And so until 1900 San Antonio had a colorful life. Then it settled down to consistent growth and progress. Oil was discovered near the city. Hundreds of new families came to make this their home because of the natural beauty, the mild climate, the healthfulness and business opportunities. But progress proceeds without dimming the past and it is the past that draws thousands of visitors to this unique city of picturesque contrasts. Today, more than 2,000 acres are included in the city’s 60 parks and plazas. One of the most complete city park systems in the nation, Brackenridge Park embraces 320 acres. Among its interesting features is a Zoo which ranks among the nation’s largest and best. The San Antonio River which finds its source in numerous flowing springs just north of Brackenridge Park and winds its way through the business section of the city, has been transformed into a beautiful Venetian canal with walkways below the street level along banks lined with semi-tropical flowers and shrubs. An important military center since its beginning, San Antonio now possesses the largest permanent army post of the nation in Fort Sam Houston, headquarters for the Eighth Corps Area. An arsenal is located here, Normoyle Quartermaster Depot and Camps Stanley and Bullis. San Antonio saw the birth of the air corps in 1910 and today are located here the military flying fields of Randolph, the “West Point of the Air”; Kelly, Duncan and Brooks. Thus the past two hundred years have seen much colorful drama enacted under the flags of France, Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederacy, and the United States. Each flag has left mirrored a part of its own significance. The curious mixture of old and new which is San Antonio has been recorded in the pages of this book. Claude B. Aniol [Illustration: One of the most famed historic shrines in the United States is the Alamo, the old chapel of _Mission San Antonio de Valero_, founded in 1718. Here on March 6, 1836, a band of less than 200 Texas patriots valiantly defending the Alamo against more than 5,000 troops of Santa Anna, the Mexican general, were massacred. “Remember the Alamo!” became the battle-cry of other Texans. Santa Anna was later defeated by General Sam Houston’s forces at the battle of San Jacinto.