Here area few preview pictures taken near a hundred years ago by my Grandfather, Edward Arnold (1871 - 1936). We recently discovered an album of about 650 pictures taken mostly in the San Antonio area between 1908 and 1918. Most of these are family pictures with some being shots taken around the city and South Texas. I have scanned about 150 of the pictures and the Institute of Texan cultures now has the pictures for copying and achieving   I am preparing a pictorial essay for the Web entitled, "Pictures From Our Past- The Children of 19th German Immigrants Live the Good Life In South Texas, 1908 - 1918."   Hopefully this will be available by early fall.

The first picture is of the Alamo in downtown San Antonio as it appeared in 1908. At that time a large 19th century building butted right against the north wall. The historic structure was scheduled for removal for a new commercial Building This is the year that the DTR organized their successful effort to save the structure. The picture has suffered significant deterioration in the emulsion that formed the image, but an interesting picture remains. The star indicates it was taken in April during the annual "Fiesta de San Jacinto" celebration. I removed the "flying saucer" that was clearly hovering over the South corner in the original.

The second picture is of the Alamo about 10 years later. It was taken from the 2nd floor of the old Post Office Building that was replaced in 1937.  It is the 19th century building that is gone and the Alamo grounds as they appear today are emerging. The chapel has a new metal roof and the long barracks structure has been rebuilt on the foundation of the 18th century structure. The Texas flag is flying from an elongated staff above the facade.

The final picture is a 1918 picture of the church and a bit of the grounds at the Mission Espada. The front of the church is the 18th century original, but the back part had collapsed and the reconstruction had been completed some 20 years earlier.The church appears essentially as it appears today. Some of the interesting items in the view are the ruins of the walls to the left of the church and the "Indian houses" to the right. "The house in the pictures was still occupied when the picture was taken. Today the house walls remain but the roof has been removed. The well housing in the front of the church has been restored though it appears in near ruins in the picture.