Seguin Gazette: Area resident to nurse historic home into educational events center

Seguin, TX - Nurses are usually known for preserving lives, but a McQueeney nurse is interested in preserving a piece of Guadalupe County history and sharing it with others.

Teata Scott recently bought the Claiborne West Historic Home, including about 4.5 acres of land, out US Highway 90 Alternate in the county. On Monday, Scott showed the property to members of the Guadalupe County Historical Commission and their guests, and detailed extensive plans for what she envisions at the historic site once owned by George C. Kimble, who died at the Battle of the Alamo.

“The future of this (place) is a living-history museum,” Scott said. “We want people to come out and see Texas in about 1825 to about 1900. ... We want for kids to come out and feel what it was like to be a kid on the (range).”

With about half a dozen members of the historical commission and six others in tow, Scott gave a brief tour of the old log cabin nestled on the property. The cabin might have been built around 1825 and will be a part of the educational and events center envisioned for the property, Scott said.

The place was settled by Ira Nash — of the Tennessee Nash family that Nashville is named for — and his wife Prudence. Ira died and Prudence married Kimble, who lived on the property, Scott said her research has found.

Kimble left his wife and 2-year-old child to go fight for the country and, ultimately, be killed during the historic battle at the equally historic mission in San Antonio.

Prudence married again and eventually the property changed hands. Scott said she knew a little of the history last summer when she saw the property pop up on a real estate site. But then for some reason she no longer could see the listing until December. That’s when she sprung into action, Scott said.

“I called my Realtor and said ‘I want to see it today,’” she recalled. She bought the property Dec. 31 and began making plans for the events center.

Scott said she hopes to add themed, historic, interactive educational areas depicting things like Native American settlements and a Mexican Army encampment at the site.

She plans to add an area depicting an 1800s blacksmith’s shop and move two donated buildings onto the site to be used as classrooms and offices. More additions, restoration and maintenance all are in the plans, Scott said.

She hopes to have a more modern home that is already on the property renovated and turned into a bed and breakfast to generate income and help pay for the other attractions, Scott said.

“Hopefully we can get some grants to help pay for renovations and maintaining the property,” she said. “It’s going to take a community.”
So she brought in the historical commission, members of the community interested in history. Maybe they will help her keep the ball rolling, is Scott’s thinking.

The commission will see what it can do to help, Chairman Tom De Kunder said.

“We’d be able to help her with the history,” he said. “Certainly with applying for any markers that would designate it as a historical site. She certainly has a historical site.

“Our mission would be to assist her, advise her.” He and Jesse Roy Hart, a member of the Guadalupe County Historical Commission since about 1972, said the property holds tremendous historical value. The history behind it is remarkably interesting, they said.

A lot goes into making the property interesting, Hart said.

“It’s history. The history with this home and the different people who have lived here and that we still have it,” he said. “So many of the homes are gone. The structures. It’s just amazing that this one didn’t burn down.”

Deflor Remodeling is undertaking the remodeling and renovations at the property. They’ve been making the structures safe, fixing a leaky roof and more, said Deyanira Flores, who owns the company with her husband Guadalupe.

She hopes to continue working with Scott throughout the revitalization of the property, Deyanira said.

“We will be involved in the whole project if she gives me the opportunity to participate,” she said. “We’re very excited because it’s a part of history.”

Scott has no firm timelines in place but said she would hope to start having depictions and reenactments begin within the next few months. She plans to add more until her vision is complete.

Dalondo Moultrie is the assistant managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail him at dalono.moultrie@seguingazette.com
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