History of the Emily Morgan Hotel

The Emily Morgan Hotel is housed in what was once the Medical Arts Building – which began construction back in 1924.

J.M. Nix, who later built the Nix Hospital, was the developer of the building. The soaring Medical Arts Building – today one of the most recognizable landmarks in downtown San Antonio – was the first doctor's building in the city built at a cost of $1.5 million. The chosen site was the former location of Risches's Tent theater, where patrons could attend a four-act play by a stock company for a mere 20 cents.

Promotional literature boasted that the building was "a distinct compliment" to the medical profession of San Antonio to claim the finest building of its kind in the State as their home." The building could accommodate 100 doctors and office space for 400.

Architect Ralph Cameron designed the 13-story tower of reinforced concrete with glazed terra cotta at the three lower and three upper stories. A light colored brick faces the intervening stories. The building's distinctive form and ornamentation are influenced by the Gothic revival that was the fashionable mode for skyscrapers nationwide in the 1920s. The panels between the first and second stories, as well as the marquee over the main entrance, are of cast iron painted to simulate bronze. The roof is copper with wood ribs. The tower was once available as an observation point, and a blank space in the tower just above the 13th story windows was designed for a clock that was never installed. Perhaps the most interesting architectural features of the building are the terra cotta gargoyles depicting figures with various ailments, including toothaches and other medical themes.

In 1976, the Medical Arts Building was converted into a modern office building. The remnants of the old interior finishes, including wooden Venetian blinds, porcelain fixtures, and marble wainscoting were sold to the public at a giant garage sale that attracted widespread interest. In 1984, the building was adapted for use as a hotel and the Emily Morgan Hotel was founded. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as contributing to the Alamo Plaza Historic District.

Today the Emily Morgan Hotel is a AAA Four Diamond boutique hotel located in the heart of downtown San Antonio. This intimate, elegant, romantic hotel has the most convenient location in this exciting city and offers guests a welcome respite of style and pampering. The entire hotel is also completely non-smoking.

With 177 rooms and suites, a restaurant and bar, library, outdoor pool, and fitness center, the Emily Morgan Hotel provides discerning business and leisure travelers to San Antonio with everything they need for a fabulous and productive stay.

Who Is Emily Morgan?

Six weeks after the battle at the Alamo in April of 1836, the Texans and Mexican armies moved their confrontation to a small prairie called San Jacinto. On April 21st, at siesta time, the Texas army led a charge against the Mexican camp. Mexican commander Santa Anna had posted no guards, and the Texans won the decisive battle in only 18 minutes.

According to folklore, the reason that Santa Anna did not respond quickly to the Texas Charge was that he was being entertained in his tent during siesta time by Emily Wells, a 20-year-old mulatto girl. Emily had come to Texas from New York the previous year as an indentured servant to Colonel James Morgan. William Bollaert, a British traveler who came to Texas in 1838, wrote in his journal in 1842, "The Battle of San Jacinto was probably lost to the Mexicans, owing to the influence of a mulatto girl belonging to Colonel Morgan, who was closeted in the tent with General Santana (sic), at the time cry was made, "The enemy! They come! They Come!" She delayed Santana so long that order could not be restored readily again."

Though it is undisputed that Santa Anna was careless, there is little evidence to support the legend that Emily Morgan was the key to Texas victory at San Jacinto and heroine of the Texas Revolution. She is widely believed, nevertheless, to be the inspiration for the well-known song, "The Yellow Rose of Texas." Its original lyrics, believed to have been written shortly after the war, were as follows:

There's a yellow rose in Texas
That I am going to see
No other darky (sic) knows her
No one only me
She cryed (sic) so when I left her
It like to broke my heart
And if I ever find her
We nevermore will part.