History of Mesquite

"Over the past several centuries, probably no one plant has played a greater and more vital role in the lives of humankind in the southwest,. then the short, crooked mesquite. Relying on mesquite for a myriad of necessities such as food, weapons, shelter, and medicine, early southwestern Indians drew upon it in almost every aspect of their lives, even giving it a position of honor in their religious ceremonies."

"In the early and mid-1800s mesquite wood was a favorite of craftspersons in the design of Early Texas style furniture. Its durability, stability, and availability proved attractive to these artists crafting furniture in styles adopted from the eastern culture. Mesquite was used as street paving blocks in Alamo Plaza and on other downtown streets in San Antonio by laying down a layer of sand and a surface layer of eight- to twelve-inch hexagonal mesquite blocks, making the streets passable during rainy weather. These blocks remained the road surface of choice until the discovery of the Texas oil reserves, after which asphalt tar was placed on the mesquite blocks to even out the surface. To this day, when the streets of San Antonio are excavated, mesquite blocks can still be fund as the undersurface on many streets."