The Heart of Bexar County

XII
T H E B E X A R C O U N T Y A R C H I V E S B U I L D I N G
by Nelson Wolff
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Bexar County Archives Building.
The Federal Reserve is the central bank system of the United States. It is governed by a seven-member
board appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. There are 12 regional Federal banks, whose
shareholders are privately owned banks that fall under the Federal Reserve System. The whole system is
described as an independent entity within the government, having both public and private aspects.
One of the 12 regional banks one is located in Dallas. The Dallas Reserve bank has two branches,
one in San Antonio that was built in 1950. It was built on a site that was originally the Vance House,
a two-story hotel where General Robert E. Lee frequently stayed. It is located at 126 East Nueva,
across from the south end of the courthouse.
It is a sturdy, secured 90,000 square foot, three-story building with a basement and sub-basement
that supposedly could withstand an atomic explosion. In these underground spaces there is a
shooting range, three large vaults, and loading docks where trucks would unload tons of cash.
As our society evolved into a largely cashless and checkless society the Federal Reserve no longer
needed this large building. By 2013, they had reduced their workforce from some 75 employees to
5 6 F T H E H E A R T O F B E X A R C O U N T Y