San Antonio Historic Sites – Roosevelt Park | Bandera CBD Store

331 Roosevelt Ave, San Antonio, TX 78210, United States

Roosevelt Park is a park located at 331 Roosevelt avenue, San Antonio, Texas. Overlooking the bend in the San Antonio River, this 12.9-acre property is located on the site of a former gravel pit once owned by the county of Bexar and later handed over to the city of San Antonio. Originally developed as a venue for the International Fair Grounds, where exhibitions and livestock shows were held from 1888 to 1911, the site was also used as a training ground for President Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders in 1898, who were said to have carried out horse-riding drills there before leaving for Florida and, ultimately, Cuba.

The site was later designed as a park by the firm Hare & Hare, which was involved in the project from 1908 to the inauguration of the park in 1912. The design included pecan groves and a meandering, paved road running from Roosevelt Avenue east to a bridge across the west of the San Antonio River. The property was renamed Roosevelt Park in 1920 to commemorate Roosevelt ‘s visit. The name was changed to Lambert Park in 1928 (in honor of the city’s parks commissioner, Ray Lambert) before returning to Roosevelt Park in the mid-1940s.

The irregularly shaped, sparsely planted parcel is bounded by Roosevelt Avenue to the east, the San Antonio River to the north and west, and the buildings to the south. Although the site retains a glimpse of the original Hare & Hare design in its rustic east entrance and stonework, subsequent additions to the eastern wing of the park now dominate the landscape, including a large public swimming pool and bathhouses; picnic areas and swings scattered along a concentric, concrete bike path; tennis courts; visitor center; and children’s bouldering facilities. A horse-shoe shaped parking lot straddles the Mission Road, which crosses the park. To the west of the road are basketball courts and an additional parking area.

This park is located in the shadow of the Lone Star Brewery on the banks of the San Antonio River. It’s got lots of great amenities. There are some great things to do here. It’s got a rock wall and a playground for this kiddo. There’s a wide and scenic bike path. This place even has a public swimming pool. 

The fact that there’s a comfort room made available is convenient. There may be a bit of litter around here, but it’s kept pretty nice overall. There are not too many trees, but there’s a shaded area underneath to chill out. Parking is easy. It’s got a lot of its own. It’s a nice place to hang out and bike around.