February 16, 2019. Today we visited Quinta Mazatlan, one of the largest remaining adobe homes built in the state of Texas. The mansion was built in 1935 by Jason and Marcia Matthews. The estate consists of the Cottage, Hootch, and MainHouse. They were all built of adobe bricks, formed and dried (cured) near the McAllen airport. Most of the construction was done by Mexican brick layers and Mr. Mathews. The Cottage and Hootch were built first and contained 3,325 sq.ft of living area. The Hootch was Mr. Matthews’ hide-away. When he needed solitude, he would shimmy up a rope ladder and pull the ladder up with him 😄. The Main House which has 6,739 sq.ft. of living area was built last. The Mathews lived there for 30 years.
There are several legends associated with the house. One is that aluminum zinc sulfate paint was added inside and outside to prevent radar waves from penetrating the walls (weird!). Also, the back corridor of the house is called Cedar Hall.  Legend has it that the beams are made of Lebanese cedar. These beams were supposedly a gift from the King of  Lebanon to Mr. Matthews who fought alongside of Lawrence of Arabia in the War of Independence from the Turks.
Another interesting feature of the estate was the 1,450 sq.ft. Greenhouse. This was the headquarters for many of Mr. Matthews’ agricultural research and experiments, including the study of hydroponics. The U.S. Army used his highly effective hydroponic mixture to grow produce for the soldiers during WWII!  He was way ahead of his time!  I really love all the historical legends and facts of these old houses!
After the Matthews passed away, the estate was purchased for $24,000 by socialite and citrus mogul, Frank and Marilyn Schultz, in 1965. In 1985 the State of Texas awarded Quinta Mazatlan a Historical Marker for being a designated place of heritage. The Schultzes spent a year restoring the estate and lived there until Mrs. Schultz death in 1991. Mr. Schultz then put the property up for public auction. The city of  McAllen purchased the estate for $1.4 million.
Quinta Mazatlan is now a McAllen wing  of the World Birding Center, with nature trails, and a new children’ Discovery Center, birds, tropical and native trees, flowers, and plants. It is considered an urban sanctuary whose mission is to “connect people  to the history, beauty, and wonder of our natural world.