Prior to the 1930’s, the majority of main roads leading out of downtown San Antonio were lined with a mix of residential and commercial buildings. That all changed in 1938, when city council approved the zoning of all those arterial streets as wholly commercial corridors. Development quickly spread along Castroville Road, Fredericksburg Road, Laredo Highway and San Pedro Avenue, among many others.
Broadway, within the city limits of San Antonio, and Austin Highway, historically outside the city limits to the north, functioned as the main auto route between San Antonio and Austin in the years before the Interstate Highway System. These two roads not only served many of the day-to-day needs of local San Antonians, but also those of travelers and tourists to the Alamo City. The area just north of downtown became known as “Automobile Row,” with numerous auto showrooms, while motor courts and early motels sprung up along Austin Highway. In between, the former streetcar suburb of Alamo Heights developed with the slightly different feel of a small town main street, complete with a movie theater and small-scale shopping centers.
This driving tour takes you from downtown up to Alamo Heights via Broadway and Austin Highway. You can end the tour at Earl Abel's on Austin Highway or backtrack to the Olmos Bharmacy on Hildebrand, following the directions on the printable brochure. Please note that a major drainage project is planned at Hildebrand and Broadway. This area may be difficult to drive through once construction starts.