Monte Vista Historical District

The Monte Vista National Historic District, is filled with distinctive historic architecture, dating to San Antonio's 'Gilded Age,' which extended from 1890 to 1930, and is the most intact neighborhood of this era in Texas.  The Monte Vista Historical Association, organized in 1973, fought for and won the national landmark status in 1998.  The district managed to survive the urban decay that afflicted similar neighborhoods elsewhere, partially because of the wide variety of the architecture, structure, sizes, materials, designs and prices found within the area.  "Wealthy ranchers lived in close proximity to modest schoolteachers, each in houses designed and constructed by noted architects and builders."

Today, despite the fact that the district is not in one of the higher-ranked school districts, the area thrives because of the numerous families who value the architecture, as well as the district's location approximately 2 miles from downtown San Antonio.