Question: What was the name of the “island” that vanished when the San Antonio River was diverted in 1928?
Answer: Bowen’s Island. The five-acre peninsula formed by a bend in the river was purchased by John Bowen in 1845. He built a seven-room home on the property and developed the land into a farm of fruit trees, grapevines, and an herb garden.
The property changed hands multiple times after his death in 1867. Years later, the city constructed a channel to cut off the bend in the river, aiming to control flooding during heavy rains. A historical marker was installed at the site of the old Bowen house.
