The origins of the park date to 1888, when it was known as the International Fair Grounds.

[1] Its current layout and design was created by the architectural firm of Hare & Hare, and for a brief time was known as Lambert Park, before returning the name to Roosevelt Park [1] In 1898, Army Lt.

Colonel Roosevelt, and then-recent Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Col. Leonard Wood,[2] established recruitment headquarters for the Spanish–American War at the Menger Hotel, with Wood signing up volunteers on the hotel patio[3] and Roosevelt working out of its bar room.

Roosevelt himself noted that Texans, in particular active Texas Rangers, made up a large percentage of the volunteers.

[6] The current park was once owned by Bexar County.