In the Loop: A Political and Economic History of San Antonio, is
the culmination of urban historian David Johnson's extensive research
into the development of Texas's oldest city. Beginning with San
Antonio's formation more than three hundred years ago, Johnson lays out
the factors that drove the largely uneven and unplanned distribution of
resources and amenities and analyzes the demographics that transformed
the city from a frontier settlement into a diverse and complex modern
metropolis.
Following the shift from military interests to more diverse industries
and punctuated by evocative descriptions and historical quotations, this
urban biography reveals how city mayors balanced constituents' push for
amenities with the pull of business interests such as tourism and the
military. Deep dives into city archives fuel the story and round out
portraits of Sam Maverick, Henry B. Gonzales, Lila Cockrell, and other
political figures.
Johnson reveals the interplay of business interests, economic
attractiveness, and political goals that spurred San Antonio's historic
tenacity and continuing growth and highlights individual agendas that
influenced its development. He focuses on the crucial link between urban
development and booster coalitions, outlining how politicians and
business owners everywhere work side by side, although not necessarily
together, to shape the future of any metropolitan area, including
geographical disparities. Three photo galleries illustrate boosterism's
impact on San Antonio's public and private space and highlight its
tangible results.
In the Loop recounts each stage of San Antonio's economic
development with logic and care, building a rich story to contextualize
our understanding of the current state of the city and our notions of
how an American city can form.
