Galveston Historic Strand Buildings & Information

The information on this sign is given at the end of this post

Hutchings-Sealy Building (1896)

This is a good example of the Victorian iron-front commercial architecture in the Strand.

Kauffman & Runge Building (1882)

Stewart Title currently occupies this building. I think this is the most beautiful of the Strand historic buildings. It is an example of the 'modern High Victorian version of the Renaissance style'.

Marine Building (build date unknown)

Wells Fargo Financial Advisors currently occupies this elegant building.

Another example of Victorian era architecture

Grand Opera House (1894)

The Grand is one of the few remaining theatres of its era in Texas and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. As further recognition of its importance to the citizens of Texas, in 1993 the 73rd Texas Legislature proclaimed The Grand "The Official Opera House of Texas." Shows go on through the current repairs and renovations. The 2009-2010 Season Events include everything from the Oak Ridge Boys to Ballet Folklorico de Mexico to Smokey Robinson to Broadway shows.

The Strand Tourist Area

Antique shops, boutiques, restaurants, galleries and pubs. Everything a tourist could want. The Strand is widely considered the island's shopping and entertainment center. Today, "the Strand" is generally used to refer to the entire five-block business district between 20th and 25th streets in downtown Galveston, very close to the city's wharf.

Tremont House

The original Tremont House was built in 1839. Twice the hotel has been reborn. First, in 1872, following a raging fire that had swept through the Strand district in 1865 and once again, in 1985, forty-five years after the doors of the last Tremont were closed. The new Tremont House occupies the 1879 Leon & H. Blum Building, an architecturally lavish landmark that once housed the South's premiere wholesale dry goods concern. In the ivoried pages of the century-old Tremont register are names now legendary: General Sam Houston, Ulysses S. Grant, Clara Barton, Edwin Booth, Anna Pavlova, Buffalo Bill. From the earliest days of the original Tremont House the hotel's fortunate Galveston location and its undeniable cachet attracted a fascinating array of visitors from Texas, America and the World. Elegant Victorian ladies and gentlemen came to dance at grand balls: soldiers from three wars returned to homecoming banquets: Sam Houston delivered his last public speech; cotton merchants negotiated deals; Sioux Chiefs sampled southern meals; six Presidents came to call, and refugees of the storm of 1900 sought shelter all within the sturdy walls of The Tremont. The Tremont House is a Wyndham historic hotel. Note the Mardi Gras arch over the street in front of the Tremont.

American National Insurance Building

This is the headquarters building of American National Insurance Company (ANICO). Hurricane Ike's storm surge was over 8' in some areas of the Strand. The ANICO building only suffered water damage to its first floor and underground garage; however, there was severe damage to many nearby buildings.

Garten-Verein (1880)

The flamboyant octagonal Garten Verein (Garden Club) was the center of 19th-century refined social life in Galveston. Lit at night like a fairy lantern, dancing couples would swirl within as German waitresses served beer steins and sandwiches. Built by Galveston's prosperous German community — but open to anyone who could afford the modest membership — the whimsically designed Victorian pavilion flew the flags of all nations, and sported a bowling green, exotically landscaped park, croquet grounds, an ornate fountain, and even a genteel zoo. Galveston businessman Stanley Kempner bought the site in 1923 and donated it to the city as a public park dedicated to his parents. Today Kempner park is a favorite of joggers and people who enjoy a walk through a beautiful park.

Hotel Galvez (1911)

Hotel Galvez is a Wyndham historic hotel located on Seawall Boulevard. It is considered to be the grand dame of Island hotels

San Luis Resort, Spa and Conference Center

This is a 30-acre year around beachfront resort on Seawall Boulevard.

Rainforest Café is part of the San Luis Resort.

Rosenberg Tribute to the Heroes of the Texas Revolution

Henry Rosenberg, a prominent Galveston business leader and philanthropist, provided funding for many worthy causes in Galveston, including the building and furnishing of a home for elderly women, the first free public library in Texas and many other charitable and religious causes.

Ice Manufacturing Plant

The first ice manufacturing plant in Texas was built on this location. The smokestack was for a dedicated power plant for the ice plant. The original plant building has been demolished . The building in the picture is an associated cold storage building built in 1910 that has been converted into condos. The apartments start at $269,000.

Now comes the sad part – photos of Ike damage

Lonely Old mansion

I think this is the saddest photo. Today this old mansion is an empty shell but it was once a beautiful, elegant home for a wealthy family

Burger Joint on Seawall Boulevard

Flagship Hotel and Pier on Seawall Boulevard

This entire hotel and pier must be demolished and rebuilt. Note the huge hole in the upper left side of the hotel.

Fort Crockett Homes

There are over a dozen of these federally owned houses in a 6.4 acre development for sale. The homes were originally part of the Fort Crockett Army base. The buyer must restore two of the houses to their original conditions.

Strand Building by ANICO

This is one of the many buildings heavily damaged in the area of the American National Insurance Building. This heavily damaged building will be demolished.

High Rise Apartment Building by ANICO

This is another building heavily damaged in the area of the American National Insurance Building. This high rise apartment building is the largest casualty of Ike. It is structurally damaged and will be demolished.

Another Damaged Strand Bldg

This is another large Strand building that was severely damaged by Ike.

Large Damaged Home

Another Large Damaged Home

Strand Sign Content

The Rush at the Menard and Central Wharf, now known as Pier 21, during the 1860's and early 1870's, with the big fleet of 'red' Morgan ships discharging cargo and passengers, with the river boats loading and unloading, was so great that a police officer was kept on duty there all the time.

"At times during a rush there would be a line of drays extending from the steamboat landing at Central Wharf as far up town as the corner of Strand and 22^nd streets, and it required the services of policemen to keep them straightened out.

"During the year 1871 no less than 41,670 passengers by sea landed in Galveston, the majority of them coming in the Morgan Line steamships, although there were some from New York by the Mallory steamers and a few hundred from Bremen by sailing vessels." (Galveston Daily News, Oct. 25, 1908)

As of 1874 "The number of entrances of foreign and coastwise vessels in Galveston harbor yearly varies from 700 to 1,400 …. The imports are salt, coffee, crockery, iron and tin, and a steady current of sturdy Germans …. The importation of lumber from Florida, Louisiana, and Northern ports employs a large number of vessels …. Steamships loaded with cotton run regularly between Galveston and Liverpool, and, and returning, bring back English, Irish and Scotch emigrants …. The steamship line between New York and Galveston carries about 95% of all the merchandise sent into Texas from New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Baltimore. The foreign trade of the port is increasing with wonderful rapidity …." (Edward King, Texas 1874)

The Strand, in the late 1800's, was dubbed "The Wall Street of the Southwest". It was a street of opulent Victorian buildings with 5 banks, wholesale houses, grocers, liquor and cigar dealers, cotton factors, commission merchants, insurance companies, printers and 8 newspapers, dry goods companies, steam and sail ship agencies, auction houses, a fair sprinkling of saloons and sailor boarding houses.

With all its wealth, bustle and business, Galveston was one of the richest cities in the world per capita. Before the end of the century, The Strand was not only the financial heart of Galveston and Texas – but of much of the Southwest as well.