Commerce Street Bridge

The main ford between San Fernando de Bexar (the city) and San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo), this river crossing has long been a focal point of history. At its footbridge on Feb 23, 1836, Alamo emissary Albert Martin met to parley with Santa Anna's aide, Juan Almonte, during the Texas War for Indepedence. Mayor John W. Smith empoyed R. T. Higginbotham to build a wooden bridge in 1842. The scene was painted by artist Herman Lungwitz in 1854. In the 1850s the bridge and river (then as now an asset to the city) were described by world travelers Frederick Olmsted and William Bollaert. It was a favorite spot of noted southern author Sidney Lanier while he lived here. A sign in English, Spanish, and German recognizing the local ethnic population division was placed on the bridge in the 1870s. Law-abiding Teutons were told brusquely, "Schnelles Reiten Uber Dise Brucke Is Verboten". Mexicans however, were warned, "Anda Despacio Con Su Caballo, O Teme La Ley", while Anglo-Americans, unlikely to truckle to authority or fear the law, had their pocketbooks threatened: "Walk your horse over the bridge or you will be fined." Present bridge replaces an 1880 iron structure. Linking old and new, it spans 250 years of recorded history. (1971)

Commerce Street Bridge is a historical marker in San Antonio, Bexar County, dedicated in 1971. It is one of 239 historical markers documented in Bexar County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 542 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.4248, -98.4924 near San Antonio. The nearest cataloged historic site is Alamo National Bank (1929) (historic place), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Casas Reales, City Public Service Company Building, and Perote Prisoners.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5029001002. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.