Bishop's Palace, Galveston

Bishop's Palace

The Bishop's Palace in Galveston
Location 1402 Broadway
Galveston, Texas, USA
Nearest city Galveston, Texas
Coordinates 29°18′11″N 94°46′56″W / 29.30306°N 94.78222°W / 29.30306; -94.78222Coordinates: 29°18′11″N 94°46′56″W / 29.30306°N 94.78222°W / 29.30306; -94.78222
Built 1887 to 1893
Architect Nicholas J. Clayton
NRHP Reference # 70000746
RTHL # 139
Significant dates
Added to NRHP August 25, 1970
Designated RTHL 1967
Bishop's Residence Galveston TX, (postcard c. 1900)

The Bishop's Palace, also known as Gresham's Castle, is an ornate 19,082 square feet (1,772.8 m2)[1] Victorian-style house, located on Broadway and 14th Street in the East End Historic District of Galveston, Texas.

History

The Gresham mansion was made all of stone, and was sturdy enough to withstand the great hurricane of 1900. The Greshams welcomed hundreds of survivors of the hurricane into their home.[2]

The house was built between 1887 and 1893 by Galveston architect Nicholas J. Clayton for lawyer and politician Walter Gresham, his wife Josephine, and their nine children. In 1923 the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galveston purchased the house, and, situated across the street from the Sacred Heart Church, it served as the residence for Bishop Christopher E. Byrne.[3] After the diocesan offices were moved to Houston, the diocese opened the mansion to the public in 1963, with proceeds from tours being used to help fund the Newman Center, operating in the basement, serving Catholic students at the nearby University of Texas Medical Branch.

The home is estimated to have cost $250,000 at the time ; today its value is estimated at over $5.5 million.

The house is owned by the Galveston Historical Foundation and self-guided tours are available daily. A portion of each admission supports the preservation and restoration of the property.

Layout

Bishop's Palace has four floors. The raised basement which once housed the kitchen and servant's areas now contains the store. This basement is followed by three formal floors.

First floor

Second floor

Third floor

Circa 1970

References

  1. West, Allyn (June 11, 2013). "UNLOADING GALVESTON'S BISHOP'S PALACE". Swamplot.com. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
  2. Teague, Wells (2000). Calling Texas Home: A Lively Look at What It Means to Be a Texan, p. 96. Wildcat Canyon Press.
  3. McComb, David G. (2002). Galveston: A History, p. 65. University of Texas Press.

External links

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