San Pedro Springs Park - Paul Schaefer Collection

Duration: 0:03:01

Year Published: 1970s

Sound: silent

Description: This 197s news footage for KMOL-TV showcases San Pedro Springs Park in San Antonio, Texas. The camera operator first captures visitors admiring the water rushing through the historic springs. They then turn to other notable features of the park, including the fern-covered grotto, the bandstand, and the swimming pool. Finally, they film visitors on the playground, having picnics, playing sports, and dancing for the camera.This 46-acre area in San Antonio was first the site of Yanaguana, a village built by the Indigeneous Payaya people. After the founding of San Antonio by the Spanish, the springs and surrounding land were designated as public land by King Philip V of Spain. Based on the boundaries outlined by Francois P. Giraud, the first surveyor of San Antonio, the area was declared a public park in 1852, making it the oldest park in the state of Texas.