Please note: High-resolution images of 2019 additions are available online
here. If used, please credit courtesy of Galveston Historical Foundation.
Galveston Island, Texas, July 22, 2019 – Every year, Galveston Historical
Foundation compiles a list of historic sites in Galveston County
that are at risk of being lost. The purpose of the list is to highlight
the area’s endangered resources, garner public support, and assist
property owners in preserving the sites. To create the list, GHF asks
members of the community as well as visitors to help by nominating
sites that are important to the heritage of our cities within the county
of Galveston at risk of being lost. A full list of all locations is available
at http://www.galvestonhistory.org/atrisk/.
“Our list of endangered properties is a reminder that there are
many challenges to historic preservation as well as opportunities,”
explains Dwayne Jones, Galveston Historical Foundation’s Executive
Director. “We hope that this list makes residents and visitors
aware of our great history and architecture while bringing attention
to those properties that we think are ‘just holding on.’”
The Heritage at Risk List is not limited to just buildings but includes
landscapes, sites, objects, and monuments that compose
the cultural landscape of Galveston County. There are three primary
criteria for consideration on the list:
Listed properties or resources should be locally, regionally, or nationally
significant.
● Resources must have an identifiable threat to their preservation,
such as proposed demolition, critical damage, or significant
deterioration.
● The preservation of the site will contribute to the promotion of
Galveston County’s heritage.
2019 ADDITIONS
Corner Building
● c1870 Emilia Gengler House, 2102 Sealy Noted in the Galveston
Architecture Guidebook for exemplifying a phenomenon that was common in 19th-and early-20th century Galveston of increasing the height of a
house by adding a new floor beneath the existing house. The 1871 Bird’s –Eye View map of Galveston depicts the building as a two-story house
with front verandahs and a low hipped roof.
● 1913 Mrs. George Smith Boarding House, 1103 Tremont
This three-story, 25-room house was built for use as a boarding house by Mr. and Mrs. George Smith. When completed, the Galveston Daily News noted the house contained ice water faucets on each floor, electric call bells and “speaking” tubes. In 1996, a previous owner abandoned rehabilitation efforts. The current owner purchased the house in 2007.
Critical
● 1872 Bolivar Point Lighthouse
The 145-year-old lighthouse is currently in a severe state of deterioration and in need of considerable restoration. Extensive loss of original material necessitates complete removal and reconstruction of the upper portions including the watch and lantern rooms as well as the cupola. Work will require reconstruction of masonry walls and re-casting of iron elements. A condition assessment report completed in 2018 notes the lighthouse is in dire need of repairs, estimated at $2.5 million. Almost half of the cost is to remove the domed cupola and fabricating a replacement.
Unprotected
● Built 1868 / Rebuilt 1903 Joseph Franklin House, 3314 Avenue K
The Galveston Architecture Guidebook recognized this Southern townhouse for the double-height fluted Doric columns and major openings framed with shouldered architraves. It was built by Joseph Franklin, a prominent lawyer, and land agent and originally located on the corner of the block facing 33rd Street. In 1903, it was reoriented on the block to face Avenue K and rebuilt.
● 2814 Avenue L Built 1880
This five-bay house is representative of a typical working-class cottage. The original paneled door surrounded by sidelights and transom is intact as are the building’s six-over-six windows. Missing windows and broken panes leave the house exposed to the elements. The current owner, who also owns 1103 Tremont, acquired the house in 1998. It is currently vacant.
● 2813-2815 Avenue K, Rear Built 1889 (eastern house) and c1919 (western house)
These two surviving alley houses are the only surviving buildings on the lot. The front house, described as “old” on the 1919 insurance certificate, was recently demolished. Both alley houses appear to have been unoccupied for years, and the front part of the lot is overgrown and strewn with trash. The alley houses should be preserved as a once common building type that could also increase the city’s housing stock.
About Galveston Historical Foundation
Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) was formed as the Galveston Historical Society in 1871 and merged with a new organization formed in 1954 as a non-profit entity devoted to historic preservation and history in Galveston County. Over the last sixty years, GHF has expanded its mission to encompass community redevelopment, historic preservation advocacy, maritime preservation, coastal resiliency and stewardship of historic properties. GHF embraces a broader vision of history and architecture that encompasses advancements in environmental and natural sciences and their intersection with historic buildings and coastal life and conceives of history as an engaging story of individual lives and experiences on Galveston Island from the 19th century to the present day.
For more information, please contact Will Wright, Chief Creative Officer at 409-765-3424 or will.wright@galvestonhistory.org.
