Madison Square comprises part of a land grant made by the Spanish Government to Joaquin Menchaca on March 10, 1778. I.A. Paschal and Nat Lewis, both of whom lived in the area, acquired part of the Menchaca grant in the middle of the 19th century for a residential development called Upper San Antonio.
According to the original plat of Upper San Antonio, Paschal and Lewis set aside one block of land -- the northern portion of the park as a public square. At that time the block was bounded by Second Avenue (Lexington), Fourth Street (Camden), Third Avenue (Baltimore) and Third Street (Dallas). By the time the plan for Upper San Antonio was filed in the Bexar County deed records in May 1869, the southern portion of the park bounded by Lexington, Dallas, Richmond and Camden was set aside as dedicated ground.
By 1881, City Council minutes indicate that Madison Square had been named, though the date and origin of the name have not yet been located. In April 1882, citizens petitioned City Council for the cultivation of trees, construction of gravel walks, installation of gates and grubbing of weeds.
These improvements coincided with the planning and construction of Madison Square Presbyterian Church. The cornerstone was laid on Nov. 30, 1882, and though a storm destroyed part of the church on Aug. 20, 1886, it was rebuilt and continues to operate at that location.
The area around Madison square developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a residential neighborhood of large two-story houses. After 1900, San Antonio's business district was growing rapidly to the north, and commercial development encroached on the Madison Square neighborhood. Physicians and Surgeons Hospital and Medical and Surgical Hospital opened just south of the park in 1902 and 1924 respectively. Baptist Memorial Hospital, founded in 1948, stands on that site today.
Because of the designation of a portion of Madison Square as a "public square" in 1847 (151 years ago), it joins Main, Military and Alamo Plazas and San Pedro Park as one of the oldest facilities in the San Antonio Parks and Recreation System. Today, Madison Square comprises 5.1 acres with ornamental plantings, picnic tables and benches.
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