Adina Emilia De Zavala
Encyclopedia
Adina Emilia De Zavala was a teacher, historian and preservationist of Texas history. Her efforts led to saving the Alamo Long Barrack Fortress for future generations. She was born to Augustine De Zavala (originally de Zavala), son of Lorenzo de Zavala
, the first Vice President of the Republic of Texas
. Adina's mother Julia Tyrrell De Zavala was born in Ireland. In 1994, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Marker number 86 was placed at Alamo Plaza to honor De Zavala.
In 2008, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark marker number
15124 was placed in St. Mary's Cemetery to honor De Zavala's contributions to Texas.
. According to historian L. Robert Ables, Adina was a blue-eyed brunette
Hispanic, about 5 feet 3 inches tall. Growing up in a mixed heritage household, she never learned to speak Spanish
. Her mother Julia Tyrell De Zavala had been born in Ireland
but educated in Texas. Augustine's mother, Adina's grandmother, was Emily West of New York
. Emily outlived three husbands, giving Augustine two non-Tejano
step fathers, German
immigrant Henry M. Fock and sawmill owner E.D. Hand. Circa 1873, the De Zavala family moved to near Locke Hill, 12 miles north of downtown San Antonio. Augustine, died in 1893 and Julia managed the family's property holdings while living with her children.
De Zavala related for a 1935 Holland's Magazine interview that history and mythology were favorite themes in her childhood books, and that she and her sister produced historical plays. She described herself as a "jealous lover of Texas history." Adina was home schooled until 1871 when she was enrolled in Ursuline Academy in Galveston
. From 1879 to 1881, Adina was enrolled in Sam Houston Normal Institute (now Sam Houston State University
) in Huntsville, Texas
. She also received a music education from a school in Chillicothe, Missouri
. Adina became a teacher in Terrell, Texas
from 1884 to 1886. In 1887, she joined family members who had moved to San Antonio, where she taught at elementary schools until 1907, emphasizing education about Texas heritage.
She authored History and Legends of the Alamo and Other Missions In and Around San Antonio in 1917, a perspective that highlights the role of women and other minorities in the history of both the Alamo and Texas. De Zavala's 1916 Legend of the First Christmas at the Alamo (The Margil Vine) relates the lore of the Franciscan monks and local Indians celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ in the year 1718. In 1934, Adina wrote In My Grandmother's Old Garden Where the Rose Reigned as Queen for the San Antonio Express
, remembering all the beautiful flowers in her grandmother's garden, especially her grandmother's favorite, the rose, and encouraging readers to plant roses to commemorate the 1936 centennial celebration.
In 1951, she donated most of her large collection of documents pertaining to preservation and the De Zavala family history, to the University of Texas at Austin
, where it is used today by scholars at The Dolph Briscoe
Center for American History. The remainder of her papers were bequeated to the University of the Incarnate Word
in San Antonio, which houses the collection on the 2nd floor of its library.
, and was instrumental in Texas public schools being named for state heroes. She was on the executive council of the Texas State Historical Association
, and in 1945 was voted an honorary life fellow of the council.
De Zavala interested her schoolteacher friend Anna Ellis, one of the founders of the San Antonio Conservation Society, in restoring homes representative of the six governments that had flown flags over Texas: Spain
, France
, Mexico
, the Republic of Texas
, the United States
, and the Confederate States of America
. De Zavala worked in coordination with Anna Ellis, Elizabeth O. Graham and others in the society to help save the Spanish Governor's Palace
and several other structures, including the cluster of houses once lived in by Texas Declaration of Independence signer
José Antonio Navarro
. On March 2, 1951, the San Antonio Conservation Society presented De Zavala with an award for "marking historic homes and sites."
Shortly after Adina came to San Antonio in 1887, she formed the "De Zavala Daughters" organization dedicated to preserving and marking Texas history. In 1893, the organization changed its name and became a chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas
(DRT). One of the first markers in 1897 was over the grave of Ben Milam who had died in 1835 while leading volunteers against Mexican
troops quartered in San Antonio.
In 1900, the De Zavala chapter formed Auxiliary, De Zavala Chapter, Daughters of the Republic of Texas for those who were not eligible to join the regular DRT. In 1910, the auxiliary legally severed itself from the DRT and became an independent organization, with chapters in Crockett
, Refugio
, New Braunfels
, San Patricio
and Goliad
. Between 1922 and 1935, the association researched and marked 28 historic sites in San Antonio and 10 elsewhere in the state. The organization disbanded when De Zavala died in 1955.
. The public entrance known as the Alamo's mission chapel was already owned by the State of Texas, which had purchased the building from the Roman Catholic Church
in 1883 and had given custody to the City of San Antonio. The city had made no improvements to the chapel structure, and ownership did not include the long barracks, which was owned by wholesale grocer Gustav Schmeltzer. Italian-born sculptor Pompeo Luigi Coppini
of the Alamo Cenotaph fame, related that Adina and his wife Elizabeth di Barbieri Coppini "went out every day with our horse and buggy, calling on all the merchants of the town for some contributions of bricks, lumber, cedar posts, or wire to repair fences. These articles, in lieu of money, were to be used in repairing all the missions, the chapel of the Alamo included."
The De Zavala chapter of the DRT in 1902 organized the Congress of Patriotism, with the aim of creating a "Texas Hall of Fame" museum in the Alamo long barracks (or convento). Adina and her group convinced Gustav Schmeltzer to give the historical society first option to buy the structure if it went up for sale. She was notified in 1903 that the owners were considering a sale to a hotel syndicate. De Zavala enlisted heiress and historical preservationist Clara Driscoll to put up financial backing for the purchase. On January 26, 1905, Governor S.W.T Lanham signed legislation for state funding to preserve the Alamo property. The state reimbursed Clara Driscoll and, on October 4, 1905, the governor formally conveyed the Alamo property, including the convento and the mission church, to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.
A divide erupted between two factions of the DRT, and the general public as well, over how the long barracks property was to be used. Driscoll and others believed it was not part of the original structure and should be turned into a park. De Zavala was convinced the property was where the major portion of the historic battle had taken place. In supporting research, Adina conducted numerous interviews with families and acquaintances of men who died in the Alamo. In 1906 she obtained an affidavit from Juan E. Barrera, a San Antonio resident born in 1839, stating that the long barracks "are still standing just as they were when I was a boy.”
The building's lease was due to expire on February 10, 1908, and rumors floated that the property might next be rented to a vaudeville company. Two days before the expiration of the lease, Adina engaged three guards for the property and had a telephone installed in the rat-infested warehouse. New padlocks were also installed. On the evening of February 10, 1908, Sheriff John W. Tobin arrived with deputies in tow, an injunction barring De Zavala from interference, and assorted stakeholders of the outcome. The guards were served with the injunction and removed from the property. De Zavala refused to listen to the injunction and shut herself away in an upstairs area, without any provisions to sustain herself. While not trying to physically evict her, the sheriff had the electricity and telephone cut and threatened to send anyone to jail who brought her food. Nevertheless, both food and extra clothing were smuggled in, and law enforcement allowed water and coffee. Sheriff Tobin eventually had the electricity restored for lighting to keep the rats at bay. The 46-year-old Adina stated she was willing to die for the cause. The siege lasted three days and attracted spectators and newspaper coverage from around the country. Once her attorneys had worked out an agreement to temporarily turn the structure over to the governor, Adina emerged.
By 1911, Governor Oscar Branch Colquitt
ordered the long barracks be restored to its original condition as it was in mission days. During the 1912 restoration, workers uncovered foundational work that verified De Zavala's instincts that the structure had indeed been an original part of the Alamo.
to establish a girl's vocational school and a boys town.
On April 27, 1955, the Texas State Legislature passed Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 51 paying tribute to her for playing "a major role in preserving the Alamo and the Spanish Governor's Palace" and for placing "permanent markers on some 40 historic sites in Texas, many of which might otherwise be forgotten."
In 1994 the Daughters of the Republic of Texas dedicated a special Commemorative Marker at her gravesite.The DRT Alamo Committee placed a bronze marker in the Alamo to commemorate both Adina De Zavala and Clara Driscoll. The Bexar County Historical Commission placed a State Historical Marker on city property in Alamo Plaza
to honor De Zavala.
Lorenzo de Zavala
Manuel Lorenzo Justiniano de Zavala y Saenz was a 19th-century Mexican politician. He served as finance minister under President Vicente Guerrero. A colonizer and statesman, he was also the interim Vice President of the Republic of Texas, serving under interim President David G...
, the first Vice President of the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
. Adina's mother Julia Tyrrell De Zavala was born in Ireland. In 1994, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark is a designation awarded by the Texas Historical Commission for historically and architecturally significant properties in the state of Texas....
Marker number 86 was placed at Alamo Plaza to honor De Zavala.
In 2008, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark marker number
15124 was placed in St. Mary's Cemetery to honor De Zavala's contributions to Texas.
Family background and education
Adina's father Augustine De Zavala was a farmer who joined the Confederate States NavyConfederate States Navy
The Confederate States Navy was the naval branch of the Confederate States armed forces established by an act of the Confederate Congress on February 21, 1861. It was responsible for Confederate naval operations during the American Civil War...
. According to historian L. Robert Ables, Adina was a blue-eyed brunette
Brown hair
Brown hair is the second most common human hair color.Brown hair varies from light brown to almost black hair. It is characterized by higher levels of the dark pigment eumelanin and lower levels of the pale pigment pheomelanin. Its strands are thicker than those of fair hair but not as much as...
Hispanic, about 5 feet 3 inches tall. Growing up in a mixed heritage household, she never learned to speak Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. Her mother Julia Tyrell De Zavala had been born in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
but educated in Texas. Augustine's mother, Adina's grandmother, was Emily West of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Emily outlived three husbands, giving Augustine two non-Tejano
Tejano
Tejano or Texano is a term used to identify a Texan of Mexican heritage.Historically, the Spanish term Tejano has been used to identify different groups of people...
step fathers, German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
immigrant Henry M. Fock and sawmill owner E.D. Hand. Circa 1873, the De Zavala family moved to near Locke Hill, 12 miles north of downtown San Antonio. Augustine, died in 1893 and Julia managed the family's property holdings while living with her children.
De Zavala related for a 1935 Holland's Magazine interview that history and mythology were favorite themes in her childhood books, and that she and her sister produced historical plays. She described herself as a "jealous lover of Texas history." Adina was home schooled until 1871 when she was enrolled in Ursuline Academy in Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
. From 1879 to 1881, Adina was enrolled in Sam Houston Normal Institute (now Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University was founded in 1879 and is the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas. It is located in Huntsville, Texas. It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first...
) in Huntsville, Texas
Huntsville, Texas
Huntsville is a city in and the county seat of Walker County, Texas, United States. The population was 35,508 at the 2010 census. It is the center of the Huntsville micropolitan area....
. She also received a music education from a school in Chillicothe, Missouri
Chillicothe, Missouri
Chillicothe is a city in and the county seat of Livingston County, Missouri, United States. The population was 9,515 at the 2010 census. The name "Chillicothe" is Shawnee for "big town", and was named after their Chillicothe, located since 1774 about a mile from the present-day city.Chillicothe is...
. Adina became a teacher in Terrell, Texas
Terrell, Texas
Terrell is a city in Kaufman County, Texas, United States, and a southeastern suburb of Dallas. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 13,606...
from 1884 to 1886. In 1887, she joined family members who had moved to San Antonio, where she taught at elementary schools until 1907, emphasizing education about Texas heritage.
Writer
Adina De Zavala was a prolific writer, of Texas history. In 1900, she wrote the playlet, The Six National Flags That Have Floated Over Texas, as an educational tool about the ethnic diversity in the state.She authored History and Legends of the Alamo and Other Missions In and Around San Antonio in 1917, a perspective that highlights the role of women and other minorities in the history of both the Alamo and Texas. De Zavala's 1916 Legend of the First Christmas at the Alamo (The Margil Vine) relates the lore of the Franciscan monks and local Indians celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ in the year 1718. In 1934, Adina wrote In My Grandmother's Old Garden Where the Rose Reigned as Queen for the San Antonio Express
San Antonio Express-News
The San Antonio Express-News is the daily newspaper of San Antonio, Texas. It is ranked as the third-largest daily newspaper in the state of Texas in terms of circulation, and is one of the leading news sources of South Texas, with offices in Austin, Brownsville, Laredo, and Mexico City...
, remembering all the beautiful flowers in her grandmother's garden, especially her grandmother's favorite, the rose, and encouraging readers to plant roses to commemorate the 1936 centennial celebration.
In 1951, she donated most of her large collection of documents pertaining to preservation and the De Zavala family history, to the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, where it is used today by scholars at The Dolph Briscoe
Dolph Briscoe
Dolph Briscoe, Jr. was a Uvalde, Texas rancher and businessman who was the 41st Governor of Texas between 1973 and 1979....
Center for American History. The remainder of her papers were bequeated to the University of the Incarnate Word
University of the Incarnate Word
The University of the Incarnate Word is a private Catholic university located within the cities of San Antonio and Alamo Heights in Texas, United States....
in San Antonio, which houses the collection on the 2nd floor of its library.
Historical preservation affiliations
Adina De Zavala a was proponent of a March 2 statewide recognition of Texas Independence DayTexas Independence Day
Texas Independence Day is the celebration of the adoption of the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836. With this document, settlers in Mexican Texas officially broke from Mexico, creating the Republic of Texas...
, and was instrumental in Texas public schools being named for state heroes. She was on the executive council of the Texas State Historical Association
Texas State Historical Association
The Texas State Historical Association or abbreviated TSHA, is a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to documenting the rich and unique history of Texas. It was founded on March 2, 1897. As of November 2008, TSHA moved from Austin to the University of North Texas in Denton.The executive...
, and in 1945 was voted an honorary life fellow of the council.
De Zavala interested her schoolteacher friend Anna Ellis, one of the founders of the San Antonio Conservation Society, in restoring homes representative of the six governments that had flown flags over Texas: Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. De Zavala worked in coordination with Anna Ellis, Elizabeth O. Graham and others in the society to help save the Spanish Governor's Palace
Spanish Governor's Palace
The Spanish Governor's Palace is a National Historic Landmark in the city of San Antonio, Texas. Built in the first half of the 18th century, it was originally intended to protect the nearby San Antonio de Valero Mission and the growing colony. It is considered the sole remaining example of an...
and several other structures, including the cluster of houses once lived in by Texas Declaration of Independence signer
Texas Declaration of Independence
The Texas Declaration of Independence was the formal declaration of independence of the Republic of Texas from Mexico in the Texas Revolution. It was adopted at the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos on March 2, 1836, and formally signed the following day after errors were noted in the...
José Antonio Navarro
José Antonio Navarro
José Antonio Navarro was a Texas statesman, revolutionary, politician, and merchant. The son of Ángel Navarro and Josefa María Ruiz y Pena, he was born into a distinguished noble family at San Antonio de Béxar in New Spain....
. On March 2, 1951, the San Antonio Conservation Society presented De Zavala with an award for "marking historic homes and sites."
Shortly after Adina came to San Antonio in 1887, she formed the "De Zavala Daughters" organization dedicated to preserving and marking Texas history. In 1893, the organization changed its name and became a chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas
Daughters of the Republic of Texas
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas is a sororal association dedicated to perpetuating the memory of Texas pioneer families and soldiers of the Republic of Texas. The Daughters of the Republic of Texas is best known for its role as caretakers of The Alamo. They also operate a museum in Austin...
(DRT). One of the first markers in 1897 was over the grave of Ben Milam who had died in 1835 while leading volunteers against Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
troops quartered in San Antonio.
In 1900, the De Zavala chapter formed Auxiliary, De Zavala Chapter, Daughters of the Republic of Texas for those who were not eligible to join the regular DRT. In 1910, the auxiliary legally severed itself from the DRT and became an independent organization, with chapters in Crockett
Crockett, Texas
Crockett is a city in Houston County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 7,141. It is the county seat of Houston County.- History :...
, Refugio
Refugio, Texas
Refugio is a town in Refugio County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,941 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Refugio County. Although the town's name is derived from Spanish, a vast majority of the town's residents pronounce it re-fury-oh. The Spanish pronunciation is...
, New Braunfels
New Braunfels, Texas
New Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...
, San Patricio
San Patricio, Texas
San Patricio is a city in Nueces and San Patricio Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 318 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, San Patricio, located at , has a total area of 3.9 square miles , of which, 3.8 square miles of it is...
and Goliad
Goliad, Texas
Goliad is a city in Goliad County, Texas, United States. It had a population of 1975 at the 2000 census. Founded on the San Antonio River, it is the county seat of Goliad County. It is part of the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. Goliad is located on U.S. Highway 59, named also for...
. Between 1922 and 1935, the association researched and marked 28 historic sites in San Antonio and 10 elsewhere in the state. The organization disbanded when De Zavala died in 1955.
Saving the Alamo
By the late 1880s the historic San Antonio missions were falling into disrepair and becoming subject to vandals. De Zavala's initial efforts were towards saving these historical structures, in particular the Mission San Antonio de Valero otherwise known as the AlamoAlamo Mission in San Antonio
The Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas....
. The public entrance known as the Alamo's mission chapel was already owned by the State of Texas, which had purchased the building from the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in 1883 and had given custody to the City of San Antonio. The city had made no improvements to the chapel structure, and ownership did not include the long barracks, which was owned by wholesale grocer Gustav Schmeltzer. Italian-born sculptor Pompeo Luigi Coppini
Pompeo Coppini
Pompeo Luigi Coppini was an Italian sculptor who emigrated to the United States. Although his works can be found in Italy, Mexico and a number of American states, the majority of his work can be found in Texas...
of the Alamo Cenotaph fame, related that Adina and his wife Elizabeth di Barbieri Coppini "went out every day with our horse and buggy, calling on all the merchants of the town for some contributions of bricks, lumber, cedar posts, or wire to repair fences. These articles, in lieu of money, were to be used in repairing all the missions, the chapel of the Alamo included."
The De Zavala chapter of the DRT in 1902 organized the Congress of Patriotism, with the aim of creating a "Texas Hall of Fame" museum in the Alamo long barracks (or convento). Adina and her group convinced Gustav Schmeltzer to give the historical society first option to buy the structure if it went up for sale. She was notified in 1903 that the owners were considering a sale to a hotel syndicate. De Zavala enlisted heiress and historical preservationist Clara Driscoll to put up financial backing for the purchase. On January 26, 1905, Governor S.W.T Lanham signed legislation for state funding to preserve the Alamo property. The state reimbursed Clara Driscoll and, on October 4, 1905, the governor formally conveyed the Alamo property, including the convento and the mission church, to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.
A divide erupted between two factions of the DRT, and the general public as well, over how the long barracks property was to be used. Driscoll and others believed it was not part of the original structure and should be turned into a park. De Zavala was convinced the property was where the major portion of the historic battle had taken place. In supporting research, Adina conducted numerous interviews with families and acquaintances of men who died in the Alamo. In 1906 she obtained an affidavit from Juan E. Barrera, a San Antonio resident born in 1839, stating that the long barracks "are still standing just as they were when I was a boy.”
The building's lease was due to expire on February 10, 1908, and rumors floated that the property might next be rented to a vaudeville company. Two days before the expiration of the lease, Adina engaged three guards for the property and had a telephone installed in the rat-infested warehouse. New padlocks were also installed. On the evening of February 10, 1908, Sheriff John W. Tobin arrived with deputies in tow, an injunction barring De Zavala from interference, and assorted stakeholders of the outcome. The guards were served with the injunction and removed from the property. De Zavala refused to listen to the injunction and shut herself away in an upstairs area, without any provisions to sustain herself. While not trying to physically evict her, the sheriff had the electricity and telephone cut and threatened to send anyone to jail who brought her food. Nevertheless, both food and extra clothing were smuggled in, and law enforcement allowed water and coffee. Sheriff Tobin eventually had the electricity restored for lighting to keep the rats at bay. The 46-year-old Adina stated she was willing to die for the cause. The siege lasted three days and attracted spectators and newspaper coverage from around the country. Once her attorneys had worked out an agreement to temporarily turn the structure over to the governor, Adina emerged.
By 1911, Governor Oscar Branch Colquitt
Oscar Branch Colquitt
Oscar Branch Colquitt was the 25th Governor of Texas from January 17, 1911 to January 19, 1915. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Gov...
ordered the long barracks be restored to its original condition as it was in mission days. During the 1912 restoration, workers uncovered foundational work that verified De Zavala's instincts that the structure had indeed been an original part of the Alamo.
Death and recognitions
Adina died at age 93 on March 1, 1955. Her March 5 funeral was at St. Joseph's Church, her casket draped with the flag of Texas. In tribute, she was carried past the Alamo one last time. De Zavala is buried in her family's plot in St. Mary's Cemetery. She never married and willed her estate to the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate WordSisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word
The Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word is the name of two Roman Catholic religious orders based in the state of Texas.- Houston Order :...
to establish a girl's vocational school and a boys town.
On April 27, 1955, the Texas State Legislature passed Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 51 paying tribute to her for playing "a major role in preserving the Alamo and the Spanish Governor's Palace" and for placing "permanent markers on some 40 historic sites in Texas, many of which might otherwise be forgotten."
In 1994 the Daughters of the Republic of Texas dedicated a special Commemorative Marker at her gravesite.The DRT Alamo Committee placed a bronze marker in the Alamo to commemorate both Adina De Zavala and Clara Driscoll. The Bexar County Historical Commission placed a State Historical Marker on city property in Alamo Plaza
Alamo Plaza Historic District
Alamo Plaza Historic District is a historic district in San Antonio, Texas that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.It includes The Alamo, a separately listed Registered Historic Place and a U.S. National Historic Landmark....
to honor De Zavala.
Additional reading
Note: Contains the full text of Adina's 1934 In My Grandmother's Old Garden Where the Rose Reigned as Queen.See also
- Alamo Mission in San AntonioAlamo Mission in San AntonioThe Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas....
- Spanish Governor's PalaceSpanish Governor's PalaceThe Spanish Governor's Palace is a National Historic Landmark in the city of San Antonio, Texas. Built in the first half of the 18th century, it was originally intended to protect the nearby San Antonio de Valero Mission and the growing colony. It is considered the sole remaining example of an...
- Clara Driscoll (philanthropist)