The Hilton Palacio del Rio is a 485-room, 21-story hacienda-style hotel in

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

that opened in 1968. The hotel was constructed for the 1968 World's Fair,

HemisFair '68 HemisFair '68 was the official 1968 World's Fair (or International Exposition) held in San Antonio, Texas, from April 6 through October 6, 1968. Local businessman and civic leader, Jerome K. Harris Sr., coined the name HemisFair and conceived the ...

, and was designed by Cerna & Garza Architects. The structure is notable for being a milestone in the use of

Modular building A modular building is a prefabricated building that consists of repeated sections called modules. Modularity involves constructing sections away from the building site, then delivering them to the intended site. Installation of the prefabricated ...

construction techniques. Traditional construction methods would not allow the hotel to be completed in the short timeframe available before for the opening of the fair on April 6, 1968, so alternative methods were explored. H.B. Zachry Company utilized traditional construction to build the first 4 floors, slip form construction for the services/elevator core of the building and all guest rooms of the hotel were constructed as modular units in a location 7 miles from the construction site. Modular units were built complete with plumbing fixtures, lighting, art work, furnishings and even ash trays. In a nationally televised event,

H.B. Zachry Henry Bartell Zachry (1901–1984), also known as H.B. Zachry and Pat Zachry was the founder and former president and chairman of H.B. Zachry Company, the parent company of Zachry Holdings Inc. and Zachry Construction Corporation. He earned a degre ...

and his wife Molly were the first people to check into and "ride" their hotel room, Room No. 522, into the hotel. All rooms were placed in 46 days and the structure was completed in a record 202 working days with crews working around the clock in staggered shifts. The hotel opened 5 days early on April 1, 1968. The hotel features rich South Texas stylings and original art with the room interiors consisting of five different decor designs executed with custom built furniture and rich fabrics in harmony with the overall theme of royal Spanish living.

References

Tall Story - Hilton Palacio del Rio: H.B. Zachry Company Video

External Resources

Official website
{{coord, 29.4224, -98.4878, type:landmark_region:US-TX, display=title 1968 in Texas Skyscraper hotels in San Antonio World's fair architecture in Texas HemisFair '68