Rena Maverick Green facts for kids

Rena Maverick Green (February 10, 1874 – November 29, 1962) was an amazing woman who helped save many important historical places in San Antonio, Texas. She was an artist, and she worked hard to get women the right to vote. Rena also helped start the San Antonio Conservation Society.

She was one of the first women to be on the San Antonio School Board. She also served on the board for the San Antonio Public Library. Rena was a big supporter of keeping San Antonio's history alive. This included places like the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and many city parks. She also helped protect the Spanish Governor's Palace and the famous San Antonio River Walk. Rena was the granddaughter of a person who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. Her husband was a state Senator in Texas.

Rena's Early Life and Family

Rena Maverick Green was born Mary Rowena Maverick on February 10, 1874. She was born in Sedalia, Missouri. Everyone called her Rena her whole life. Her parents were George Madison Maverick and Mary Elizabeth Vance Maverick.

Rena had five brothers and sisters:

• Lola Maverick Lloyd, who worked for peace and women's voting rights
• George Vance Maverick
• Lucy Madison Maverick, who was also an artist and worked to protect nature
• Augusta Lewis Maverick
• Lewis Adams Maverick, who was an educator

Rena went to private schools like Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School. She also studied at Stuart Hall School in Staunton, Virginia.

Her Grandparents' Legacy

Rena's grandparents were Samuel A. Maverick and Mary Maverick. Samuel signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. Mary kept a diary about her life as a pioneer. They had lived in San Antonio since 1838. In 1896, Rena's family moved to San Antonio.

Marriage and Family Life

In 1897, Rena married Robert Berrien Green. He was a judge and later became a state Senator in Texas. They had four children together. Sadly, Robert passed away in 1907, and Rena became a widow. She never married again.

Rena as an Editor and Writer

Rena was also a talented editor and publisher. In 1921, she edited and published the Memoirs of Mary A. Maverick. This book was based on her grandmother's diaries.

She also worked on other important books, including:

• The Swisher Memoirs
• Mavericks
• Samuel Maverick: Texan
• Robert B. Green: A Personal Reminiscence

Working for Her Community

Rena was very active in her community. She joined many groups that worked to make San Antonio better.

Helping Women Get the Vote

Rena was a strong supporter of women's rights. She worked with the National Women's Party of Texas (NWPT). They fought for the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. This amendment gave women the right to vote in the United States. In 1926, she was chosen to lead the NWPT in Texas.

Serving on Boards

Rena was one of the first women to serve on the San Antonio School Board. This was a big step for women in leadership roles. She also served on the board of trustees for the San Antonio Public Library.

Saving San Antonio's History

Rena Green was passionate about art. She created sculptures, paintings, and watercolors. She won awards for her art, including first prize for watercolor in the Southern Artists Show. She also won first prize in the Texas Small Sculpture Contest.

Starting the San Antonio Conservation Society

In 1924, Rena met another artist named Emily Edwards. They both felt strongly about protecting old buildings. They were upset when a house was going to be torn down for a new river path. Because of this, they decided to start the San Antonio Conservation Society (SACS). This group's goal was to save San Antonio's historic places. Emily Edwards was the first president of SACS. Rena Green served as president from 1933 to 1935.

Protecting Famous Landmarks

In 1929, Rena was put in charge of a city committee. Their job was to restore the Spanish Governor's Palace. This is a very old and important building in San Antonio.

Later, there was a plan to drain and cover parts of the San Antonio River. This area is now known as the San Antonio River Walk. Rena and SACS worked with other groups to stop this plan. They succeeded, and the beautiful River Walk was saved!

Saving the Missions

Rena was a champion for saving the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. She believed that protecting the missions also meant protecting the land around them. She suggested creating a huge park to keep the missions safe.

She worked with the State Parks Board and Governor Pat Neff to show them how important the missions were. She even got advice from a famous conservationist, Charles Fletcher Lummis. SACS bought the granary at Mission San José (Texas). They worked with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to restore it. Rena even had WPA workers carefully dig through the soil to find old artifacts. At Mission San Juan Capistrano (Texas), workers found a 7-foot skeleton!

SACS also bought a gravel pit next to Mission San José. The WPA turned it into an outdoor theater. SACS gave this land to the State Parks Board in 1940.

Saving City Parks

Rena was also a key person in saving many city parks. In 1946, she led SACS in a successful effort to save San Pedro Springs Park. This park was almost turned into a college campus.

Mahncke Park was also saved by Rena and SACS. It was almost redeveloped into an office building. In 1953, when she was 79 years old, Rena helped lead a campaign to save Travis Park. There was a plan to build an underground parking lot beneath it. This park was special because her grandfather, Samuel Augustus Maverick, had given the land to the city.

Later Life and Legacy

Rena Maverick Green lived a long life dedicated to her community. She passed away on November 29, 1962, at the age of 88. She outlived her husband by 55 years. Rena's work helped preserve many of San Antonio's most important historical sites and green spaces for future generations to enjoy.