30 Vintage Shots of San Antonio from the 1940s through 1960s

By San Antonio Current Staff and Gabriella Pawelek

Whether you're taking a trip down memory lane with these photographs, or you're learning something new about the history of San Antonio, take time to appreciate these little glimpses of decades gone by.

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Fiesta San Antonio Carnival on North Side of Military Plaza, 1961
Pop-up carnivals have been popular since their invention around the late 1800s, when the Chicago World Fair made them popular. Since then, people of almost every generation have had the opportunity to enjoy the serendipity (and terror) of here today, gone tomorrow amusement parks.
Photo via Zintgraff Studio Photo Collection

Arneson River Theater, 1963
Construction for the Arneson River Theater was finished in 1941, making it just over a decade younger than the Majestic Theater. Over the years, it’s been home to all types of performances. When the theater isn’t in use (and even when it is), San Antonio River barges are free to pass in front of the stage, sometimes making for incredible improv.
Photo via Zintgraff Studio Photo Collection

Dale Robertson Show, 1968
Dale Robertson was mostly a TV actor, but his live show visited San Antonio many times during the fifties and sixties. The show photographed above was performed in the San Antonio Convention Center during the Hemisfair ’68, which was the official World’s Fair that year.
Photo via Zintgraff Studio Photo Collection

Dancers at Record Hop at Oak Hills Country Club, 1959
While sock hops were usually held in gyms and the term was coined for having to remove your shoes before dancing, “record hops” were a dance where you didn’t have to take off your shoes, usually because it wasn’t held on varnished floors.
Photo via Zintgraff Studio Photo Collection

Fiesta Flambeau: Junior Division Public Schools Float, 1954
Fiesta Flambeau, which is part of the eleven days of Fiesta San Antonio, started off as an idea by Reynolds Andricks to be a night parade led by torches. The parade has influences of New Orleans Marti Gras, but is uniquely part of San Antonio culture.
Photo via Zintgraff Studio Photo Collection

Interior of San Antonio Convention Center Arena, 1968
What is now the Henry B. González Convention Center was once simply the San Antonio Convention Center, which was originally built as part of HemisFair ’68.
Photo via Zintgraff Studio Photo Collection

Magician Performing for the Oak Hills Country Club, 1959
The Oak Hills Country Club has been part of San Antonio since 1921, having been originally named “Alamo Country Club.” After it reopened after the Great Depression and World War II, the name was changed to Oak Hills Country Club. Since then, the Country Club has been home to many events.
Photo via Zintgraff Studio Photo Collection

Businessmen on Carnival Ride, circa 1962
How safe could a carnival ride be in the 60s? According to OSHA, even today’s rides are probably not as safe as you would want them to be, but just look at this photo!
Photo via Zintgraff Studio Photo Collection

Walgreens, a 1961 Mercury Monterey, and North Star Mall, circa 1960s
Did you know there used to be a Walgreens in North Star Mall? There was.
Photo via Zintgraff Studio Photo Collection

Miss Fiesta Presentation and Ball, 1955
Miss Fiesta dates back to the late 1940s. The title of Miss Fiesta appeared among the other Fiesta royalty with the invention of Fiesta Flambeau.
Photo via Zintgraff Studio Photo Collection