Thanks to my aunt, Mayme Rachuig Hause (SLHS '48), for sending me the following note about Teas Nursery. I'd forgotten they had a 'small farm' (as opposed to a retail center) in Sugar Land. The accompanying aerial from 1940 shows what she's describing:
Many of the resident of Sugar Land after World War II are not aware of Sugar Land's connection to the famous Teas Nursery of Bellaire, Texas. Before the war, the area bounded by Brooks St. Eastside and Guenther St. Southside was the area of Belknap Subdivision started sometime in 1950s and a few years before. This area was filled with the gorgeous roses of all species that Teas was famous for. My memory of the roses glistening in the sun as if nature had dusted them with millions of diamonds after their daily sprinkling. The mist swirling around from the tall sprinkling system and the aroma filling the air for blocks around is still as vivid to me today as when I grew up. This area with roses remained until after the war, and then at that time was platted for residences in the newly developing subdivision.
My mother built her home in 1950 in the new development and resided there until her death in 1979. Mother had a love of roses and flowers and it occurs to me if it could have been fostered as she passed by the nursery as she went to work in the Post Office and later bank.
The nursery in Sugar Land was not for retail, but was a place to develop and grow their stock; the retail store was in Bellaire on Bellaire Blvd. Research does not give information if any other area around Bellaire and Houston had another growing area for the nursery.
Teas Nursery was established in 1843 in Raysville, Indiana, and later moved to Missouri, and then in 1910 moved to Bellaire, Texas established just 2 years earlier in the southwest area of Houston. John C. Teas was the founder, and then later to his son, Edward, who ran the Bellaire establishment. After 100 years of operation in 2010, the nursery was sold to the Rubenstein family foundation and is now known as Evelyn’s Park. The old red brick home still stands as well as the Japanese Tea Room. Both are still visible from Bellaire Blvd behind the fenced area as of spring 2013.
Teas Nursery was responsible for the landscaping of early Houston areas, such as River Oaks, Rice University and other beautiful old homes of the early years .Many beautiful memories of the nursery in Sugar Land for us “old timers”, and certainly for me for “The Roses of Yesterdays.”
