Laguna Gloria

Mel and I visited the "Laguna Gloria" on Tuesday, June 9, 2009.
(last week - yes, I know I'm late posting it!!).


"Laguna Gloria" is the former home of Clara Driscoll and site of a 1916 Italianate-style villa on the shores of Lake Austin in Austin, Texas. It was the original home of the Austin Museum of Art and still houses some of its collections. Today it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Before the influx of white settlers, Native Americans visited the site for its nearby spring (today underwater). The land that includes the property was originally owned by Stephen F. Austin, who in 1832 (seven years before Austin was founded) wrote that he wished to build a home there. This never came to pass.

In 1914 the property was purchased by Hal Sevier, editor of the Austin American, with his new wife Clara Driscoll. They completed their villa two years later, inspired by a honeymoon visit to Lake Como in Italy. Clara, an avid gardener, spent many years planting native and foreign plants around the site and designing the terraced gardens that remain to this day. In 1943 Driscoll donated the homesite to be used as a city museum.

In 1961, the site was converted to the Laguna Gloria Art Museum and became an important part of the Austin arts scene. Soon after, the museum began offering art classes, and in 1983, a 5,300-square-foot (490 m2) facility was built specifically for the growing art school.
In 1992, the institution changed its name to the Austin Museum of Art, and four years later, moved its primary exhibition space to 823 Congress Avenue, in the heart of downtown Austin. Laguna Gloria remained the site of The Art School, and in 2003, the Driscoll Villa was renovated and again became an exhibition space, focusing on local and regional artists.

The site is immediately adjacent to Mayfield Park, also on the National Register of Historic Places.

-pamphlet-

Tuesday was my one day off last week so Mel wanted to do something FUN! with me. So, she researched what art museums were nearby. Mel decided "Laguna Gloria" wasn't too far away and that we could make a short day-trip of it.

Fountain at the entrance of the "Laguna Gloria"

*It's of a little boy holding a fish*

(TOO CUTE!!)

A Native American statuary.
I can't remember the name...pretty though.



There were a few pieces of art inside the house...

* And also some photographs of how the house looked during the time Ms. Driscoll occupied it. (really neat!!)

This is the FRONT of the house .

(the "Entrance" to the museum is actually the back of the house!!)

The Front of the house over-looks Lake Austin!!


A fountain in the front of the house

Me standing in-front of the view from the House - Lake Austin is behind me.

There are stairs leading down to trails that circle the lake...

Lake Austin...view from the house.

Some of the statuary on the side of the house...

pretty flowers

Little critters...

This little guy was sooooo cute!! He got sooo close to me

(I think he wanted treats!)

The Love Temple, Ms. Driscoll had it made for her and her husband...

Me: we're right near the lake...there was a pier to the right of me - a guy had just caught a fish!!!

Mel and I had a really good time. It was really hot though...definitely should go when it's cooler out!! LOL.

Once we were done exploring - we went home, had smoothies, then hit the pool!! We try to stay cool in our family!!!