Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building in San Antonio, TX

Garcia building in San Antonio Texas is a magnificent historic structure. It was built in 1937 as part of the government’s effort to help with the unemployment situation during the Great Depression. The building encompasses the U.S Post Office and Courthouse. It was designed in the Beaux-Arts style, a popular Parisian architectural trend at the time. The architect Ralph Haywood Cameron had studied in France, and he later went on to help to make this manner of building design very popular throughout South Texas.

Why it is interesting and notable historical cultural facts

The building sits on an entire city block and evokes the classicism of this era of American architecture. It is made of Texas Cream Limestone together with Texas Pink granite. As you go through the inside of the building you will see beautiful antique bronze Post Office boxes opposite of the resplendent windows and information displays. In the lobby, there are grand murals, produced in 1939 by the artist Howard Cook. They are painted in the fresco style of wet paint on plaster. Recently restored to their original dazzling intensity, these murals are regarded as a spectacular example of the federal mural program sponsored by the Treasury Department’s Fine Arts section.

What else is nearby?

Nearby you will find The Alamo and the San Antonio Fire Museum, as well as the Beir Garten, a popular restaurant made in the form of a German Brew pub. This usually undiscovered but important part of Texas history is well worth a visit, especially since there is no charge for admittance and you can spend hours exploring the exhibits.