U.S. San Antonio Arsenal
Why it's listed
San Antonio Arsenal is a 20-acre military complex beside the San Antonio River, established in 1859 after Senator Jefferson Davis and others secured the Texas site. Six main buildings survive: an office building begun in 1858 and finished in 1860, a limestone magazine, a commanding officer's quarters built about 1883 in Italianate style, servants quarters from the earlier Devine homestead, a stable from about 1873, and a storehouse built in 1883. General David Twiggs was its first commander. During the Civil War the Confederacy used the base to outfit troops in the lower Rio Grande Valley, the frontier forts and the Sibley Brigade, and afterward it became the chief supply source for Western frontier troops. It served as a supply depot in both world wars, receiving over 428 million pounds of ammunition from 1941 to 1945. Thirty-eight buildings stood in 1919, but only six remain. The government closed the arsenal in 1949 yet still uses the buildings as offices.
Significance in brief: The arsenal was an important military post from 1859 until 1949, serving as an ordnance storage and supply depot. It supplied Confederate forces during the Civil War, was the chief supply source for Western frontier troops afterward, and handled huge ammunition volumes in both world wars. The nomination says it helped make San Antonio one of the largest military cities in the country.
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 69000200, listed December 30, 1969. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by S. Flores and E. Arsenal Sts., and the San Antonio River, San Antonio |
|---|---|
| County | Bexar County |
| Listed | December 30, 1969 |
| Reference number | 69000200 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century; specific date 1859 (the later 2000 documentation concerns a period of significance expansion, with no dates legible) |
| Architect / builder | Major J. H. Kampman, local builder and contractor, completed the magazine for the Confederate Army |
| Architectural style | Italianate details on the commanding officer's quarters (ca. 1883); other buildings are simple limestone masonry structures |
| Areas of significance | Military |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked deteriorated and altered; the government closed the arsenal in 1949 but still uses the buildings for government offices. Later twentieth century structures nearly conceal the stable and magazine. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Within district | South Alamo Street-South Mary's Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 29.40803, -98.49595 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 69000200.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q109999641
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.