| According to William G. Dayton, who wrote a brief | | | | requirements. Since Dade City is home to a mall and all |
| history of the area, San Antonio was first settled | | | | the chain restaurants and big box retail outlets, and |
| post-1845 by Judge Edmond Dunne who, hurt by the | | | | since Tampa is just 30 minutes away by the Interstate, |
| anti-catholic sentiment endemic to the times, envisioned | | | | San Antonio residents still have plenty of options. |
| the land as a "Catholic Colony, a settlement dominated | | | | Locals, however, do rave about Pancho Villa's Mexican |
| by Roman Catholics and a center of Catholic | | | | restaurant on Curley Road, word has it that the place |
| civilization in Florida." He named his carefully laid out | | | | is packed at dinnertime, and that the food is |
| town, which included schools, a monastery, a convent | | | | authentically authentic and muchas delicious! Another |
| and a home for orphans, San Antonio in honor of St. | | | | local favorite is Al's Famous Pizza, also on Curley. |
| Anthony of Padua. When the rail came through in 1887, | | | | Leisure and Play in San Antonio |
| many new settlers arrived, and with them, new ways | | | | Rural doesn't mean boring! Quite the contrary: there's |
| of life. In 1926, in an effort to modernize, the town was | | | | plenty to do in and around San Antonio. The annual |
| renamed "The City of Lake Jovitall," its borders were | | | | San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival is the area's top |
| greatly extended, and Dunne's obviously Catholic | | | | attraction; held the 3rd Saturday in October since 1967, |
| street names were changed: Sacred Heart Street | | | | the Festival offers, naturally, snake shows, gopher |
| became Rhode Island Avenue; Pius X Avenue | | | | races, food, entertainment, arts and crafts, pageants |
| became Curley Street. After the Great Depression | | | | and lots more. Another popular attraction is Pioneer |
| though, the borders were redrawn to their original | | | | Days, held at the nearby Dade City Pioneer Florida |
| standards and the city was again renamed San | | | | Museum and Village. The museum started back in 1961 |
| Antonio. The streets however, kept their "modernized" | | | | when a prominent San Antonio resident gifted 37 |
| names. | | | | vehicles and tools of yesteryear to the Pasco County |
| Shopping and Dining in San Antonio | | | | Fair Association. Since then, the Museum also houses |
| Until the promised Pasco Town Center arrives, | | | | the restored Overstreet House, a one-room school |
| residents of San Antonio take a quick jaunt to Dade | | | | house from Lacoochee, a church from Enterprise, a rail |
| City, just minutes away, for most shopping and dining | | | | depot and a train engine. |