Exploring the real history behind Gillespie Mansion in San Antonio, Texas.

This news article will explore the history behind called Gillespie Mansion which was once located in San Antonio, Texas. This news article will disperse any of the rumors that have been floating around out there.

There has been a lot of confusion over the mansion being Gillespie Mansion due to location as there were several mansions once established in this are. That is why there has been so much confusion and rumors spread over the course of several years. No the Gillespie Mansion is not the Midget Mansion that was located at 8139 Donore. That was never true.

Bexar County Central Appraisal District (BCAD) had property records had the Gillespie Mansion belonged to Fred Gillespie and his family members. So it was Fred Gillespie who owned the land all along and not Vance Jackson.


James Milton Vance purchased land off Vance Jackson Road in 1886 and started a small dairy farm on the property which was called the Vance Ranch. He built his home there in 1888. Him and his wife had 5 children. One of their daughters married Fred Gillespie. Fred Gillespie became owner of the property sometime in the 1900s. The Vance Ranch would become the Gillespie Ranch. 

The Gillespie Mansion was originally built sometime in the 1920s. The Gillespie Mansion was designed by renowned architect Alfred Giles and once was surrounded by 150 acres of land. Gillespie Mansion was owned by Fred Gillespie and his family members. He was part of the same conglomerate that owned Gillespie Ford.

Gillespie Mansion was a three story mansion that was 4,400 square feet in size. Connecting to the mansion was a long drive-way up. The long drive-way went up to the entrance that lead to a circle shaped drive-way in front. This circle shaped drive-way was located in front of the mansion. A marble fireplace was constructed in nearly every room. An enclosed glass breezeway went around the house. The third floor was a ballroom were wedding receptions, social gatherings, and parties were held.

Zelime Vance Gillespie did some remodeling to the mansion later. It was Zelime Vance Gillespie that did some remodeling to the home, replacing much of home's dark Victorian finishes with light tones, reflecting her classical revival tastes.

Gillespie Mansion was built and designed to be handicap accessible for the physically disabled because Fred Gillespie’s wife was in a wheelchair. His wife was Mrs. Frank Gillespie. This made her living situation easier and gave her more accessibility around their mansion. This is the reason why many of the doors had door knobs placed lower than their usual height/location. The same goes for the bathroom fixtures.

Frank Gillespie Jr. used the mansion as an office for a while. Wedding receptions, social gatherings, parties, and other family events were held at Gillespie Mansion.

 

For reasons unknown this 3 story mansion was abandoned by 1970. Several fires occurred at Gillespie Mansion over the years. There are many reasons why there have been fire incidents at this location. Neglect and vandalism had taken place on the inside. Gillespie Mansion had been destroyed on the inside in 1981 by fire. The exact cause of this fire remains unknown to this day.

Biz Journal reports that Gillespie Mansion had been only used for family gatherings since their grandmother passed away 30 years prior.

By 2001, the Gillespie Family decided to move due to the urban expansion and population growth that was growing towards that area. The property of Gillespie Mansion was sold in 2002 to a private corporation by Frank Gillespie Jr. himself. This private corporation would turn the property into a shopping center anchored by WalMart. The Gillespie Mansion structure was moved to a newly purchased ranch in Kendall County after the death of Frank Gillespie later that year. (Ref: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2004/06/14/focus1.html)

In 2002 the rest of the Gillespie Ranch was sold to development firm Hill-Granados Retail Partners LLC and Dellview Marketplace. Other parcels of this property were sold to businesses, corporations, homeowners, and local government.

The only surviving structure of the Gillespie Mansion is the guest house located at 500 Freiling Drive. The guest house has been remodeled into Granados Park Community Senior Center. That is the only structure that remains.


Vance View Stables was located on property owned by Fred Gillespie and his family members. Vance View was a beautiful place. Vance View Stables held classes in horse training, horse riding, and everything equestrian related. Horses could be seen running on the property and be seen behind the fences along Vance Jackson Road. Vance View Stables was a part of the Gillespe Ranch and the Vance View Equestrian Center. John Laster and Dottie Laster owned Vance View Equestrian Center.(Ref: https://biobridgeglobal.org/news/biobridge-global-there-were-horses-and-stables)

Here is the history behind the guest house that was on the Gillespie Mansion property.

Now the guest house was a smaller house that was a single story structure built on a concrete slab foundation in 1935. There never was a basement. This house was built and designed to be handicap accessible for the physically disabled. Many of the ceilings were low. The guest house remodeled and modified in 1943. The guest house was located close to Freiling Drive. The guest house had a road that lead to another mansion. This mansion was located on a hill. (Ref: http://www.bcad.org/clientdb/Property.aspx?cid=1&prop_id=489485)

On the date of 11/25/2002, Frank Gillespie and Zelime Vance Gillespie had the guest house property deeded to the City of San Antonio. The guest house became abandoned sometime around 2004. This house sat abandoned for less than a decade. No significant changes, remodeling, or modifications were done to the house after being abandoned. (Ref: http://www.bcad.org/clientdb/Property.aspx?cid=1&prop_id=489482)

City of San Antonio remodeled the former guest house in 2008. A food-preparation area, meeting room, classrooms, wheelchair-accessible restrooms and an exercise room were installed inside the former guest house. The renovation and remodeling costs were $1,465,346 dollars from a HUD housing grant. (Ref: San Antonio Express-News, New senior center, park coming to S.A., January 11, 2008)

This senior center has now been renamed to Granados Park Community Senior Center. Granados Park Community Senior Center owned and operated by the City of San Antonio. The former guest house is now owned by the City of San Antonio. (Ref: https://www.sanantonio.gov/ParksAndRec/Parks-Facilities/All-Parks-Facilities/Facility-Details/ArtMID/16234/ArticleID/2639/Granados-Adult-and-Senior-Center?Park=87&Facility=22)

San Antonio citizens still call the guest house the Gillespie Mansion to this day. This is due to the guest house being located on the same property. The guest house was never the Gillespie Mansion.

The guest house for Gillespie Mansion is located at 500 Freiling Drive, San Antonio, Texas, US 78213. Yet BCAD has the addresses listed under 1003 Freiling Drive, San Antonio, Texas, US 78213 and 1001 Vance Jackson Road, San Antonio, Texas, US 78201.

(Ref: http://www.bcad.org/clientdb/Property.aspx?cid=1&prop_id=489485)
(Ref: http://www.bcad.org/clientdb/Property.aspx?cid=1&prop_id=489482)


Here is the history behind the park located in front of the former guest house.

The property for the Virginia Marie Granados Community Center and Park was donated to the City of San Antonio by the Frank Gillepie and Granados family in 2002. The guest house was used as a city office for a short time before relocating.

A 5-acre park called Virginia Marie Granados Community Center and Park was later established on the same property with help from San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department in 2008. A construction ceremony was held on the date of January 11, 2008. District 1 City Councilwoman Mary Alice Cisneros, celebrated the groundbreaking for the renovation of the existing home as an adult and senior citizen activity center.
(Ref: San Antonio Express-News, New senior center, park coming to S.A., January 11, 2008)

The center is named in memory of Virginia Marie Granados. The senior center was originally named Virginia Marie Granados Senior/Adult Activity Center and Park when first opening to the public. This park has now been renamed and shortened to Granados Park. The park is owned by City of San Antonio and is maintained by San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department. (Ref: https://www.sanantonio.gov/ParksAndRec/Parks-Facilities/All-Parks-Facilities/Facility-Details/ArtMID/16234/ArticleID/2639/Granados-Adult-and-Senior-Center?Park=87&Facility=22)


There was another large house behind the Gillespie Mansion just on the left of the long 2 lane road that connected to the mansions on their property. This large house was the first house which was located horizontally next to I 10 and was the first house on the 2 lane road connecting to all the mansions.

This large house was used as a restaurant in the mid-70s. This restaurant shut down in 1980 and became a March of Dimes Haunted House. However the March of Dimes Haunted House would not operate for very long as the inside caught on fire in 1981 thus leading the business to shut down immediately. Unsurprisingly this house became abandoned. The house became a hot spot for vandalism and arson. So much illegal activity took place there. Not too surprising since a lot of craziness happened at the home at one time.


The other mansion which had a road leading to the guest house was located on top of a hill and was the third house on the 2 lane road connecting to all the mansions. This mansion was used as a residence until being demolished in 1973.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center now stands at where their other mansion was, located at 6211 W Ih 10, San Antonio, Texas, US 78213. Alamo Credit Union occupies the other part.