2024 marked the 125th anniversary of George W. Brackenridge donating 199 acres to form Brackenridge Park.
Brackenridge Park Conservancy planned a yearlong celebration to honor this milestone and bring attention to one of the most architecturally significant and beloved parks in the United States.
Brackenridge Park's 125th celebration included:
- Christopher Cross in Concert with in Concert with San Antonio Philharmonic Conducted by Maestro Peter Bay
- Big Brack Bash
- 3rd Annual Family Fishing Day
- 13th Annual Parktoberfest
- Polo Homecoming
- Urban Wild Launch
- Monarch Butterfly & Pollinator Festival
- Yoga in the Park
- Volunteer Days
- Parkour
- Easter Celebrations
- FIESTA Battle of Flowers Parade
- FIESTA King William Fair Parade
History of Brackenridge Park
Often referred to as the most culturally significant park in the United States, this 400-acre park is an important natural area in the heart of San Antonio. With two miles of the San Antonio River running through it, Brackenridge has a legacy of Indigenous roots, Spanish colonial dams and irrigation, Civil War industry, and infrastructure shaped by the Works Progress Administration.
The land that is now Brackenridge Park has been a gathering place since prehistoric times with evidence of human habitation dating back 12,000 years. Native American artifacts date as early as 9200 B.C. making the park one of the most significant archeological sites in Texas. This has contributed to the park's listing on the National Register of Historic Places and designation as a National Antiquities Landmark.
The park itself was founded in 1899 when George W. Brackenridge (president of the former San Antonio Water Works Company) donated 199 acres. Additional bequests enlarged the park to just below the headwaters of the San Antonio River and north of downtown. Since then, Brackenridge’s legacy of nature, culture, history, education, and recreation has only grown.
More about the History of Brackenridge Park.
Historic sites within Brackenridge Park.
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Want to learn more about Brackenridge Park Conservancy, why we raise funds for the park, and how those funds are used? Learn more here.