Fort Sam Houston traces its roots as far back as 1845 when the Army established a garrison in San Antonio.
In 1876, the Army began constructing the Quadrangle on land donated by the city, and the Army garrison moved to the site a few years later. Fort Sam Houston was formally named for Gen. Sam Houston, the hero of the battle of San Jacinto and the first president of the Republic of Texas in 1890.
It is unique among Army posts. On the one hand, it is a major, active military installation that plays a vital role in the defense of the nation. On the other hand, it contains some of the oldest structures on any Army installation.
Fort Sam Houston is home to more than 36,000 active duty and DOD civilians; 48,000 family members; and 76,000 retirees. It is home to 502d Air Base Wing, U.S. Army North, U.S. Army South, the Army Medical Department, Army Regional Health Command Central, Brooke Army Medical Center, U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence, Navy Regional Recruiting, and the Medical Education and Training Campus, which graduates over 16,500 students from 49 medical programs annually.