San Antonio, Bexar County
Early San Antonio boarding house keeper, Wm. Menger in 1859 opened fine stone hotel, the "new" Menger, beside Alamo Plaza. To host Indians, presidents, poets, actors, generals, singers, public of the world. Served venison, quail, mutton, beef, soup made of San Antonio River turtles. Bar's vintages had ice imported by Gulf steamers and expressed to San Antonio in special wagons. Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders were recruited here.