Reyes11/14/2019

    Dorothy Kamenshek: Playing ball during WW2

    Posted by Reba Reyes11/18/2020

    Emmett Till: The Opposite Ends of the Race Spectrum in the South

    Posted by Emmanuel Ewuzie12/10/2019

    The Brutal Murder of The Black Dahlia

    Posted by Saira Locke10/15/2019

    Tesla and the War of the Currents

    Posted by S. Michael Sleeter04/13/2019

    The First Social Distancing: Examining the 1995 Heat Wave of Chicago From a Social Perspective

    Posted by Tavion Varela11/09/2020

    Thomas Gallaudet: The Voice of the Deaf

    Posted by Yazmin Garza04/06/2019

    A Hero’s Burden: COVID-19, Mental Health, and the life of Dr. Lorna Breen

    Posted by Jarred Deptawa11/09/2020

    Richard Kuklinski: The Ice That Melted

    Posted by Mitchell Yocham10/04/2019

    San Antonio Royalty: The Reign of the Chili Queen

    Posted by Sara Ramirez04/07/2019

    Calculating the Death of Learning

    Posted by Sabrina Doyon11/08/2019

    The Notorious RBG

    Posted by Alicia Guzman04/07/2019

    On the Road Again: Charlotte Kahl's Journey Along the Old Spanish Trail

    Posted by Gabriel Cohen05/10/2019

    Why We Should Defend Human Gene Editing

    Posted by Emily Velazquez04/07/2019

    Live Rattlesnakes and Rock n' Roll: The Story of ZZ Top's "Worldwide Texas Tour"

    Posted by Ricky Moreno10/22/2020

    Contemporary America

    Menu
    • US-Industrial United States (1870-1900)
    • US-Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930)
    • US-Great Depression & WWII (1929-1945)
    • US-Postwar United States (1945-early 1970s)
    • US-Contemporary United States (1968-present)
  • Themes

    SPICE Categories

    Specialty Categories

    Special Themes

    Menu
    • Social History
    • Political History
    • Environmental History
    • Cultural History
    • Economic History
    Menu
    • Art History
    • Business
    • Crime
    • Gender Studies
    • Human Rights
    • Public Health and Medicine
    • International Relations
    • Linguistics
    Menu
    • Military History
    • Music
    • People
    • Psychology
    • Religion
    • Science & Technology
    • Sports
    Menu
    • Catholic Heritage
    • The Year 1968
    • COVID-19
    • Social Justice
    • Spanish Language
  • Showcase

    Showcase Editions

    • Vol 1 – 2016
      • Vol 1 No 1 Aug-Sep 2016
      • Vol 1 No 2 Oct-Nov 2016
    • Vol 2 – 2017
      • Vol 2 No 1 Jan-Feb 2017
      • Vol 2 No 2 Mar-Apr 2017
      • Vol 2 No 3 Aug-Sep 2017
      • Vol 2 No 4 Oct-Nov 2017
    • Vol 3 – 2018
      • Vol 3 No 1 Jan-Feb 2018
      • Vol 3 No 2 Mar-Apr 2018
      • Vol 3 No 3 Aug-Sep 2018
      • Vol 3 No 4 Oct-Nov 2018
    • Vol 4 – 2019
      • Vol 4 No 1 Jan-Feb 2019
      • Vol 4 No 2 Mar-Apr 2019
      • Vol 4 No 3 Aug-Sep 2019
      • Vol 4 No 4 Oct-Nov 2019
    • Vol 5 – 2020
      • Vol 5 No 1 Jan-Feb 2020
      • Vol 5 No 2 Mar-Apr 2020
      • Vol 5 No 3 Aug-Sep 2020
    Menu
    • Vol 1 – 2016
      • Vol 1 No 1 Aug-Sep 2016
      • Vol 1 No 2 Oct-Nov 2016
    • Vol 2 – 2017
      • Vol 2 No 1 Jan-Feb 2017
      • Vol 2 No 2 Mar-Apr 2017
      • Vol 2 No 3 Aug-Sep 2017
      • Vol 2 No 4 Oct-Nov 2017
    • Vol 3 – 2018
      • Vol 3 No 1 Jan-Feb 2018
      • Vol 3 No 2 Mar-Apr 2018
      • Vol 3 No 3 Aug-Sep 2018
      • Vol 3 No 4 Oct-Nov 2018
    • Vol 4 – 2019
      • Vol 4 No 1 Jan-Feb 2019
      • Vol 4 No 2 Mar-Apr 2019
      • Vol 4 No 3 Aug-Sep 2019
      • Vol 4 No 4 Oct-Nov 2019
    • Vol 5 – 2020
      • Vol 5 No 1 Jan-Feb 2020
      • Vol 5 No 2 Mar-Apr 2020
      • Vol 5 No 3 Aug-Sep 2020
  • About

    Course Readings

    Article Indexes

    About Us

    Menu
    • Course Readings – SC 3300 – Nash
    • Course Readings – SMC 1301 – Wieck
    • Course Readings – PO 4334 – Dr Celine
    Menu
    • Course Readings – HS 2321 – Whitener
    • Course Readings – HS 2322 – Whitener
    • Course Readings – SMC 1301 – Whitener
    Menu
    • Our Article/Author Index
    • Award Winning Articles
    Menu
    • Our StMU History Media Project
    • Our Faculty Consultants
    • Our Writers
    • Contact Us
  • Cultural History, Explanatory Article, Hispanic History of San Antonio, Journalistic Explanatory, United States History, US-Contemporary United States (1968-present), US-Great Depression & WWII (1929-1945)
  • May 13, 2019

Perseverance in Preservation: The Hundred-year Historical Development of Woodlawn Lake Park

Woodlawn Lake with the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica Catholic Church and the Tower of the Americas in the background | Courtesy of Flickr user shékum (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Woodlawn Lake with the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica Catholic Church and the Tower of the Americas in the background | Courtesy of Flickr user shékum (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Mario Sosa

Mario Sosa

For over 100 years, Woodlawn Lake Park in San Antonio, Texas has been a place for visitors to relax or partake in community gatherings and local events – whether it be for the annual 4th of July firework spectacle or a picnic with family. Due to their vast quantity of natural habitats, many would not suspect parks to have a long or rich history. This, however, should not be assumed. Woodlawn Lake Park has gone through significant changes throughout the past century – all of which has helped it become what it is today. During the 2019 Earth Day celebration at Woodlawn Park, I had the pleasure of interviewing Alejandro Soto, the president of the Woodlawn Lake Community Association. Listening to his experiences and thoughts inspired me to look deeper into the history of the park.


The park’s history began when General W. Russ, F. H. Brown, and W. P. Anderson founded their business, the West End Town Company. They also bought the surrounding 1000 acres of land in 1887, naming it “Maverick’s Pasture.” Two years later in 1889, the 80-acre lake formed after a dam was built around Alazan Creek by George W. Russ and his company. Even throughout the early-20th century, the park was a popular leisure spot for San Antonio’s citizens, as a trolley connected the park to downtown San Antonio in Houston Street.1 With rowboats, an outdoor pavilion for people to dance and the newly invented electric bulbs, the lake had a reputation of being “the finest artificial lake in the south.”2

Woodlawn Lake Park lighthouse | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons user Larry D. Moore

After going through financial hardships, the West End Town Company foreclosed the land in 1894, handing it over to Julia Anderson and F. H. Baldwin. After that, Anderson and Baldwin leased the area to the Peacock School for Boys up until 1910. After Baldwin’s death in 1918, Anderson gave the land over to the City of San Antonio. The West End Improvement Club stepped up in 1920 to renovate the park, planting a hundred trees, adding comfort stations and  renaming the place to “Woodlawn Lake.” Between 1915 and 1929, W. H. Suden, after leasing the land, added an island onto the lake. In addition, Suden incorporated film shows, rowboats, and a hotel. A $188,000 bond package allowed the city to begin building a community center alongside a pool.3


Alejandro Soto is the president of the Woodlawn Lake Community Association, a group focusing on developing the park and neighborhoods around it. Originally from Los Angeles, Alejandro moved to San Antonio in 2000. Seeing his previous neighborhood suffer because of neglect from the people, in 2003, Alejandro sought to get involved in the Woodlake Park community to make sure the same thing did not occur here. The Woodlawn Lake Community Association tackles issues such as lake drainage, street repairs and call complaints, to name a few. Littering is another problem that the group faces, especially during their 4th of July event. Alejandro believes that one of the hardest challenges they face is getting younger generations to get involved in their communities. The young are occupied with school, family and children, leaving the elderly people to be the most active.4


Woodlawn Park Road Bridge – built in 1935 | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons – Larry D. Moore

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, drainage and silt began to contaminate the lake due to neighborhood and street construction in the area. Concurrently, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal program employed victims of the Great Depression to do public works around the country; one of these agencies was the Works Progress Administration. During this time, bridges, sidewalks, concession stands, tennis courts and a lighthouse developed.5 In the late 1930s, the Works Progress Administration dredged Woodlawn Lake – removing sediment and debris. The process of dredging persisted through the following decades with a dam and spillway constructed as an aid. In the early 1980s, the lake was drained for two years because of dredging. Fortunately, no issues with dredging have occurred in the last few decades. By the late 1990’s fireworks on the 4th of July sparked a yearly tradition at Woodlawn Lake Park. Finally, the city of San Antonio classified the park as a local historic district in 2000.6 

Historic districts are defined by the City of San Antonio’s Unified Development Code as an area that contains a group of significant historical landmarks – which can range from buildings to natural resources. As of 2019, San Antonio has 29 historical districts and around 2000 individual landmarks. Some other prominent historical districts include the HemisFair, Alamo Plaza, Main and Military plaza, Mission (home of the Spanish frontier missions), and the Old Lone Star Brewery. Being listed as a historic district prevents the landmarks around it from being demolished by government officials or other organizations. The City of San Antonio has a detailed list of criteria that is required for an area to become a historic district, some of which includes their cultural integrity to the community and historical impact. As of 2019, there are seven areas that are eligible to be classified as one.7

The area surrounding Woodlawn Lake is also rich with historical significance. The 116-foot-tall Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower, which is easily seen from Woodlawn Lake, resides nearby. Built in 1931 during the Great Depression, it was dedicated to the recently canonized St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who is nicknamed “The Little Flower.” In 1998, it officially became a part of the National Register of Historic Places, as well as becoming recognized as a Minor Basilica by the Catholic Church.8 Another nearby landmark is Thomas Jefferson High School. In 1932, it became the third high school to be built in San Antonio, costing 1.25 million dollars to construct. The high school was labeled as a Texas historical landmark and placed among the National Register of Historic Places by the City of San Antonio in 1983.9 Some of the most well recognized alumni from Thomas Jefferson High School include politicians Henry B. González, Ed Garza, and Julián and Joaquin Castro. The community around Woodlawn Lake Park is closely attached to these places, as many teenagers there attended Thomas Jefferson High School and those who are Catholic regularly visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower.10


Since becoming a historical district, many more people have come to visit Woodlawn Lake Park. With this comes the increased need for preservation. Alejandro is very pleased with the improvements that the park has had over the years – of which include renovating the gym and park entrances, and also creating a one-acre butterfly garden. Alejandro believes that the butterfly garden will help other people – especially newcomers – decide what kind of plants to grow and look at the variety that San Antonio has to offer. Additionally, the butterfly garden helps the passing monarch butterflies along with other park wildlife.11


Woodlawn Lake Park pedestrian bridge | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons user Larry D. Moore [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]
Today, the park is the official gathering place in San Antonio for the Fiesta Earth Day and the Fourth of July. The park offers activities such as public fitness, dance classes, fishing, canoeing and kayaking.12 The Woodlawn Lake Community Association helps to preserve the nearby neighborhoods, creating a butterfly garden for the monarch butterflies, and working with local schools, churches and civic groups.13 Currently, the association is looking to resolve the issue of speeding vehicles, sidewalks in need of repair, and stray dogs. Residents also want more retail businesses opening up shop in the area.14


Recently, one significant change done to the park was the banning of smoking in all San Antonio parks, thanks to the efforts of the Woodlawn Lake Community Association. Looking into the future, Alejandro hopes that the city will add a bike trail around the park using existing streets without creating new pavements. The group is always looking towards improvements not only to the park, but also to its community. To Alejandro, Woodlawn lake park is a special one-of-a-kind neighborhood – one that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.15

  1. “Woodlawn Lake,” n.d., Accessed May 11, 2019. https://www.sanantonio.gov/historic/historicsites/HistoricDistricts/WoodlawnLake. ↵
  2. “Woodlawn Lake Park,” n.d. ,The City of San Antonio – Official City Website. Accessed May 12, 2019. https://www.sanantonio.gov/ParksAndRec/Parks-Facilities/All-Parks-Facilities/Parks-Facilities-Details/ArtMID/14820/ArticleID/2456/Woodlawn-Lake-Park-/Park/262. ↵
  3. “Woodlawn Lake,” n.d., Accessed May 11, 2019. https://www.sanantonio.gov/historic/historicsites/HistoricDistricts/WoodlawnLake. ↵
  4. Alejandro Soto, “Experiences with Woodlawn Lake Park,” Interview by Mario Sosa, April 13, 2019. ↵
  5. “The 100-Year-Old History of San Antonio’s Beloved Woodlawn Lake Park,” n.d., CultureMap San Antonio. Accessed May 11, 2019. http://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/city-life/07-20-18-100-years-of-growth-at-woodlawn-lake-park/. ↵
  6. “Woodlawn Lake,” n.d. Accessed May 11, 2019. https://www.sanantonio.gov/historic/historicsites/HistoricDistricts/WoodlawnLake. ↵
  7. “Historic Districts,” n.d. Accessed May 13, 2019. https://www.sanantonio.gov/historic/historicsites/HistoricDistricts. ↵
  8. “Home,” n.d., Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower. Accessed May 13, 2019. https://littleflowerbasilica.org/. ↵
  9. René A. Guzman, “Cityscape: Thomas Jefferson High School,” San Antonio Express-News, June 24, 2012. https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Cityscape-Thomas-Jefferson-High-School-3658349.php. ↵
  10. Richard Webner, “Woodlawn Lake Known for Its Historic Landmarks,” San Antonio Express-News, July 19, 2017. https://www.mysanantonio.com/sa300/article/Woodlawn-Lake-known-for-its-historic-landmarks-11298019.php. ↵
  11. Alejandro Soto, “Experiences with Woodlawn Lake Park,” Interview by Mario Sosa, April 13, 2019. ↵
  12. “Woodlawn Lake Park | San Antonio – Texas Recreation and Park Societ,” n.d. Accessed May 12, 2019. http://traps.org/lone-star-legacy-parks/woodland-lake-park-san-antonio/. ↵
  13. “The 100-Year-Old History of San Antonio’s Beloved Woodlawn Lake Park,” n.d., CultureMap San Antonio. Accessed May 11, 2019. http://sanantonio.culturemap.com/news/city-life/07-20-18-100-years-of-growth-at-woodlawn-lake-park/. ↵
  14. Richard Webner, “Woodlawn Lake Known for Its Historic Landmarks,” San Antonio Express-News, July 19, 2017. https://www.mysanantonio.com/sa300/article/Woodlawn-Lake-known-for-its-historic-landmarks-11298019.php. ↵
  15. Alejandro Soto, “Experiences with Woodlawn Lake Park,” Interview by Mario Sosa, April 13, 2019. ↵

Tags from the story

  • Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower, Historic Districts, parks, San Antonio, Thomas Jefferson High School, Woodlawn Lake, Woodlawn Lake Park, Works Progress Administration

Share this post

Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on pinterest
Share on print
Share on email
Mario Sosa

Mario Sosa

Author Portfolio Page

Saviors Rising from the Ashes of the My Lai Massacre

In the midst of a war-torn Vietnam, three U.S. infantry companies moved into the village

Read More »

From prestigious noble to child serial killer: Gilles de Rais

With so many serial killers sprouting during the twentieth century, the name Gilles de Rais

Read More »

Greek Fire: A Byzantine Weapon Lost to the Ages

September 1, 718. With the clear motivation to defend Constantinople, Byzantine ships filled with anxious

Read More »

Luddites: Victims of the Industrial Revolution

The early nineteenth century brought drastic change to manufacturing. As the Industrial Revolution moved into

Read More »

Peter the Great: The Man who Westernized Russia

Russian historian Nikolai Pogodin once said, “The Russia of today, that is to say, European

Read More »

This Post Has 14 Comments

  1. Anthony Coronado
    Anthony Coronado 19 Mar 2020 Reply

    While living in San Antonio, and as well as an easy commute to the Woodlawn Area, I did not know of the vivid history surrounding that area. Such that of the once all-boys school that use to be situated in the area. I did recognize other notable local buildings in the historical district. Would St. Mary’s Univeristy be classified in this district too?

  2. Avatar
    Kennedy Arcos 8 Mar 2020 Reply

    When I saw the title of this article, I just had to read it! I have always known about the Woodlawn park and I just recently started visiting it with my friend, so it was nice to learn more about it. I was never aware of the rich history it held and I find it amazing that actions are being taken to help improve it. It truly is a beautiful place! I also enjoyed reading about how much this park has improved!

  3. Avatar
    Margaret Maguire 2 Nov 2019 Reply

    Woodlawn Lake Park is a beautiful park and I didn’t know that the park was a historical district. This article was really neat, I would have never known about a park having such a deep and rich history. It was also neat learning about how places are deemed historical. Some of the criteria for a place to be classified as a historical district are their cultural integrity to the community and historical impact. This article was really neat and informative.

  4. Avatar
    Alexander Avina 1 Oct 2019 Reply

    I was very excited to read an article about a subject that I have a connection to. This article brought up a very important subject. This article was written on a very intriguing subject. This was written very well and included many important facts that I didn’t know before. The article kept me interested all the way through. This was a very enlightening article. The author managed to keep me interested throughout the whole article. I had a good time reading this article.

Comments navigation

Previous commentPrevious

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

StMU History Media

A Student Organization of St. Mary's University of San Antonio Texas

Sponsors

  • College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, St. Mary's University
  • Department of History, St. Mary's University
  • Department of Political Science, St. Mary's University
  • Center for Catholic Studies, St. Mary's University

Support Services

  • The Learning Assistance Center, St. Mary's University
  • Louis J. Blume Library Services, St. Mary's University
  • STRIVE Career Center, St. Mary's University
  • Academic Technology Services, St. Mary's University

About

  • About Us
  • Our Authors
  • Our Archive
  • Contacts

© All rights reserved

Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest