Our mission is to collect, preserve, organize, and make accessible materials that document the history of San Antonio and South Central Texas with an emphasis on historic buildings, objects, places, and customs. The library is open to the public, as well as to the members and staff of the Conservation Society.

You can’t find everything online. But you can still find a lot, if you know where to look!  Even when libraries are closed, fascinating aspects of San Antonio and Texas history remain just a click away.

Featured Website:  The Living New Deal

The challenging economic times we’re currently facing have inspired some to look back at the New Deal programs of the Great Depression.  Among these, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) left an enduring legacy in art, architecture, and infrastructure across the country.  Explore San Antonio’s known WPA projects, from the Alamo Grounds to Woodlawn Lake Park,  through The Living New Deal website.

Topic: Works Progress Administration (WPA)

Creator: Dept. of Geography, University of California at Berkeley

This website documents the numerous public works projects completed in San Antonio (and across the country) between 1933 and 1943, as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s efforts to bring America out of the Great Depression. The Living New Deal includes photos and is searchable by state and city, type of project, agency, and artist. It also provides considerable information about the various New Deal programs and agencies, as well as extensive links to related resources.

Tip: Projects for each city are listed alphabetically.  Sometimes this is by the name of the place. Other times, it is under the name of the project.  For example, Brackenridge Park contains 9 structures, but not all come under the heading of Brackenridge Park.  You can use the Advanced Search feature, which includes keyword and other fields, to make sure not to miss anything.

All of the featured sites can be found by topic under Research Links.  If you have a question about any of these sites, or have one to share, please contact librarian Beth Standifird at bstandifird@saconservation.org.