JOHN N. GARNER HOUSE - UVALDE by mtncorg
Almost ninety miles west of San Antonio is the modest town of Uvalde. This was where John Nance 'Cactus Jack' Garner hailed from. Garner enjoyed a long and memorable political career entering the US House of Representatives in 1902. He had moved to Uvalde in 1893, serving as a county judge and State legislator where he introduced bills to divide Texas into five separate States - in order to counter New England congressional strength - and to change the State flower - the bluebonnet - with the cactus. Both bills were defeated, but Garner did gain a nickname for his efforts. Eventually, Garner became the Speaker of the House and was a formidable opponent for the Democratic choice for President in 1932. When he stepped aside for Franklin Roosevelt, FDR made Garner his Vice Presidential candidate. After their election, Garner used his intimate congressional knowledge to become the most powerful vice president in history - Dick Cheney could only so aspire - and the second most powerful American politician during the 1930's. After two terms as Vice President, Garner broke with FDR over FDR's decision to run for a third term in 1940. Garner then retired to this house that his wife, Ettie, had been the original stimulus for. Ettie - who had long served her husband as his personal secretary and advisor - died in 1948 and Garner gave the house to the town to serve as its library while he moved to a little white house in the back. That house was demolished after his death in 1967, but the main house has become a museum dedicated to the life of one of the true godfathers of Texan politics. The museum is administered by the University of Texas at Austin. Open Tuesday-Saturday 9 am to 5 pm. Located on Park Street which is a residential street away from the two main highways which run through Uvalde. The house is north of the main east-west highway, US 90, on which their are directional signs to look for. It is west of the main north-south highway, US 83 - Getty Street - on which there were no directional signs because of ongoing construction at the time of my visit.
333 N. Park St. Uvalde, TX 78801
