Betty's Battalion, a landmark bar in San Antonio's Government Hill area, is closing after 37 years

For 37 years, Betty's Battalion has been a watering hole, hideaway and home for San Antonio's military population and civilians alike. However, that time's coming to an end.

The Government Hill fixture will shut its doors at the end of April, according to Betty Ford, owner of the military-themed tavern.

“I am trying to be out at the end of the month,” she told the Current.

According to Ford, the decision to close wasn't hers. A new tenant will soon take over the space, which sits at 1524 E. Grayson St., across from Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.

The building's landlord, Long Cap Partners, notified Ford about her lease termination several months in advance. Her long term-lease ended last year and she's been operating month-to-month since then, her niece Rachel Ybanez said.

Officials with Long Cap declined comment.

During a Wednesday evening visit, somber feelings were palpable among the bar's regulars. As they chatted with Ford, her husband Tom removed mementoes from the walls, primarily polaroids, printed-out photos and personal items from soldiers, many long dead.

Between sips of his whisky and glances around the room, one regular who declined to give his name explained Betty's Battalion evokes memories of his time overseas in the service — memories both good and bad. He feels at peace here, he explains.

Ybanez reminisced about the bar's old-fashioned toga parties, which she added, "went exactly how one would expect them to go."

The walls and floorboards of the neighborhood dive are soaked with character, something earned from decades of spilled drinks, drunken love stories, karaoke nights and money lost on pool games.

While Ford served the regulars, her husband continued to removed photos from the walls, picking up where she left off the day prior.