At the entrance to the Japanese Tea Garden in Brackenridge Park, a dramatic stone gateway welcomes visitors—a collaboration between Dionicio Rodríguez and Maximo Cortés, completed in 1942. Crafted in Rodríguez’s signature faux bois style, the gateway has been described as one of his most exuberant works, with concrete sculpted to resemble wood in sweeping, naturalistic forms. Along the arch, the inscription reads “Entrance to Chinese Tea Garden”—a reflection of the complex wartime history, when the name of the garden was changed during World War II. Today, the gateway stands as both a striking example of Rodríguez’s artistry and a window into a layered past.
