Cactus Garden

Back in the 50s when the Coates Student Center was the Student Union building, it overlooked the cactus gardens. From the balconies, students could admire a sandy patch of San Antonio’s native Texas landscape, populated by a variety of different cactus species. Freshmen were tasked with cleaning the cactus gardens in the 50s and 60s before student associations accepted (and often neglected) the job. This prickly patch would sometimes double as an outdoor event venue—a 1989 Trinitonian advertises a free outdoor showing of Animal House in the cactus gardens. The building still sits on the same cliff, but the cacti have long since been replaced by the lush grass and greenery that now characterize Trinity’s appearance.