As part of the yearlong 150th Anniversary celebration, Trinity University is partnering with the Monte Vista Historical Association (MVHA) for its 2019 Home Tour on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The MVHA Home Tour is a biennial event that features residences in the historic Monte Vista area. Tickets are required and can be purchased on the Monte Vista Historical Association website.
“Trinity is pleased to partner with the Monte Vista Historical Association in this year’s Home Tour,” says Trinity President Danny Anderson. “Like our Monte Vista neighbors, Trinity University is heir to a dynamic past and steward of a promising future. We not only share a neighborhood, we have a shared history.”
Trinity maintains a number of residential properties along Oakmont Court in Monte Vista, which serve as residences for senior University administrators, including the University president. These residences also serve as iconic venues for hosting students, faculty, alumni, and members of the San Antonio community.
The tour includes:
- 130 Oakmont Court — This two-story colonial stucco features a decorative cornice and recessed front entrance. Distinctive features include a curved walnut staircase and walnut paneling. The residence was built in 1928.
- 138 Oakmont Court — An Italian revival in native stone, this house was built in 1929. The house contains decorative fired clay and concrete tile floors with elaborately carved crown molding along the ceilings.
- 139 Oakmont Court — This mid-century modern brick and glass residence was designed by renowned San Antonio architect O’Neil Ford. It was built in 1950 for then-San Antonio Mayor Sam Bell Steves. The residence features a modern and flexible floor plan that allows for frequent entertaining. French doors open onto spacious patios and porches to give more space for entertaining large groups. After Steves’ term of office ended, Trinity acquired the home, and it became the primary residence for then-Trinity President James Laurie and his wife, Dorothy.
- 150 Oakmont Court — A Spanish revival with interior courtyard and fountain, this house was built in 1929. Trinity purchased it in 1970, and since then it has served as the primary residence for Trinity University’s presidents and their families. Distinctive interior features include several examples of decorative concrete and ceramic tiles, notably in the entryway, first-floor study, dining room, and courtyard, and on the staircase.
- Margarite B. Parker Chapel — Arguably one of O’Neil Ford’s most famous designs, Parker Chapel is distinguished by its soaring interior arches, stained glass windows, and wood-carved doors and details by Lynn Ford, his brother. Italian Romanesque in spirit, with sheer brick walls and an overhanging copper roof, Parker Chapel was dedicated in 1966 and is located at the center of campus, adjacent to Murchison Memorial Tower.
Trinity’s 125-acre campus is located immediately east of the Monte Vista Historic District and was built on the site of an abandoned quarry. The campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a designation that honors the architectural work of renowned San Antonio architect O’Neil Ford, who designed most of the University’s mid-century modern buildings.
This is the Monte Vista Historical Association’s 25th biennial Home Tour. Amanda Holmes, MVHA Home Tour co-chair, says Monte Vista is pleased to collaborate with Trinity University in “our efforts toward preserving our collective story.” “This is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the exceptional architecture and history of this neighborhood and to experience history up close and in person. We congratulate Trinity University on its 150th Anniversary.”
Tickets for the 2019 Home Tour are $30 in advance and $35 on the day of the event. For more information visit Monte Vista Historical Association website.
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