The name now attached to this low-profile adobe structure is an exaggeration. When built in 1722, it was the home and office of the captain of the local presidio. Now restored to something close to its original appearance, and outfitted with period furnishings, it’s a great place to learn about the early days of San Antonio.
Already more than 160 years old when City Hall was erected in 1889, the ‘palace’ was occupied by commercial tenants – including a saloon, a clothing store and even a pawn shop – until 1928, when the city finally realized its historical significance and bought it back.