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Plaza de los Istas." Around it was allotted ground for the homes of the Spanish colo-
nists who were sent over from the Canary Islands in 1730 to settle in Texas. The pre-
sidio, or garrison town, which sprang up around this plaza was called Bexar, and later
formed the city known as San Antonio de Bexar. This plaza was the favored camping
ground of the Mexican soldiers. Their tents were pitched here when the city was capt-
ured by Milam, and also during the siege of the Alamo by Santa Anna.
SAN FERNANDO CATHEDRAL was originally the parish church and still
continues to be so. It is the oldest of all the Spanish mission churches, and was erected
by public subscription in 1732. It was on the roof of this building that Santa Anna
mounted his cannon to besiege the Alamo.
The foundations for a new church was laid in 1868. On the creation of the diocese
of San Antonio it was raised to the dignity of a cathedral. A part of the original church
remains. It is in the rear of the present edifice, having a dome-shaped roof which has
withstood the vicissitudes of wear and weather for nearly three hundred years.
THE SOUTHERN HOTEL is just south of the cathedral. It was once the home
of one of the Spanish colonists, Don Cassiano, and is the site of one of the oldest hotels.
It has for years been the favorite resort of the ranchmen, many of whose landed estate
cover areas equal to those of many of the smaller kingdoms of Europe.
THE BEXAR COUNTY COURT HOUSE is the palatial structure that rears its
stately head on the southwest corner of Main Plaza. It is the largest, the most impos-
ing, and the most unique building of its kind in the state. It is built of red Pecos sand-
stone and red Texas granite.
VERAMENDI PALACE.—On the left hand side of Soledad street between Com-
merce street and Houston is to be seen a small one-story adobe building. This is the
old palace of Governor Veramendi, one of the early Mexican governors of Texas. This