U.S. San Antonio Arsenal, Commanding Officer's Quarters, San Antonio Arsenal, San Antonio

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS TEX,15-SANT,42A-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Erected in the present building is the first Command- ing Officers' Quarters erected by the U.S. Government at the San Antonio Arsenal. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: 2. Original and subsequent owners: The building has been owned by Federal Government since construction. 3. Alterations and additions: After a large two-story ell on the northeast corner of the Quarters was added and the original mansard roof was replaced with the present hipped roof. B. Historical Context: There was an original Commanding Officers' Quarters on the site of the present Quarters. This building had belonged originally to Dr. James M. Devine and had been converted into quarters following the Federal purchase of the land designated as the Arsenal site.

During the Civil War the entire Arsenal site was held by the Confederates. Following the war's end, the Quarters sustained damages, and funds were requested for repairs. It wasn't until after that some of the repairs were accomplished. In the old Quarters was demolished and the present building was built on the site. See also United States San Antonio Arsenal Depot, HABS No. PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: This building is representative of the characteristic Victorian or Gothic Revival residential architecture of the period. 2. Condition of fabric: Good. UNITED STATES SAN ANTONIO ARSENAL, COMMANDING OFFICERS' QUARTERS HABS No. TX-3175A (Page 2) B. Description of Exterior: 1. Overall dimensions: Approximately 2.

Foundation: Local ashlar limestone masonry laid in lime mortar. 3. Walls: Quarry-face, ashlar limestone of local origin laid in lime mortar. The bay windows are framed by limestone pilasters with classical capitals and decorated with carved rosettes, a panel and circle design. 4. Structural system, framing: Load bearing exterior walls. Floor ceiling and roof framing are inaccessible, but are known to be common wood joist and rafter design. 5. Porches: A porch extends across the west, south and east facades and the south facade of the rear ell. Square wooden posts with chamfered edges, plain plinths and simple classical molded capitals are the supports. The porch was extended (or deepened) at one time and the wood balustrade with turned balusters was moved out to the new perimeter.

The porch is now enclosed with a metal window screen. A small porch is located on the north side of the rear ell and is also enclosed with a metal window screen. 6. Chimneys: Four brick chimneys; corbel decoration. 7. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The entrance doorway on the east facade has wood double doors with a molded panel below and a glass light with semicircular head above for each. A single light transom is above. b. Windows: Double-hung, wood sash, 1/1 lights. Those in northeast ell are double-hung, wood sash, 6/6 light. 8. Roof: Low-slope, hipped roof covered with green ceramic glazed tiles. The wood cornice is molded and has decorative brackets. A wood molded frieze is carried around the perimeter. C. Description of Interior: 1.

Floor plan: The floor plan is residential in character and typical of the standard Gothic Revival floor plan as found during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. The rooms UNITED STATES SAN ANTONIO ARSENAL, COMMANDING OFFICERS1 QUARTERS HABS No. TX-3175A (Page 3) are organized around a large central stair hall with two adjoining rooms flanking the hall on the south side and two other on the north side, one of which terminates in the east bay window, the other in the north bay window. The upper floor rooms are organized around the hall in a similar fashion. The small, one-room basement appears to date from the ca. house. 2. Stairway: The stair is located in the central hall along the center of the north wall.

It is a quarter-turn wood stair with winders, the common style of the period. The lower treads are splayed. A massive, walnut paneled newel post of polygonal shape is a distinctive feature although typical of the period. A molded wood banister is complete with turned balusters. 3. Flooring: Flooring in the central hall is tongue-and-groove yellow pine. Alternate boards are stained darker to give a decorative striped effect. Other floors are modern, 2" oak. 4. Wall and ceiling finish: Walls were originally plastered but in later years were either covered with paper or vinyl wall covering. Ceilings are finished with embossed metal typical of the period. 5. Doors: Interior doors are wood, four molded panels, some with glass transoms above. 6.

Trim: Typical molded wood trim around all openings and along wall base. 7. Hardware: Butt hinges, mortice locks; all typical of the period, 8. Mechanical equipment: a. Lighting: Modern flourescent fixtures hung from ceilings. b. Heating: Modern steam radiators. Original heating was by means of coal-burning fireplaces. Each of the major rooms was provided with a fireplace. Although these vary in detail, they are essentially the same and typical of the period. Each fireplace has a wood mantel with carved Gothic Revival designs, a brick fire box, a tile hearth and metal grates. The fireplace in the northeast room has a mirror over the mantel with a heavy Gothic Revival decorated wood frame. UNITED STATES SAN ANTONIO ARSENAL, COMMANDING OFFICERS' QUARTERS HABS No. TX-3175A (Page 4) D. Site: i.

General orientation and setting: Located on the northeastern quarter of the Arsenal property, the Commanding Officers' Quarters has always served as the "front yard" of the Arsenal. The building is oriented north and south with its front facade facing west. It is currently surrounded by a spacious yard, landscaped with grass and trees. Prepared by: John C. Garner, Jr. Director, Bexar County Architecture Survey PART III. PROJECT INFORMATION The San Antonio project was undertaken by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) in the summer of and was made possible with funds from HABS and two sponsors, the Bexar County Historical Survey Committee and the San Antonio Conservation Society. Under the direction of James Massey, chief of HABS, the project was carried out by Wesley I.

Shank (Iowa State Unversity), project supervisor, and by student assistant architects, Charles W, Barrow (University of Texas); Les Beilinson (University of Miami); William H. Edwards (University of Illinois); and Larry D. Hermsen (Iowa State University) at the HABS field office in the former Ursuline Convent buildings, San Antonio. John C. Garner, director of Bexar County Architecture Survey, did the outside work on the written documentaries. Susan McCown, a HABS staff historian in the Washington, office, edited the written data in for preparation of transmittal to the Library of Congress. Dewey G. Mears of Austin, Texas took the documentary photographs of the San Antonio structures.