Reptile Garden, 1939

Reptile Garden

Agency: National Youth Administration

Date: 1939

The Reptile Garden opened in 1933 providing educational demonstrations, rattlesnake fries, and antivenom research.  In 1937 the wood and stone structure of the Reptile Garden were dismantled to make way for the new Pioneer Hall. The new wooden structure located north of its original location was smaller than the original and reoriented to face Broadway. In 1938, museum officials met with Mr. Perry of the National Youth Administration (NYA) about replacing the wooden structure with a new stone structure. The proposal was for $2,300 of NYA labor. Stone for the project would be contributed by the Parks Department and the Museum would supply the concrete. The project was approved in 1939 and a new stone structure with wooden roof and decorative gates was constructed north of the 1937 location.

The museum ceased operation of the Reptile Garden in 1950 when the San Antonio Zoo opened their Reptile House. The Kimbrell Family took over operation of the property as the Alligator Garden until 1975. The site remained vacant for many years until the roof and some of the stone structure began to collapse. The ruins of the Reptile Garden were removed for public safety and to make way for expansion of the museum. One of the original stone snake houses was saved.

Sources:

Witte Museum Archives

Woolford, Bess Carrol and Ellen Quilin. The Story of the Witte Memorial Museum, 1922-1960. San Antonio: San Antonio Museum Association, 1966.