Gazebo for Alber Steves

The Albert Steves Gazebo is nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in the area of Art, as an outstanding example of the work of noted sculptor Dionicio Rodriguez. Although the estate itself may be eligible, it has not yet been evaluated due to the specific focus of this multiple-property submission (Sculpture of Dionicio Rodriguez).

Albert Steves was the son of German immigrants who settled in Comfort before moving to San Antonio, where they established a lumber business and became one of the city's leading families. In addition to working in the family business, Steves served as "...president of two railroads in Mexico, president of a Mexican mining company, vice-president of the City National Bank, and as a director of the Alamo National Bank." He was also a member of many civic, fraternal, social, and political groups (Steinfeldt, 1978: 12, 13).

Steves wanted a summer home near his birthplace, and he bought land high on a hill near the Guadalupe River near Comfort. There he built a large house that he named, "Aleswana," a combination of the names of his four children. Steves commissioned Dionicio Rodriguez to build a "palapa" roofed "tree" branch gazebo and four benches for the large grounds. A family member, Margaret Lateer, remembers that the gazebo was built before 1931, was once used as an aviary, and that Mr. Steves stored his wine behind a small "rock" door underneath the sculpture (Lateer to Light). Although there is no signature, the technique is unmistakably Rodriguez's with his application of "wormholes," "peeling bark texture," "lichen," and imitation "bark" of pecan, cypress, pecan, peach, hackberry, and oak trees. The round structure is 18 feet tall and is situated on a hillside high above the Guadalupe River. The property is now the Haven River Inn and the present owners relate that it is a popular site for weddings. The gazebo is strikingly similar to the Marmion Gazebo (Sweeny, Brazoria County) and to one seen in a photograph of the Phelan mansion (Beaumont, Jefferson County).

It is an interesting parallel that he and Marmion both commissioned Rodriguez to build similar gazebos for their vacation homes at approximately the same time. The construction and measurements of the two gazebos are comparable and are exceptional examples of Rodriguez's artistry. The Steves' gazebo and three concrete benches are situated near the house and have a view of the river. The property, on FM 473, belongs to Johnnie Merchant and Diane White and is operated as Haven River Inn, a bed and breakfast.