San Antonio, TX Join the party on Saturday, May 21^st from 10 am to 2 pm to celebrate Texas' oldest surviving concrete street "¦ Belknap Place. Built in 1914, Belknap Place is the oldest surviving concrete street in Texas and one of the oldest in the United States.  In addition, it is a significant civil engineering achievement.  Few streets or roads in Texas have been cited for their historical significance because most streets and roads have a physical life cycle of less than 50 years, and are often overlaid or reconstructed during this time. 

Construction of Belknap Place utilized an innovative and award winning two-layer "Granitoid" process that provided superior wearing characteristics (a coarse aggregate lower layer and a denser hard granite aggregate surface layer).  In order to provide non-slip footing for the shoes of horses, the unhardened surface was brushed to improve traction and scored in a 4-inch by 9-inch pattern resembling bricks.  Portland cement used in the construction of Belknap Place was manufactured in the area now known as the Alamo Quarry Market.

Monte Vista is fortunate the Cement Council of Texas has acquired a historical marker recognizing Belknap Place and reminding us of a time when horse drawn carriages were transitioning towards a newer mode of transportation, automobiles. For example, during 1910, San Antonio first published rules for conduct on city streets, focusing on horse drawn carriages. Automobile drivers were expected to stop in order to avoid agitating a nearby horse or mule.

The Cement Council of Texas, along with the Model T and Model A Car Clubs of San Antonio are partnering with the Monte Vista Historical Association to celebrate the unveiling of the Belknap Place historical marker to be located on Belknap Place between Woodlawn and West Mistletoe (adjacent to the parking lot of Laurel Heights United Methodist Church).  A presentation regarding the unique history of Belknap Place and the unveiling of the marker will be at 11 am.  In addition, a vintage car show is planned, with Model T and Model A Fords of that time period as well as period appropriate entertainment.  The event is free to the public and food will be available for purchase at several food trucks.

This is a family event led by MVHA's Education Preservation committee.  Email your questions and suggestions to mail@montevista-sa.org.