Mixerr Reviews: History of Ashley Park in San Antonio, Texas explained. One of San Antonio’s lesser known and forgotten parks.

Ashley Park is and was one of the lesser known parks of San Antonio, Texas. This historic park has been long forgotten as vegetation overgrows on the land of what was once a park, mill, and community. This news article will explain the history behind Ashley Park.

Ashley Park predates the statehood of Texas as the land was originally part of the Juan Francisco Gomez land grant. Juan Francisco Gomez sold this land property to Jose Antonio de la Garza who in turn sold the land to Roderick T. Higginbotham on January 4, 1842. Higginbotham had a mill installed on this land.Kerr and Higginbotham Mill was built in 1842 and began operating in 1842. This mill would become what was once known as the “Kerr and Higginbotham Mill” and eventually the "San Juan Mill". (Ref: https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/e390f8f1-2a60-4611-90a6-03fea6eb015d)

Joseph Anderson bought the property with the mill still functioning in 1859. He would own this land for a long time. The name of the mill was changed from “Kerr and Higginbotham Mill” to "San Juan Mill". The name "San Juan Mill" stuck longer than “Kerr and Higginbotham Mill”. (Ref: Bexar County Land Deeds, Volume R1, Pages 333-334)

Kerr and Higginbotham Mill ceased operations in 1866. Joseph Anderson shut off any of the channels connecting to the mill. (Ref: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1404&context=ita)

Joseph Anderson sold this land to Louis Ashley as the "San Juan Mill Tract" in 1873, being the same property upon which the mill known formerly as Kerr and Higginbotham's saw and grist mill was originally situated but later fell into disuse. (Bexar County Land Deeds, Volume 1, Pages 142-143)

Louis Ashley operated a grist mill and mill house here when he leased this property to the Berg Brothers and C.N. McLean which began operating in 1879. Louis Ashley and E M Ashley leased the land property to H L Berg beginning in 1881. The land covering the mill site was to be later the site of the Berg Brothers wool mill in 1881. This mill would become what was known as Berg’s Mill (Bergs Mill) and soon a community called Berg’s Mill was established in 1881. (Ref: Bexar County Land Deeds Volume 19, Pages 213-214)

Gustave Hellemans took over the lease to the Bergs business in 1888, The grist mill was still there. The land continued to be leased by members of the Ashley family as part of the "mill tract" encompassing the former Berg Brothers operations. E M Ashley and F Ashley leased the land property out to E Speicer in 1890. (Ref: Bexar County Land Deeds, Volume 70, Pages 65-68)

According to land records from Bexar County Central Appraisal District, Louis Ashley sold to Sarah Dickinson and others in 1898. (Ref: Bexar County Land Deeds, Volume 177, Pages 387-390)

Now the property was bought back again by Frank Ashley in April of 1906. Only this time he would own the property for several years. We’re talking decades here and not just a few years or just a few months in this case. (Ref: Bexar County Land Deeds, Volume 24, Pages 617-619)

A carnival was held yearly at Ashley Park at the beginning of the 20th century. Ashley Park was a place for celebration, dancing, amusements, and fundraising. Here people of all ages and races could enjoy themselves. Ashley Park was a place most people knew about. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/38700071/)

“At Ashley's park, Berg's Mill, in honor of the second independence of Mexico. Refreshments, amusements, dancing. Pianos tuned and repaired by expert workmen.”

San Antonio Gazette reported about a carnival that was held at Ashley Park to raise money to build a new school house on the date of April 1, 1907. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12770780/carnival-in-bergs-mill-to-raise-moneyto/)

This was because the carnival held on the date of April 1, 1907 was held to raise money to build a new school house for Espada School, which at the time, was located on Graf Road at the Henry Graf Place. Right near the railroad. The carnival was held for the benefit of the Espada School. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/38699763/)

The spring carnival for the benefit of the Espada school will be held, at Ashley's park, Berg's mill, on Saturday, April 6, from 5 p. m. until 12 p. m.. All sorts of pleasures for those who wish to help build a new school. Dancing, ice cream, coffee, fish ponds and candy stands will be waiting. Madame Mystery will unveil the future for all. Visit of Gov. Wheeler. Hon. T. B. Wheeler, former lieutenant governor of Texas, arrived in the city this morning, accompanied by his wife. They are on their way to Rockport on their return from Austin and are guests of the New Maverick hotel.

Frank Ashley deeded a portion of the Ashley Park land to Anita J. Ashley on a quit claim deed in 1911. Yet ironically during that same year Anita J. Ashley transferred a portion of the Ashley Park land back to Frank Ashley. By 1911, Frank Ashley would assume full control of ownership rights and all water rights to Ashley Park. (Ref: Bexar County Land Deeds, Instrument #17628)

The heirs of/to Frank Ashley held this property until 1946. 1946 is the year when the heirs of Frank Ashley sold the property to L.E. Drake. (Ref: Bexar County Land Deeds, Volume 2255, Pages 214-217).

Upper and lower sections of the Berg’s Mill stone building were still structurally intact in the 1950s. The stone ruin of what was once formally known as Berg’s Mill is overgrown with foliage and is in bad repair currently. Much of these walls have disappeared due to constant vandalism.

According to land records from Bexar County Central Appraisal District, the land surrounding the ruins was called "Ashley Park." San Antonio River Authority bought this land from L.E. Drakes prior to channelization in 1954. (Ref: Bexar County Land Deeds, Volume 3541, Page 278)

1959 was the year San Antonio River Authority sold the land to Tom Roudebush and Carrie O. Roudebush whom had owned land on part of that same land in the surrounding area. San Antonio River Authority sold the land to Tom Roudebush and Carrie O. Roudebush on a claim deed in 1959. Tom Roudebush and Carrie O. Roudebush were the final owners preceding National Park Service and US Government. Ashley Park was owned by Tom Roudebush and Carrie O. Roudebush for several years.

Tom Roudebush and Carrie O. Roudebush sold the land of which Ashley Park was located on to National Park Service and US Government throughly executed through a warranty deed on the date of June 25, 1986. National Park Service and the US Government currently own Ashley Park. Today Ashley Park is overgrown with foliage and is in bad condition. (Ref: https://bexar.trueautomation.com/clientdb/Property.aspx?cid=110&prop_id=476266)

Now what’s interesting about Ashley Park is the during the early part of the 2010s decade, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park had given permission for Alturas Foundation to install hay figurine statutes which were welded together with aluminum, titanium, and iron. The Alturas Foundation is a family foundation committed to the visual arts and American culture. Alturas Foundation is known for their acts of philanthropy and voluntarism.

In 2011, Tom Otterness of Alturas Foundation had hay figurine statutes exhibited at Ashley Park facing Mission Road on San Antonio Missions National Historical Park property. The exhibit was called “Makin’ Hay”.

However these hay figurine statutes were removed by 2012. There was no trace of these hay figurine statutes by 2013 nor did any remain. There is not any explanation as to what happened with these hay figurine statutes or why they disappeared in less than 2 years. National Park Service had dug a significant portion of Ashely Park to the east to create a detention pond to trap rain water.