Special Collections Division the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries Vol. XII * No. 1 * Spring 1998

Adina de Zavala: Protector of Texas’ Past
by Diana Mays

Archival and manuscript collections come in all sizes. Some are large, numbering hundreds of boxes and covering hundreds of linear feet of shelves, while others are relatively small. The article that follows focuses on one of the smaller collections held in the Special Collections Division--the Adina de Zavala Papers. Written by Diana Mays, a former graduate student at UTA who processed the papers and a seventh grade Texas history teacher, the article describes the papers of a phenomenal woman who spent most of her life working to preserve Texas history. The de Zavala Papers are now open for research.

What images come to mind when you think of a ninety-three year old retired school teacher who never married? Meet Adina de Zavala, nothing like what you may have visualized. The vivacious and bold granddaughter of the Republic of Texas vice president, Lorenza de Zavala, was tenacious in her projects to preserve the history of Texas and its landmarks.

The Special Collections Division is pleased to announce the completion of the processing of the Adina de Zavala Papers. Adina de Zavala was a teacher, historian, writer, and organizer of numerous projects to promote and preserve Texas history. She is remembered primarily for her efforts in obtaining and protecting the property around the old Alamo mission, saving the Spanish Governor’s Palace, and locating and preserving the grave sites and homes of significant Texans. She spent a lifetime fighting to keep Texas history alive.

The Adina de Zavala Papers came to UTA through the generous donation of Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins Garrett, well known for their altruism toward the university. The Adina de Zavala Papers include two boxes (.792 linear ft.) of personal correspondence, newspaper clippings, literary manuscripts and miscellaneous keepsakes. Over half the collection is made up of letters received by Adina de Zavala from various family members and friends. One of the most notable letters is from Elizabet Ney, the famous sculptress who moved to Texas from Germany in the 1800s. Many of the letters are responses to letters sent by Adina de Zavala . Therefore, the contents of the reply gives the reader a good idea of what Adina de Zavala had written to them. Many of these letters are responding to her requests for family information, help with a project, legal counsel, or personal advice. The correspondence dates from 1878-1957 and is arranged in chronological order.

The correspondence series also contains a collection of letters from five individuals: John Henry Brown, Victor Rose, Oran Roberts, Edmund Schmitt and Lorenzo de Zavala, Jr. Lorenzo de Zavala, Jr., was the step-uncle of Adina de Zavala and was present at the battle of San Jacinto in 1836. Most of the letters from him contain family information about her famous grandfather and his part in serving the Republic of Texas.

The newspaper clippings pertain to a variety of topics. The subject covered most frequently deals with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas controversy over the custodianship of the Alamo and the surrounding property. This controversy, between Adina de Zavala and Clara Driscoll, eventually led to Adina de Zavala locking herself into the long barracks of the Alamo for three days and nights without food, until officials yielded to her position on the preservation of the Alamo grounds. Other clippings include the attempts at establishing De Zavala Park on Buffalo Bayou in the 1950s. There are letters from Senator Ralph Yarbrough stating his support of the park and his support of the bill presented to Congress to establish the park.

The papers also contain the legal documents which were filed against Adina de Zavala in the Daughters of the Republic of Texas controversy concerning the split in the leadership of that organization. The papers charge Adina de Zavala with being the "leading spirit" in the turmoil of the leadership rift.

Adina de Zavala was born on November 28, 1861, on her grandfather’s estate at Zavala Point on Buffalo Bayou. She was a bright child and learned to read at an early age; her favorite reading material being history, especially books about Texas. She attended school at Sam Houston Normal Institute, earning a teaching certificate. In 1884, she began teaching and retired in 1907 to make more time to devote to her preservation work. She lived in San Antonio most of her life and served her community and state in countless ways. Adina de Zavala was the founder of historic societies, one being the Texas Historical and Landmarks Association, which was responsible for the preservation of several historic sites in San Antonio. She served on countless committees and boards and received numerous honors and awards in recognition of her contributions to keeping the past alive for us today. She died on March 1, 1955. After concluding the processing of this collection, Diana Mays, the archival intern who completed the task, responded, "Having never married or raised a family, Adina de Zavala chose rather to reserve her passion for Texas and devote her energy to keeping the memory of its heroes alive."

For more information about the papers, please contact Shirley Rodnitzky at (817) 272-3393 (phone), (817) 272-3360 (fax), or <rodnitzky@uta.edu>.

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