Kelly Field Historic District
Also known as: 1600/1700 Area; Kelly Air Force Base
The pin is a point inside the NPS boundary polygon, not a surveyed location.
Why it's listed
Located near the center of Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, this district preserves the core of the base's pre-World War II mobilization and wartime build-up. Most of its buildings, structures, objects and sites went up between 1940 and 1943 to train, house, supply and maintain recruits, instructors and officers. A formal axial plan centers on the Esplanade, a lawn-and-tree park about 1,100 feet long, flanked by large Mediterranean-style barracks and an academic building, with an 85-foot octagonal Art Moderne Miniature Range Building at one end. Smaller warehouses, shops and utility buildings line secondary streets, while Art Moderne housing for noncommissioned and company officers sits at the edges. Of 58 resources, 39 contribute to the district's character. Alterations such as window replacements, demolished temporary barracks and a new chapel have not erased the original layout. The district was listed for its link to wartime pilot training and its cohesive planning and architecture.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant for its association with pilot training, mobilization and support activities at Kelly Field during World War II, when the base ran programs of national or regional importance. It also retains a planned axial layout and a cohesive group of Art Moderne and Mediterranean/Spanish Colonial Revival buildings that keep a high degree of integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 03000626, listed July 10, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly encompassing the 1600 abd 1700 Areas of Kelly AFB, San Antonio |
|---|---|
| County | Bexar County |
| Listed | July 10, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000626 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1940-1945 |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement: Art Moderne; Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Resources are described as well maintained; the area remains in use as a supply depot, housing and related functions, with some buildings altered or converted. |
| Acreage | 225 |
| Coordinates | 29.38243, -98.57085 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 03000626.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16851888
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.