Government/Politics

Nelson Wolff Gallery opens in county archives building

Texas Public Radio | By Brian Kirkpatrick

Published January 9, 2025 at 2:46 PM CST

Bexar County Clerk Lucy Adame Clark and former Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff discuss items he donated from his personal collection to the county on Jan. 8, 2025.

Nelson Wolff — former Bexar County judge, San Antonio mayor and councilman, and state lawmaker — has donated to the county items from his personal collection that reflect a life spent serving his community.

Friends and family gathered at the county archives building on East Nueva on Wednesday to open the gallery that bears his name.

The collection includes papers, books, and memorabilia collected during Wolff's life. It's open to the public.

Nelson Wolff sat in this chair during the 1974 Constitutional Convention at the State Capitol Building in Austin.

The 84-year-old Wolff said anyone who wants to serve in public office needs to be sure of what they stand for before they ever run. Wolff said he formed his political opinions, including the importance of civil rights, as a law student at St. Mary's University in San Antonio.

"My opinions have not changed one bit from the time when I first started," he said. "I paid for some of that by losing races. That's not the important thing. What do you believe in? Are you acting in a responsible, honest manner? I think character counts first."

Wolff, a former minor league baseball player with the Mission's home here named for him, donated sports memorabilia given to him while in office, including jerseys with his name on them. — Nelson Wolff, who is a former minor league baseball player, donated sports memorabilia he received while in office, including jerseys with his name on them.

Bexar County Clerk Lucy Adame-Clark said it was hard to pick a favorite Wolff item from among the many items now under the care of her office and the county.

"All of it," she said. "I can't even name one item. When I heard that his collection was going to be donated to Bexar County, without a doubt, if you give me the whole collection, I can go ahead and preserve it, digitize it and make it available to the public, but I want to make sure your family is okay with it."

Wolff has written several books about his time in political office and are a good source of local modern political history and developments in the history of the city and county. — Nelson Wolff has written several books about his time in political office. They explore local political history and developments in the history of the city and county.

Adame-Clark said the gallery is a great source for historians and researchers.

Wolff, a former building supplies and natural foods businessman, oversaw construction of the Alamodome, the creation of the San Antonio Water System and the all-digital Bibliotech libraries, increased aquifer protection, and restoration of the San Antonio River. He also worked to set aside the 12,000 acres for the Government Canyon State Natural Area.

Wolff was also proud of his work to support passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the draft of which was signed in San Antonio in 1992 by the presidents of the U.S. and Mexico and the prime minister of Canada.

Adame-Clark pointed out that the Wolff Gallery is important because Wolff is only the second person to ever serve both as San Antonio mayor and Bexar County judge. Bryan V. Callaghan Jr. was the first. He served in the 1800s.

Wolff served as Bexar County judge from 2001 to Dec. 31, 2022.

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