Old St. Mary's College
(1852 – 1966)
B
E X A R C O U N T Y |
Marker Text: Established in 1852 in frontier San Antonio by 4 members of the Society of Mary: Brother Andrew Edel, John Baptist Laignous, Nicholas Koening, and Xavier Mauclerc--all natives of France.
Construction of this building began in fall, 1852 and its doors opened, March 1, 1853. To more than 100 students of all creeds. Structure then had 4 rooms. Late in 1854 brothers Eligius Beyerer and Charles Francis joined the faculty. Francis known as the "The great builder" devoted 54 years of his life to San Antonio and finished the building of the college. By 1870 it was well-proportioned structure of rough limestone typically European in style. Once the largest building complex in San Antonio St. Mary's College educated many prominent south Texans, including 8 mayors of San Antonio. From, 1934 to 1966 the buildings housed St. Mary's University School of Law, which under Dean Ernest A. Raba, became a leading legal institution of the southwest. St. Mary's is the only college to have served the city for 113 consecutive years. After 1966, when building was acquired by River Hotel Company, a 6-story addition was built at the rear and the exterior made Spanish in style. (1969) |
Marker No: 3819
Aluminum 27 x 42 Subject Marker
Texas Historic Landmark
Geographic: 29.425867,-98.490700
Location: 112 College Street, San Antonio