Downtown in San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Petty House
San Antonio in the late 1800s was a city quickly changing from a frontier town to a metropolis, soon to become the largest city in Texas, a claim it held for three decades. Mary Francis Drake (1848-1915) arrived in San Antonio in 1890 with her two youngest children and began purchasing property, including this lot along the San Antonio River, an area known as Milam Bend near the Crystal Ice & Manufacturing Company. The neighborhood at the time consisted of one- and two-story residences and a few undeveloped lots. Mary Drake built a two-story house with Queen Anne-Style architectural features, completed in 1895. The home's architect is unknown but historic photographs show an asymmetrical façade with a cross-gabled roof and prominent turret, spindled balustrades along the front porch and patterned masonry chimneys. The Drake family sold the property in 1901 to William Alexander and Louisa Fitch, who only lived here a short time.
Bastrop native Van Alvin Petty, Sr. (1860-1929) and his wife, Mary Cordelia (Dabney) Petty (1861-1943), purchased this house in November 1901. As president of Olive-Sternenberg Lumber Company, Petty operated a thriving business while also investing in San Antonio's real estate market since the 1890s. In 1910 and 1911, Petty undertook a major renovation of the house, designed by noted architect Atlee B. Ayres and under the management of general contractor Otto Lindau. Neoclassical architectural style was applied to the home, bringing symmetry to all sides and adding a new gallery on the second floor, an extension to the rear, and two-story Corinthian columns. In 1947, the house was sold to Sam Houston Post 76 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2017
Erected 2017 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 18597.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1901.
Location. 29° 26.129′ N, 98° 28.923′ W. Marker is in San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County. It is in Downtown. Marker can be reached from the intersection of 10th Street and Avenue B. The marker is located down the driveway on the right side of the house. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10 10th Street, San Antonio TX 78215, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. O. Scott Petty (here, next to this marker); Old Lone Star Brewery (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Central Catholic High School (approx. 0.2 miles away); Locks & Dams (approx. 0.2 miles away); Flooding & Dams (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Thiele Cottage (approx. 0.4 miles away); Engelman-Muench House (approx. 0.4 miles away); The River in the 1800's (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Antonio.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 16, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 745 times since then and 145 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 17, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.