1402 E. Cesar Chavez St.

The house was built around 1877 for Bryant O. Stavely and Cecilia Stavely, with additions and renovations around 1897. It is an example of regional cut limestone and cedar construction blended with Victorian architecture. The design recalls the middle-class affluence of turn-of-the-century Austin. The home boasts a double gallery, a carved wooden staircase in the central hallway and a ghost named Clara. Clara supposedly has appeared as a silhouette peering out the front windows in photos of the home. In 1972, Joel V. Quintanilla purchased the home with the intention of restoring it to its original luster. In 1978, a non-profit bought the house hoping to raise $50,000 to begin restoration of the home. On October 5th, 1984, the home was named in memory of Joel V. Quintanilla, a former Capitol guard who risked his life in an attempt to save a guest in the Capitol during the fire that occurred on March 15, 1983. He received a commendation for heroism for the courage he displayed.