Although Fords had been available in San Antonio for year before the introduction of the Model T in 1908, it was this remarkable vehicle that made the company's presence in the city a bricks and mortar reality. Until this time folks wanting to buy the most popular car in America, the Ford Model N, had to order from local agents who then "imported" the cars from brokers, mostly in Houston, or from out of state. To back up his faith in his new product, Henry Ford cancelled all other Models, including the almost $3,000.00 6 cylinder Model K, which was never popular, particularly with Henry Ford himself. He opened factory owned outlets across the country and staffed them with factory trained employees to assemble Ts from crated deliveries, plus sell and service them. The building acquired in San Antonio was at 720 E. Houston, just behind the Alamo. This was demolished to make way for the building that houses the Alamo gift shop in the 1930s. When in due course Ford created a network of independent dealers, the business was acquired by Clifton George. He held the franchise until the mid 1920s when, to finance the nearby Medical Arts building, now the Emily Morgan Hotel, he sold it to Herpel-Gillespie. By 1922 were three other franchises in the city, The Baker Motor Company at 1515 Main Avenue, Morgan-Woodward at 234 South Flores and the Universal car Company at Avenue C and Fourth Street. Herpel-Gillespie moved to a former grocery store building on nearby E. Houston in the mid 1920s. This building still stands though "H-G" had moved to newly created Broadway Avenue before the introduction of the Ford Model A in 1928.

In 1923 another Ford dealership, owned by the Jordan Brothers, took up temporary residence on South Presa Street until its permanent address on South St. Mary's at the three way intersection with South Alamo and Presa was opened in 1924. This operation originally opened in Boerne in 1919, making it the longest continuously operated Ford dealership in San Antonio. (The oldest Ford dealership in Texas, Sames Ford, opened in 1910 in Laredo.) Jordan Ford now occupies a large lot on IH 35 near Loop 1604 in Live Oak.

An old joke about the Model T was that it would take you anywhere you wanted to go, except into society. Back when America was far stricter about social movement than it is today, it is hard to say if getting through the poor roads that dogged South Texas was more difficult for the Model T than not being owned by the right people but as these pictures show, the T was capable of doing well in any situation.

The T was both strong and versatile. It transformed how people moved across the landscape, from the Hill Country to brush country to the fertile fields towards the valley. With individual transportation folks in the country could bring their produce into town far more efficiently. Ford himself came from farming stock. He deplored the vast amount of work farmers put in for so little reward. The desire to bring relief and prosperity to what was still very much a rural country was part of his motivation to build not a cheap car but a great car inexpensively.

Ford introduced the TT version of the T in 1917, just in time for World War One. Some 400,000 were used by allied forces before the end of the conflict. The vehicles had a longer and stronger wheel base, were more heavily sprung and had a different, reduced ratio, rear end to allow the same four cylinder, 20 HP engine move up to one ton of cargo. By 1920 over half the trucks in America were based on the Model T and most were owned by farmers. Ford sold the cars as rolling chassis. Engine, transmission, fuel tank and steering wheel was just about all you got. San Antonio and surrounding towns had a number of truck outfitters who could make you just about any kind of body you might need. Most Model Ts bought in Texas were built in Dallas. (The plant stayed open until 1970.)