SPECIAL EVENTS

Since 1871, Galveston Historical Foundation has worked to save hundreds of treasures in the island city, from documents to buildings, including tiny, decrepit houses, mansions and commercial structures. GHF begins a new era in its nationally renowned preservation efforts with the 2010 Galveston Historic Homes Tour: Going Green: What’s Old is New Again the first two weekends in May.

Among 10 houses that will be opened to the public during the annual historic homes tour is the “Green Revival House,” a modest 19th-century cottage being restored by GHF in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The house is one of the first in the nation planned to give the public a vivid look at how energy-saving and “sustainable” building and landscaping features are becoming essential and affordable parts of all restoration blueprints.

The tour also emphasizes “historic green architecture,” the building methods developed to make homes more comfortable before the luxuries of electricity, municipal water systems and natural gas were widespread. Before they had electric fans, owners of many of Galveston’s oldest homes relied on floor-to-ceiling windows that could be thrown open to catch every available breeze. Spacious hallways and staircases helped air circulation. Cisterns caught rainwater for drinking, cooking, bathing and irrigation.

This year’s homes tour sets the tone for GHF’s future restoration programs—to help the public find affordable old homes for restoration while keeping them informed of the best ways to preserve historic green features and incorporate modern green features.

2010 Homes on Tour:

Archibald and Alice Campbell House, c. 1871
1515 Broadway
A grand Italianate mansion never opened to the public before and still owned by a Campbell family descendant.

Edwin Aronsen House, 1946
1317 Broadway
This eclectic Mid-Century Modern features porthole windows with radiating muntins suggestive of a ship’s wheel.

Fernand Lobit Tenant House, 1909
1310 Sealy
This high-raised Victorian townhouse retains original stained glass panels, fireplaces, woodwork and working transoms, which allow ventilation and air flow.

Benjamin Doherty Cottage, 1905
2928 Avenue P
This raised Gulf Coast cottage was restored using historic materials acquired at the Galveston Historical Foundation’s Architectural Salvage Warehouse. The current owners have reclaimed the space below the home and use it as a working office.

James and Ella Davis House, 1899
1315 24th Street
Built in 1899 for Galveston Daily News reporter James ‘Nat’ Davis, this house was designed by renowned German architect Charles Bulger. Bulger is second only to architect Nicholas Clayton in importance to Galveston’s architectural history.

Conness-Arnold House, 1899
1417 24th Street
This Queen Anne style house features rounded double galleries, rimmed with lintels and replete with radiating ball spindles. Tall windows and wrap around porches on the east and south side of the home face the prevailing Gulf breezes.

John and Agnes Roemer Cottage, 1888
2415 Avenue L
This five-bay gable fronted cottage was built for Agnes Moser Roemer and her husband, John. The $1,350 purchase price included wallpaper in every room, weatherboard siding, slate roof, heart pine floors, eight doors, 18 windows and 13 sets of window blinds.

James and Jessie Fendley Cottage, 1885 (pictured above)
1403 Tremont
The current owners of this high-raised Victorian cottage recently completed a renovation and restoration using many materials recycled and repurposed that they purchased from architectural salvage warehouses in Galveston and Houston.

Ernest Stavenhagen House, 1915
1527 Postoffice
This Classical Revival house, with its commanding presence, boldly stands out from its Victorian neighbors. The most prominent feature is the front gabled entry portico. The paired boxed columns of the double-galleried portico are the modern interpretation of a classical colonnade.

Historic Homes Tour Special Features:

Exhibition “Bogan and Wilson Family Quilts”
1861 Custom House, 502 20th Street
Two Galveston women, Susan Bogan and Dawn Wilson, have gathered collections of their families’ quilts for public display. Generations of love, skill and creativity will be on display through May 21. Open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5 pm and Homes Tour Saturdays, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Free to Homes Tour ticket holders.

The Cradle of Texas
2902 Avenue O ½
This building was originally the law library of William Pitt Ballinger, father of Miss Betty Ballinger. Now known as the Cradle, it is cherished as the place where Miss Ballinger formulated the idea for the organization which would become The Daughters of the Republic of Texas. The Cradle was restored in 1993-95 to reflect the original furnishings of the late 1800's.

Free to Homes Tour ticket holders. Closed Mother’s Day.

Historic Homes Tour Special Events:

Art of Eugene Aubrey: During the Green Revival Homes Tour, GHF will welcome renowned Florida architect and artist Eugene Aubrey, who designed Houston’s Wortham Theater Center and the Philharmonic Center for the Arts in Naples, FL. Aubrey’s distinctive ink and watercolor drawings of Galveston’s historic homes will add a new level of architectural artistry to the Galveston Historic Homes Tour.

Electric Tour Coaches: The latest in “green” tour travel, GHF’s new electric tour vehicles will be unveiled during the Galveston Historic Homes Tour. GHF has installed an electric car charging station at its downtown Galveston headquarters.

First Impression Preview Evening Tour, Friday, 5:30 to 9 p.m., April 30. An East End Historic District stroll that includes a wine and cheese reception at the imposing Trube Castle. The homes on this tour are open exclusively for the preview tour and will not be shown during the regular tour. Tickets are $60 per person and include a Historic Homes Tour ticket.

Lemonade Lunches at Custom House, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturdays, May 1 and 8. Gourmet boxed lunches and fresh lemon-ginger mint coolers will be served in the beautiful setting of the 1861 Custom House courtroom. The courtroom will be adorned by heirloom quilts as part of the “Bogan-Wilson” Quilt Exhibit. $20 per person. Advance reservations required.

Basement to Attic: Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Bishop’s Palace, May 1 and 8 at 4 p.m.
Guests will view areas not normally open to the public in this grand structure, named the 14th most important Victorian building in America by the American Institute of Architects. Limited to 24 per tour. Patrons must be able to negotiate steps and may not wear flip-flops or strapless sandals. $30 per person. Advance reservations required.

Sally Wallace Preservation Awards, May 7. Ashton Villa Ballroom. These awards recognized outstanding projects involving the preservation, restoration, and enhancement of Galveston’s historic buildings and neighborhoods. This year’s categories are Restoration, Rehabilitation, Adaptive Use, New Construction/Infill, Craftspeople, Community Service Award, and Galveston GREEN. $15 per person, $12 per GHF member.

Linen and Lace, a Mother’s Day Brunch, May 9. Celebrate Mom at the 7th annual Mother's Day Champagne Brunch. Begin your Mother's Day/Homes Tour Sunday enjoying a delectable and abundant buffet and fashion show by Galveston’s own Head to Footsie’s Boutique. The picturesque 1880 German dancing pavilion, Garten Verein, is the setting for this charming tradition. All patrons are automatically entered to win prize drawings including dinners, gift certificates and framed artwork. Linen or lace are the preferred attire. $45 per person and includes a Historic Homes Tour ticket. Advanced reservations required.

Bike Through History, Sunday, May 2, 10 a.m., 1861 Custom House, 502 20th Street. Get on your bicycle and join GHF’s Preservation Services Project Coordinator Matt Farragher for an hour of fun, biking throughout Galveston’s historic neighborhoods. Matt will highlight the more than 50 years of GHF’s preservation efforts and will showcase examples of the Foundation’s projects including properties saved through its Revolving Fund, Paint Pals and the Community Housing Development Organization initiative. Protective gear is strongly suggested. $10 per person with signed waiver. Advance reservations recommended. Historic Homes Tour Added Attractions:

During the month of May, Homes Tour patrons may also use their tickets to receive $1 off admission to the following sites:

* 1892 Bishop’s Palace, 1402 Broadway, Tours hourly, noon until 4 p.m.
* Texas Seaport Museum and Tall Ship ELISSA, Pier 21 and Harborside Drive, Open 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
* Great Storm Theatre, Pier 21 and Harborside Drive, Open 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
* Moody Mansion Museum, 2618 Broadway, Tours hourly, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sustainable Features of Historic Design

* Rainwater Harvesting
o While most modern rainwater harvesting systems are built for strictly outdoor use, historic cisterns fulfilled all the water needs of the household.

* Ventilation
o In the absence of modern HVAC units, historic buildings had countless design features that directed air movement for increased comfort. This included larger rooms with higher ceilings and walk-through windows. Porches were also widely used as another room, utilizing the outdoor breezes and supplying shade.

* Daylighting
o In addition to their ventilation benefits, interior windows and transoms allowed “borrowed” light to travel across rooms, limiting the need for additional light sources.

* Green Materials
o In modern terms, historic construction materials were both locally and organically produced.

* Landscaping
o Historic paths, including roads and walkways, were formed using permeable materials, such as dirt, brick, and clay, which allowed water to drain easily into the ground.

* Plantings
o Climate appropriate plants were selected for each site so as to make optimal use of seasonal shading and produce with little or no extra water requirements.

* Wind Power
o Many areas relied heavily on windmills to generate power for farms and mills.

* Disaster Preparedness
o Many features of historic houses were designed to limit the impact of storms. For instance, the tradition of raising houses onto piers on Galveston is due in large part to early efforts in escaping flood damage.

* Low Toxicity
o The lack of plastics used in historic construction spared them from one of the most prevalent sources of toxic off-gassing in modern houses.

* Reuse and Recycling
o Historic builders often salvaged and reused brick, stone, and wood. Galveston also has a history of moving houses that dates back to the mid-19th century.

* Floor Plans
o Designers and contractors considered the building’s orientation and the location of prevailing winds and sun when designing the structure. Wide hallways spanning the length of the house with doors at each end further encouraged ventilation.

* Walkable Towns
o In the absence of the automobile, towns were planned for maximum walkability. Out of necessity, markets and other stores with essential supplies were within walking distance and along public transportation routes.

* Energy Use
o As families throughout the country set goals to lower their energy usage, they might be inspired to remember that, not long ago, all households operated 0 kWh per month!

Click here for a 2010 Tour Map.