Texas Trivia (San Antonio, Austin, Fredericksburg: chapel, wedding, luxury)

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Sweetie Pie

I don't know why I keep thinking it was a woman.

Was it Clara Driscoll, who purchased the Alamo for $1000.00 in the early 1900's to save it from being built into a hotel???

Now that makes good sense. As I recall (I am always recalling something or other! LOL), the Daughters of the Republic of Texas purchased the Alamo from...was the War Department...? The reason I say that is because seems like for quite a while it was used as a "storehouse" for the U.S. Army; there was really no historical value about it for quite a while. Then, when the DOT purchased it, they were largely responsible for turning it into the shrine it is today, so to speak. Anyway, your answer is a good one and I am curious if Shane verifies it! LOL

Just on another of those related tangents I am fond of taking off on (nothing better to do besides mow the grass during summer vacation), and speaking of the "Shrine" aspect (which, as a native Texan, I absolutely concur with!), I have to tell this story I witnessed first hand.

I was in San Antonio back in the 80's at an SCV Texas Division convention and, the headquarter hotel was in the historic district. Anyway, I didn't feel like going to the boring luncheon, so wandered a couple of blocks away to visit the Alamo (I had not seen it in quite a few years). It was a Saturday afternoon and there was a long line waiting to enter the "chapel", and a lady outside had a sign that read something like "Please remove hats. This is a Shrine."

Well, right ahead of me were a bunch of big old Texas cowboys...looked like perhaps they were ranchers in town for a convention of their own. It goes without saying they removed their hats automatically. Now then, BEHIND me, was some loud-mouthed obnoxious yankee type wearing a beret. As we all got set to enter, he kept his cap on and, when politely requested to removed it, said loudly along the lines of "Why is this such a big deal...".

All six (or whatever) of those big Texas cattlemen just turned around and stared at him. Never said a word, but the look they gave would have killed a rattlesnake dead on. Needless to say, the guy took off his hat post-haste! LOL

[joqua]

Originally Posted by joqua

The San Antonio based sculptor Pompeo Coppini, in his autobiography, claims it was HE who first heard of plans to build a large hotel on the Alamo site and it was HE who first sounded the alarm to his friend "Miss DeZavala" prompting her and other ladies of influence to "rally round the flag."

HANDBOOK OF TEXAS ONLINE has this to say about the LATER INVOLVEMENT of Clara Driscoll:

From 1903 to 1905 she worked with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to acquire and preserve the Alamo by personally paying most of the purchase price. The attractive young philanthropist received extensive national publicity as the "Savior of the Alamo."

Coppini apparently spent the rest of his life claiming he was the "Savior." His autobio has copies of letters that passed between himself and Clara Driscoll at the time.

[ShaneSA]

My information is that is is Clara Driscoll who provided the money to save it from being purchased by a hotel interest. How she came to know about and provide the money may be another story. Anyway, Clara Driskoll is who I was looking for as the answer. WHEWW!! I guess I'm off the hook now.

[MorningGlory210]

FYI... Adina De Zavala, the granddaughter of on of Texas' early Governors - Lorenzo de Zavala, enlisted Clara Driscoll to help her in the fight to save the Alamo. Clara had connections and money. She purchased the Hugo-Schmeltzer building now known as the Long Barracks for $75,000. The building was then deeded to the State of Texas and at some point the Texas Legislature reimbursed her for it. It's my understanding the State already owned the chapel. Because it was Clara who had the money for the purchase, she was deemed the "Savior of the Alamo." However, reading those early accounts of Adina and Clara is most interesting. It was Adina who barracaded herself in the Long Barracks preventing a demolition crew from beginning its destruction. All are great questions!!

[Sweetie Pie]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

Now that makes good sense. As I recall (I am always recalling something or other! LOL), the Daughters of the Republic of Texas purchased the Alamo from...was the War Department...? The reason I say that is because seems like for quite a while it was used as a "storehouse" for the U.S. Army; there was really no historical value about it for quite a while. Then, when the DOT purchased it, they were largely responsible for turning it into the shrine it is today, so to speak. Anyway, your answer is a good one and I am curious if Shane verifies it! LOL

Originally Posted by ShaneSA

My information is that is is Clara Driscoll who provided the money to save it from being purchased by a hotel interest. How she came to know about and provide the money may be another story. Anyway, Clara Driskoll is who I was looking for as the answer. WHEWW!! I guess I'm off the hook now.

WoW, what a bunch of interesting facts we discovered with that trivia question Shane. Who woulda thunk???

Reb thanks for your story about your visit to the Alamo, and other facts your presented.

Joqua, that was very interesting about Pompeo Copini, which led me to read more about his life. Thank you.

Morning Glory, thanks for presenting your facts on Adina De Zavala who seemed like an awful gutsy woman to have barricaded herself in the barracks to keep it from being demolished.

Since Shane was looking for Clara Driskoll as his answer, I believe I was the one who answered correctly first, so I will ask the next question.

Without googling{} does anyone know who Bob Wade is, and what he's famous for???

{I will be off-line until this afternoon, and will check back then. Enjoy your day!}

[doctorjef]

Originally Posted by MorningGlory210

FYI... Adina De Zavala, the granddaughter of on of Texas' early Governors - Lorenzo de Zavala, enlisted Clara Driscoll to help her in the fight to save the Alamo. Clara had connections and money. She purchased the Hugo-Schmeltzer building now known as the Long Barracks for $75,000. The building was then deeded to the State of Texas and at some point the Texas Legislature reimbursed her for it. It's my understanding the State already owned the chapel. Because it was Clara who had the money for the purchase, she was deemed the "Savior of the Alamo." However, reading those early accounts of Adina and Clara is most interesting. It was Adina who barracaded herself in the Long Barracks preventing a demolition crew from beginning its destruction. All are great questions!!

Lorenzo de Zavala served as minister to France and as vice president under the Republic. Are you sure he was subsequently a governor after statehood? I know I could easily google this but need to go do something else at the moment. BTW, de Zavala brought back from France the lovely old china rose called Louis Phillipe, which is available from the Antique Rose Emporium in Liberty, TX or from many local nurseries that carry antique roses.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by Sweetie Pie

Without googling{} does anyone know who Bob Wade is, and what he's famous for???

{I will be off-line until this afternoon, and will check back then. Enjoy your day!}

Without googling{}

[doctorjef]

OK, correcting two mistakes -- one by MorningGlory210 and one by me. Lorenzo de Zavala died in 1836, hence was never governor of Texas. As I stated, he served as vice pres of the Republic, specifically as interim VP under interim Pres. Burnet. I was mistaken that he ever served as the Republic's minister to France; in point of fact he served as Mexico's minister to France. He was an extremely erudite, progressive man who defected from the Santa Ana government in favour of supporting Texas independence and was a signer of Texas' Declaration of Independence.

[Sweetie Pie]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

Without googling{}

LOL, CptnRn!!!

I figured there would be tons of folks that would know who Bob "Big Daddy" Wade is.

If no one "gets it" by 10p.m. tonight, Texas time, feel free to google your little hearts out.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by Sweetie Pie

LOL, CptnRn!!!

I figured there would be tons of folks that would know who Bob "Big Daddy" Wade is.

If no one "gets it" by 10p.m. tonight, Texas time, feel free to google your little hearts out.

Bob "Big Daddy" Wade is a Texas artist, some describe at a Texas Art Ambassador. He is responsible for numerous "Texas" sized sculptures, such as giant cowboy boots, giant stuffed frogs (2 are at Carl's Corner truck stop), a giant iguana on the roof of the Lone Star Cafe in New York City. I'm not sure which of his pieces you would consider most famous, probably the iguana.

See images of his artworks here: BobWade

He has also done a series of paintings and prints based on Texas iconographic images.