SPANISH GOVERNOR'S PALACE. The Spanish Governor's Palace, at 105 Military Plaza in San Antonio, was constructed in 1749. The name, something of a misnomer, is traditional; the building was not the home of the Spanish governor but served as the residence and headquarters for the local presidio captain. The one-story masonry structure is built in the Spanish Colonial style; in the rear is a large patio. A keystone above the entrance bears the date of construction and the Hapsburg coat of arms. After the end of Spanish sovereignty, the building passed into private ownership. In the late 1860s it was purchased by E. Hermann Altgelt,^qv founder of Comfort in Kendall County. He and his family lived there at various times, and the property was held by his widow, Emma Murck Altgelt,^qv until the early 1900s. Then the building fell into a state of disrepair. In 1928 voters in San Antonio passed a bond issue for the purpose of purchasing and conserving the building, and in 1929-30 the building was restored under the supervision of architect Harvey P. Smith.^qv Members of the San Antonio Conservation Society^qv aided in restoring and furnishing the historic structure. In 1962 the building was registered as a recorded Texas historic landmark and is now a national historic landmark. The Spanish Governor's Palace is maintained by the city of San Antonio as a museum and is open to the public.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Comfort News, January 1, 8, 1970. San Antonio Conservation Society, Conservation in San Antonio since 1924 (San Antonio, 1970). San Antonio Express, August 31, 1936. Texas Historical Commission, National Register Files.

Christopher Long