Recently I traveled to the delightful island of Galveston located on the Gulf Coast of Texas. There I encountered The Historic Holiday Homes of Galveston.
The Historic Holiday Homes of Galveston
Every year the East End presents a holiday tour of homes. But this is not just any home tour as the island is home to several of the most significant architectural gems in the nation.
Galveston was once the wealthiest city in Texas. It has persevered over the Great Fire of 1885 and the Galveston Hurricane of 1900.
The town has six historic districts that contain one of the largest and historically significant collections of 19th-century homes and offices in the U.S. Numerous structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
We will begin with one of the most well known, Bishop’s Palace.
Bishop’s Palace
Bishop’s Palace is also known as the Josephine and Walter Gresham house. It was built between 1887 and 1893.
The stone mansion is an amazing 19,082 square feet and features four floors.
The house is owned by the Galveston Historical Foundation and self-guided tours are available each day. A portion of the proceeds supports the preservation and restoration of the property.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
In 1923 the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galveston had purchased the mansion. It sits directly across the street from Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
The church was originally established on June 21, 1884, by Rt. Rev. Bishop Nicholas A. Gallagher. It did not survive the hurricane. The church began reconstruction when a cornerstone was laid on June 21, 1903. The church was consecrated on January 17, 1904.
The current church was designed by architect Nicholas Clayton. It features octagonal towers, flying buttresses, elaborate ornamentation, and a variety of arches. The design reflects the influences of Byzantine, Gothic, Moorish, and Romanesque styles.
The East Egg Cottage
The William and Lena Juneman Smith cottage is one of the most recognizable homes in Galveston.
It received its nickname, the East Egg Cottage (which some also refer to as Easter Egg Cottage) due to the pastel fish scale details that accents the front of the home.
The raised, gabled-front cottage was built in 1892 in the Queen Anne style. The home is open, by appointment, for tours.
East Egg Cottage was one of three sister cottages that sit next to one another built by German architect and builder William Pautsch.
The cottages were built for Dorthea Juneman and her children.
Lovely Victorian Homes
The rest of the homes on the tour are all private homes. As such I have little to no information on the homes. Please enjoy the quiet beauty.
The cheerful owners appear to adore doxies. They must be awesome people.
I learned from a neighbor that the masterful gem shown above, with its haint blue ceilings, is owned by an interior designer. It shows. Even the gardens were lovely.
Strolling through the East End was indeed a botanical treat.
Consideration
You may notice that many of the houses are shown at an angle. I did this for privacy purposes. For the owners who were out gardening or decorating, I asked permission to photograph their homes. Every single one happily agreed and many came down from their porches for a nice Southern chat.
Merry and Bright
It appears I have an affinity for yellow. Many of the homes that caught my eye featured various hues of sunshine.
I will be back tomorrow with Victorian Holiday Fashions.
Laura
I had no idea that there were so many beautiful homes in Galveston!
What a wonderful holiday home tour. I especially like the East Egg Cottage.
Hi Laura! Oh, I loved seeing this. You know we lived in Galveston for almost 20 years and this Holiday Tour was one of my favorites! I’m thinking you were probably participating in Dickens on the Strand? What a great event. Any way, did you know the East End also has an Historic Home Tour , I think the first weekend in May and it’s wonderful! We attended these tours faithfully. I don’t know if you know, but four years ago we moved from Galveston to upstate New York to be near our grandbabies but after the brutal winters we just couldn’t take it any more and moved back to Texas. We settled in The Woodlands, north of Houston, instead of going back to Galveston. We just had to many hurricanes to worry about! Hope you’re doing well and Merry Christmas.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 🙂
Thank you for the beautiful tour! I could look at Victorian homes all day long!
Theyre all so beautiful. I love the bright colors with the white accents or the all white with the wonderful trim. VERY beautiful indeed!
We lived about an hour from Galveston for a while, but I think I only got down there once, and that was to the beach. I’d love to see these some time, especially the East Egg Cottage.
Wow! That sure was worth the trip. So many great structures to see! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the treat. Last time I was in Galveston, I was a young 24 year old looking for adventure and not appreciating the beautiful Victorian homes there. I’ve got something new to add to my bucket list. I think my favorite was the one with the beautiful stained glass door and the stained glass transom. Gorgeous. Thank you for sharing. Cindy
Just beautiful, Laura! The homes in Galveston certainly are beautiful in their Victorian antebellum styles ~ so colorful! <3 Happy to have seen them when we were there for Dickens.
Happily pinned a bunch,
Hugs and Christmas blessings,
Barb 🙂
Oh, my—I had no idea there were so many lovely 19th century homes in Galveston—I have certainly put this destination on my bucket list….Beautiful photos and information! Have a wonderful Holiday season!
I’ve so enjoyed seeing all these beautiful old homes decorated for Christmas! Thanks for sharing those xx
What gorgeous homes! I haven’t been to Galveston since I was a teen. I just visited Texas for the first time since living there, and loved it so much more. Galveston better go on my list for a grown up visit.
Hi Laura: what a great website…I just found it!! . I think I knew you years ago when we were in a Redesign Group here in Arizona. I am so impressed with what you’ve done.
Gorgeous homes!
From Cath in Australia.
What a beautiful array of architecture! They remind me of Charleston, South Carolina, another lovely coastal town. I spent the summer when I was 9 in Houston and we visited the Galveston beach every weekend. Wish I could visit now lol. I sure would visit these homes:) Thanks for the tour! And thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm. xo Kathleen