Miraflores Park - San Antonio, TX
Posted by: WalksfarTX
N 29° 27.935 W 098° 28.046
14R E 551637 N 3259688
Miraflores Park in San Antonio, Texas, is the only extant portion of a private park built in the 1920s for Dr. Aureliano
Urrutia.
Waymark Code: WM11YG3
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 01/11/2020
Views: 3
NRHP Registration Form" The 4.5 acre site features a collection of about 30 sculptures - including many by Dionicio Rodriguez - in an urban, park-like setting. Other garden features include tile-covered benches, pedestals and Mexican sculptures. Many
pieces are in need of restoration but the Rodriguez work is, for the most part, in good condition.
Dr. Aureliano Urrutia was one of many Mexican citizens that left Mexico during the revolution of 1910. He was a
successful surgeon in Mexico, where he had built a large clinic, and had many followers, both patients and students. A
portion of his garden, Miraflores, is a tangible reminder of this man who became an outstanding citizen and member of
the medical community in San Antonio. He performed many difficult surgeries, including the separation of Siamese twins.
In recognition of this and other operations, he was elected to the American College of Surgeons.
It is believed that Rodriguez's projects for Dr. Urrutia's garden were the artisan's first work after he arrived in San Antonio. Several of the pieces, including the non-extant fountain, the palapa roofed bench, the "hollow tree" shelter, and the "fallen tree" bench were precursors of later work that were repeated at several sites throughout the United States. Approximately 4.5 acres of the original garden remain at 800 Hildebrand Avenue and the property belongs to the
University of the Incarnate Word."