This city is the seventh largest in the U.S. and the 24th largest metropolitan area. In the early 19th century, Marquis of San Miguel de Aguayo suggested that inhabitants of the Canary Islands be transported to populate the province of Texas. San Antonio was the capital of the Spanish, and later the Mexican province of Texas. Stephen F. Austin began a troop of Texas Rangers in 1823 after the recent Mexican War of Independence to protect the 700 or so families living in the state. Most of the skirmishes were against Cherokee and Comanche Indians. It wasn’t until later that the Texians fought Mexicans.
Texian troops fought off Santa Anna’s in the late 1830′s. Sam Houston, leader of the Texians, and Davy Crockett and his troop of Tennesseans were called in and determined to hold the old mission building of the Alamo. Santa Anna resolved to take the Alamo by storm. After nearly two weeks of fighting in late February and early March 1836, the final Battle of the Alamo raged and all the native defenders were killed.
After the Alamo, the River Walk is one of the jewels of the city. It runs through downtown San Antonio and has many shops, bars and restaurants. San Antonio is rich with history and culture. It is emerging as a great American city.