Beautification Department
NATIONAL BOARD OF MANAGERS Mrs. F. W. Sorcll, National Director 139 E. Hulsaclie St., Snn Antonio, Texas Mrs. Alex L. Adauis. Assistant National Director
Mrs. L. YV. Evans, Secretary	Mrs. J. L. Browne, Treasurer
Mrs. .! T. Smith Mrs. II. A. Moos Mrs. Ileliry Drought STATE DI It ECTO KS Mrs. B. II. Armstrong,	Mrs. T. W. Lanier.
Box 1002,	1403 Montana St..
St. Augustine, Florida.	El Paso, Texas.
Miss Esther Banning.	Mrs. Herbert Yeo,
Itoherlsdale, Alabama.	Las Cruces, N. M.
Mrs. E. Clinton Murray.	Mrs. F. M. White,
4217 Montrose Avc.,	200 I’pas Street,
IImistoii, Texas.	San Diego. Calif.
Developing the Plans
The beautification work along the Old Spanish Trail was organized by southern women at New Orleans in lb--* at ilie Old Spanish Trail convention. This was the first organized movement in a national way for roadside protection and beautification. At this gathering the women emphasized the principle that while the men would build the roads the women should lead in developing their beauties and attractions. Since then long trips over the Old Spanish Trail have been made by groups of these women, individual members of the Hoard have made trips thru many states and thru Europe studying conditions in the interest of this work.
The Headquarters Section
Mrs. A. C. Seiser, Chairman.
One of the first practical steps was to adopt the .‘50-mi. road from San Antonio to Boerne, Texas, as a special Headquarters Section. The women recognized this would give them practical experience and qualify them hotter for leadership to the other localities. The Headquarters Section is scenieally capable of beautiful development but it bad the usual collection of advertising signs and crude roadside buildings; in places the road was too narrow, some curves were sharp and other conditions were unfavorable to nice development. The first necessary step was a wider right-of-way. All agreed one hundred feet was the minimum to be secured and experience sustains this conclusion.
Widening the right-of-way to 100 ft. has now been in progress for three years and has cost the combined effort of the women and the San Antonio civic organizations. Fences are being put back and the State is following along with improvements. Property owners are slow giving the needed right-of-way and this emphasizes tlie importance of getting a proper right-of-way before property improvements become too settled.
The Bexar-Kendnll county gateway, costing $1000. has been constructed of native stone columns and buttresses according to an architect's design. The roml clearance between the columns Is 10 ft. Where possible the State Highway Department prefers HO ft. to (50 ft. The other counties thru West Texas are planning similar stone gateways at their county lines.
A rugged, shaded tract on the Balcones Creek was donated for n wayside park; this is being improved with
stone fences and entrances, stone tables and seats, fire places, resting places and a stone caretaker’s house. The Kiwanis Club, the Bexar County Medical Auxiliary and numerous San Antonio and Boerne citizens have cooperated to provide funds and materials for this work. Other beautiful spots along the Old Spanish Trail are offered for wayside parks. The experience with this park work will aid the planning of other parks.
The Lessons Learned
The headquarters section has helped educate the women to the problems involved. Frequently a paved road on this Old Spanish Trail has been completed and a narrow right-of-way has thrown the ditches close to the paving leaving little margin for safety to travel, no provision for widening the roadbed as travel increases, and scant provision for tree planting or roadside ornamentation.
The Beautification Program
Bulletins, architects’ drawings, photos of completed works, and other helps are now available.
1—	The most attractive and efficient route marking in the United States is being installed by the route marking department; the beautification department coordinates with this. Blue prints and bulletins are ready and the work is in progress. Localities may now go ahead with some of this work.
2—	Signing of the historical, interesting and scenic places. A design of old Spanish types with the rich Spanish colors has been adopted.
3—	County Line gateways. Architect’s plans for stone or concrete columns and gateways will be mailed on request. A stone gateway lias been erected at the Bexnr-Kendall County line on the Headquarters Section. West Texas counties will place columns or gateways of native stone.
*1—State Line gateways.
5—Wayside parks. On the headquarters section such a .l)ai’k has been donated, a stone caretaker’s house is being erected, also stone tables, benches and fences. This j* not an auto camp hut a wayside park with a caretaker, rp donations have been offered along the Old Spanish i rail, it is somewhat expensive preparing such a park but cooperation on this park has been cordial. The caretaker will have a home and should sell enough for his *v,ng, therefore he no expense.
^—Improved city and town entrances. This will be ,l,Uc,i finer Mian the billboards and crude advertising signs a long the highway to advertise the town or city.
" Improved property entrances and fences. Individual Property owners are responding to this suggestion nicely, hotos of improved entrances will be mailed.
01110Val	advertising signs. Tlie highway depart-
nee*ji arp^ Proceeding with this splendidly. New laws are This department has laws for submission to
,v*isjntures.
Pres ^ hinting of trees and shrubs where desirable, and ii, ’®PVIug scenery where no planting is needed. Provid-o,,Voting landscape artists and horticulturists to help 0n ..l,e this phase of the work. Where cattle are allowed btk on .rond stock laws must be passed; localities should v Hits matter up at once.
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