6AM City In-house

A hero with a colt following 🐎

The story of Old Pat at Fort Sam Houston
A handler affixing a blanket to Old Pat, a tall dark horse with one white hoof. The blanket says "PAT 12 FA."
Pat looking sharp in his 12th Field Artillery blanket. | Photo via Rae Gordon Whitley Collection and Archives
On the west side of Fort Sam Houston — at North Pine and Cunningham — there’s a rectangle of gravel that looks a little bit like a long jump pit. At one end stands a tombstone. At the other, a set of four horseshoes.

This gravesite marks the resting place of Old Pat, a thoroughbred that came to Fort Sam in 1912 and served 19 years in the US Army. Pat’s legend lives on in San Antonio — and don’t worry, it’s a story with a happy ending.

Foaled in 1908, Pat pulled guns for the 3rd and 12th Field Artillery Battalions. He instantly clicked with the soldiers, who compared his personality to a golden retriever. In fact, soldiers were so fond of him that it’s hard to tell truth from fiction. For example, they said Pat fought on the Western Front in WWI, which his records don’t confirm.

Either way, the gelding was popular at Fort Sam. However, the Army was making its move to machines. Atlas Obscura writes, “During the 1930s, the Army started to dispose of its cavalry horses, either by selling them or destroying them.” (Psst… “destroy” is animal care terminology: it means to humanely euthanize.)

Legal issues prevented Pat’s comrades from buying him — though they tried — but Lt. Col. C.M. Tuteur appealed to the top brass, and Pat was released into retirement in 1938. He spent the rest of his life at pasture, appearing publicly on military holidays. At the end of his life, he was paraded in front of crowds of 35,000.

Old Pat died at 45, making him one of the oldest horses in the world. He was buried to “Taps” at his current resting place off Cunningham Street.

Want to visit? Head to Fort Sam Houston with a valid ID. Pro tip: while you’re there, visit the museum of the “Home of the Combat Medic” + peep peacocks at The Quadrangle.
Ballet San Antonio

Click here to have your event featured.

Today
Friday
  • Burger Showdown 3.0 | Fri., Oct. 14 | 6-9 p.m. | Alamo Beer Company, 202 Lamar St, San Antonio | $50 | Homegrown Chef is gearing up for its annual burger competition, Burger Showdown 3.0, featuring top San Antonio chefs.
  • Julieta Venegas | Fri., Oct. 14 | 8 p.m. | Tech Port Center + Arena, 3331 General Hudnell Drive, San Antonio | $31.00 - $61.00 | Venegas is a multi-instrumentalist and plays piano, accordion and guitar, and is one of the most recognized Latin musicians worldwide.
  • Cinderella | Fri., Oct. 14-Sun., Oct. 16 | Times vary | HEB Performance Hall, 100 Auditorium Circle , San Antonio | $36+ | Ballet San Antonio will deliver a magical experience for people of all ages.
Saturday
  • 2nd Annual Althea Rene Jazz Festival | Sat., Oct. 15 | 6 p.m. | Hangar 9, 8081 Inner Circle Dr, San Antonio | $40.00 | Catch this amazing lineup of talented jazz artists at a historic military airplane hangar.
Sunday
  • San Antonio Beer Festival | Sun., Oct. 16 | 12-6:30 p.m. | Crockett Park, Crockett Park, 1300 N. Main Ave, San Antonio, TX 78212, San Antonio | $35.00 - $100.00 | San Antonio’s original beer fest was founded in 2015 and is pouring 400+ premium and craft beers from around the world.


We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather
  • 94º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain
Real Estate
  • A 1937 Olmos Park home renovated by HGTV stars is up for sale. Kim + Bryan Wolfe, currently filming the second season of “Why the Heck Did I Buy This House?” in San Antonio, set out to make the house their dream home. Life intervened, and now it’s on market for $1.2 million. (San Antonio Express-News)
Closing
  • Luther’s Cafe is closed — but not for long. Nearby construction led to issues with the 73-year-old restaurant’s plumbing. Owners say that once these issues (and staffing shortages) are resolved, Luther’s will reopen. (MySA)
Festival
  • New Braunfels’ Día de los Muertos Festival will take place on Sat., Oct. 22 downtown. From noon to 10 p.m., the free event will feature food, drink + arts vendors, plus live music on two band stages. (MySA)
Try This
  • The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck returns to SATX this Sat., Oct. 15. The ‘grammable pop-up will sell Sanrio merchandise at The Shops at La Cantera from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. while supplies last. (MySA)
Civic
  • Two street revitalization projects totaling $20 million are open for bids by local contractors. These are the first of $160 million in street maintenance in the 2023 city budget. An additional $14.25 million sidewalk project is also on the table. (San Antonio Business Journal)
Health
  • Bexar County officials approved $35 million in mental health spending. The grants, funded by pandemic relief dollars, will pay for everything from more beds for probationers and substance abuse victims, to furthering the Mobile Mental Wellness Collaborative in schools. (San Antonio Report)
Shop
  • DYK that San Antonio is home to the popular spice producer Bolner’s Fiesta Brand? The company creates high quality spices and blends that emphasize Hispanic culture and Southwest cooking, and can be shipped nationwide. Pro tip: Order the Fajita Seasoning.*
Health
  • It’s a good idea to review your Medicare plan options each year to see if you could get more benefits or save more money. This free seminar from Devoted Health is an easy, no-pressure way to do that—and learn about their Medicare Advantage plans. RSVP online or call 210-548-1022. (Disclaimer H7993_23P54_C).*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Fresh air, fresh art, fresh start

River Walk Public Art Garden open in San Antonio, TX
A stone statue of a human figure with abstract facial features, staring at a small star held in its fingers.
“Stargazer (Citlali),” by Mexican artist Pedro Reyes, is 16 feet tall. | Photo by SATXtoday team
At Market + Alamo, the River Walk Public Art Garden is now open, bringing five years of planning between the River Walk and the Department of Arts & Culture to fruition. Stroll through the open-air display with nine installations by 12 local + international artists.

In addition to the permanent installations, new art will rotate in — so you’ll always have new, vibrant scenery to admire while you mosey.
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Dayten.

Editor’s pick: I read this story about local urban legends by René Guzman for Express-News — and man, I love a good cryptid story. If you have any personal accounts with SATX spirits + monsters, please let me know. I’d love to include your story in the newsletter.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Celebrate Día de los Muertos at Pearl.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Ivan Briones, Dayten Rose, Emily Shea, Ashlea Hearn, Josh Kranzberg | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Carolyn Hudson | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

ADVERTISE | SHOP | CAREERS | ETHICS

Did a friend forward this free newsletter to you?

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

Copyright © 2023 6AM City Inc, All rights reserved.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY