History

Established in 1889 by a group of ranchers, San Antonio Stock Yards Company was formed at a major railroad intersection located near 1716 South San Marcos Street, where we are located today.  Pens and ramps were installed to enable livestock to be loaded onto rail cars. With these improvement and others ranchers, buyers and sellers could ship their livestock to markets north of San Antonio.

In 1894, Dr. Amos Graves, Sr. became the principle owner of the livestock market.  Dr. Graves was a doctor at Santa Rosa Hospital and chief surgeon for the railroad.  He changed the name to Union Stock Yards San Antonio, bought more land and built more pens to accommodate the increase in the number of cattle brought by rail to San Antonio.

As the population grew, San Antonio became an important marketplace; this was the first market for cattle shipped in from the range along extended rail lines.  Shipping cattle by train in the early years shifted to truck transport by 1930.

In 1950, over a million head of livestock a year moved through the gates of Union Stock Yards making it the largest cattle market in South Texas. 

In April 2001, Union Stock Yards San Antonio, Inc. ceased handling livestock due to a combination of factors:  the long decline in volume of livestock handled by the Stock Yards; increased operating costs and fundamental changes in how livestock are marketed. 

While our business has changed from being a livestock market to a commercial warehouse hub, our goals and ideals remain the same.  Those are to be good stewards to the land and a commitment to provide the best service to our clients as possible.