Bishop’s Palace Exterior: The exterior of the Bishop’s Palace seen from the front of the house reveals the size and ornate details of this magnificent castle. The house was built for Walter Gresham and family between 1887 and 1892. The house was sold to the Galveston-Houston Archdiocese in 1923 for Bishop Christopher Byrne hence the name Bishop’s Palace. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Stairs: After entering the front door of Bishop’s Palace one takes a few steps into the octagonal rotunda where the 40 foot tall mahogany stairway was the focus of the room. Rare woods were used throughout the interior and included detailed carvings in this and every room in the house. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos
Galveston, Texas is a city rich with history and a storied past. Founded in the early 1800s, the city had the largest sea port in Texas and one of the busiest ports in the country. By the end of the nineteenth century Galveston was a boom town that attracted trade from around the world and was a major immigration port for European immigrants, especially German immigrants.
Growth during the 1800s brought prosperity to the island city. Bridges were built allowing the railroad to become a major component in the city’s trade and shipping industry. By the late 1800s, Galveston was one of the wealthiest cities in the country based on per capita income.
A devastating hurricane in September 1900 brought Galveston to its knees and the city never regained the status it held prior to the storm. More than 8,000 people perished and thousands of structures were destroyed.
It was in the 1880s that businessman and railroad magnate Walter Gresham wanted to build a for his wife Josephine and their nine children. Gresham hired Galveston architect Nicholas Clayton to design the house which would become an architectural landmark in the city.
The house was built between 1887 and 1892 and became known as the Gresham Castle. The 19,000 square foot Victorian house was built of stone and steel to withstand any storms that may hit the island. Ornate architectural details were included both on the exterior and interior of the house. The interior contained rare woods from throughout the world as well as marble and other exquisite materials from across the globe.
The castle is three stories on a raised basement and contained 52 rooms. The 14 foot ceilings created more space throughout the house. A first floor entrance featured Sienna marble columns leading to a rotunda which included a 40 foot tall octagonal stairwell with stained glass panels on one side of the stairwell. The room also contained other rare woods which were sculptured and carved with minute details and craftsmanship.
After the hurricane in 1900, the Gresham’s opened their home to many who lost everything in the storm. The castle became a storm shelter for many. The Gresham Castle suffered almost no damage from the hurricane due to the massive construction and materials used when the house was built.
The Gresham’s lived in the luxurious castle for years until Walter Grisham’s death in 1920. It was after his death that Josephine moved to the Washington, D.C. area and the castle was sold.
The Galveston-Houston Archdiocese purchased the home in 1923 for Bishop Christopher Byrne. The house stood across the street from the Sacred Heart Church. It was after this sale that the house became known as Bishop’s Palace.
While some changes were made to the interior of the house, it remains much as it stood when the Gresham’s resided in the castle. The one major change made was the conversion of one of the second floor bedrooms into a chapel.
The interior furnishings today are not as elaborate as the furnishings that the Gresham’s used in the mansion but some of the furnishings that remain were from the Gresham family.
Bishop Byrne lived in the palace until his death in 1950. The Archdiocese was later moved to Houston and in 1963 the home was opened as a museum. It was in 1963 that the grand palace on Broadway was open to the public for the first time. It was managed by the Galveston Historical Foundation.
This magnificent mansion has received many accolades in recent years. The American Institute of Architects listed the Bishop’s Palace as one of the 100 outstanding buildings in the United States. It is also considered one of the most significant Victorian style houses in the country. The house is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Galveston Historical Foundation owns the Bishop’s Palace today. Self-guided tours are available daily and a portion of every ticket is designated for continued preservation of this architectural masterpiece. The Basement to Attic Tour is a guided tour which takes visitors into some areas of the palace that are not included in the self-guided tours. These tours are only offered on Saturday and was not available on the day that we visited.
If visiting Galveston I would highly recommend a visit and tour of the Bishop’s Palace. This is the most well-known building in Galveston and the tour gives visitors a glimpse of what life in the castle was like over 100 years ago.
Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.
Music Room: The music room in Bishop’s Palace is shown with a portion of the grand piano seen on the right in the photo and the ornate fireplace in the center of the room. The fireplace in this room was from the New Orleans World’s Fair of 1886 and is made of Mexican onyx. The wood in the music room is white mahogany. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Solarium: The solarium at Bishop’s Palace is a sun drenched in sunlight making it feel like being outdoors. The white wicker furnishings blend into the room which is lined with full length windows. Through the windows one can see the Sacred Heart Church. Bishop Christopher Byrne lived in the palace after the Archdiocese purchased the property in 1923. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
View From Stairway: A view from the landing on the circular stairway looking toward the front entrance to the Bishop’s Palace. Seen in the entry walkway are Sienna marble columns. Also evident are some of the elaborate carvings seen throughout the mansion. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Bishop’s Palace Side Exterior: A view of the side of Bishop’s Palace reveals the exterior of the solarium on the first floor. The palace is surrounded by gardens and many large trees. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com