The King William Historic District of San Antonio, Texas was listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Bexar County, Texas on January 20, 1972. The area was originally used as farm acreage by the Spanish priests of the Misión San Antonio de Valero, and eventually parceled off for the local indigenous peoples of the area. In addition to residential homes, the district also includes the King William Park and Bandstand originally built in 1892 on the arsenal grounds, and later moved to its current location. Other features are the Upper Mill Park, the King William River Walk, and the Johnson Street pedestrian bridge.
The subdividing of the area into residential lots dates to 1853–66, coincided with the German diaspora in Texas. San Antonio by then was experiencing an influx of German immigrants, fueled in part by the German Adelsverein colonization efforts of the mid-19th century. Wilhelm Thielepape was one of those colonists, and served as Mayor of San Antonio 1867–1872. Surveyor Ernst Hermann Altgelt relocated to San Antonio in 1866, and built the first home in the area now known as the King William District. Being the first home builder in the area, he named it after King of Prussia William I, German Emperor. What eventually became a German enclave of the King William Historic District continued into the next generations. The 419 King William house was built in 1884 by Smith Ellis, but eventually sold to Otto Meusebach, the son of John O. Meusebach who led the Adelsverein colonization and founded the German town of Fredericksburg, Texas.
The King William Historic District evolved into more of an area for the financially successful, rather than any particular ethnicity. Louis Bergstrom was a successful businessman from Sweden. Several of the homes were designed by British architect Alfred Giles: the Carl Wilhelm August Groos House, the Edward Steves Homestead; Sartor House for jeweler Alexander Sartor Jr. Giles designed the Oge House for business leader and former Texas Ranger Louis Oge. The area was home to the United States Arsenal beginning in 1859. In 1985, the H-E-Bu grocery chain acquired ten acres for their corporation headquarters.
Property listings + Residential homes of the King William Historic DistrictPropertyImageAddressNotes (1866) 236 King WilliamErnst Altgelt (1832–1878) Düsseldorf immigrant who built the first home on King William Street, which he named after King of Prussia William I, German Emperor. (1878)226 King WilliamSecond house build by Ernst Altgelt. RTHL 5029000134 120 King WilliamBuilt by French immigrant brothers John and Jack Ball. 116 King WilliamBuilt by French immigrant brothers John and Jack Ball. 222 E. GuentherSan Antonio architect Albert Beckmann also designed many of the city's commercial buildings. 208 and 210 King WilliamBuilt 1882–83 by Swedish cotton-wool-hides merchant Louis Bergstrom 528 King WilliamRTHL 5507018355 Blersch-Watson House213 WashingtonBuilt 1859 for Gustav BlerschBlondin House 112 King WilliamBuilt 1905 326 King WilliamBuilt 1915 Elias and Lucy Edmonds House419 King WilliamRTHL 5507015407 Ellis-Meusebach House414 King WilliamBuilt 1884 525 MadisonBuilt 1890 228 WashingtonTexas-German Vernacular style 306 King WilliamBoth 306 and 308 built 1883 as "twin houses" for Alfred Giles, who was a British-born architect responsible for designing many courthouses, homes and buildings in Texas. 308 King WilliamBoth 306 and 208 built 1883 as "twin houses" for Alfred Giles.506 MadisonBuilt 1909 for Confederate emissary Carl Griesenbeck 335 King WilliamRTHL 5029002287 231 WashingtonBuilt 1875 205 E. Guenther StreetNRHP 2090001539, RTHL5029004808 H.E.B. Corporate Headquarters - United States Arsenal Site 523 King WilliamBuilt 1884225 King WilliamBuilt 1880 317 King WilliamBuilt 1883–85 309 King WilliamBuilt 1884 Johnson Street Pedestrian BridgeJoseph House (San Antonio) 241 King WilliamBuilt 1900 425 King WilliamBuilt 1892 332 King WilliamBuilt 1907 514 MadisonBuilt 1895 f King William Park and Bandstand McDaniel Carriage House130 King WilliamBuilt 1896/1972 for Dr. and Mrs. Alfred McDaniel Mitchell-Ogg House202 WashingtonBuilt 1857–1892 for Newton A. Mitchell and Louis Oge 432 and 434 King WilliamBuilt 1900 for the builder of Nix Medical Center Norton-Polk-Mathis House401 King WilliamRTHL 5029003615 316 King WilliamBuilt 1900 203 King WilliamBuilt 1891 404 and 410 King WilliamBuilt 1878–1900San Antonio River Walk 242 King WilliamBuilt 1906-06 217 King WilliamBuilt 1882 221 E. GuentherBuilt in 1892 303 King WilliamBuilt for San Antonio postmaster John J. Stevens. Later sold to Vinton Lee James 504 King WilliamDesigned by Alfred Giles 505 MadisonConverted from stable and carriage house to residence ca.1925509 King WilliamEdward Steves Sr. house 431 King WilliamBuilt 1884219 E. GuentherBuilt 1885 422 King WilliamBuilt 1887107 King WilliamSaved in 1974 by the San Antonio Conservation Society Unknown325 King William1940s Art Moderne home currently on property
52 properties (or 53 if Ball houses counted separately)
See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Bexar County, Texas
Bibliography
References
External links The San Antonio House Registry Chabot House Historic Texas Landmark in the King William Historic District, but not listed on the NRHP.