Galveston Historical Foundation to Offer “Free Day” August 22

On Sunday, August 22, 2010, Galveston Historical Foundation will offer free admission to four of its historic attractions. Bishop’s Palace, Menard House and St. Joseph’s Church will be open to the public for free tours from 12 noon to 4 p.m. The Texas Seaport Museum, including the restored 1877 tall ship Elissa, will be open for free tours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tours at Menard House and St. Joseph’s Church, which are not normally open to the public, will be self guided. Author Mary Remmers will sign copies of her new book, "Galveston’s Oldest Residence: The 1838 Michel B. Menard House" at the Menard House from noon to 4 p.m. On Free Day there will also be a 10 percent discount on all merchandise in the gift shops at Bishop's Palace and Texas Seaport Museum shops.

Bishop's Palace, located at 1402 Broadway, is one of the most widely recognized historic attractions in the country. Nicholas Clayton, Galveston’s nationally renowned master architect, designed and built the ornate steel and stone mansion for railroad magnate Walter Greshem and his wife Josephine in 1892. From 1921 until the 1960s, the house was used as the residence of the Archbishop of the Galveston-Houston Archdiocese. It has been open to the public as a museum for nearly 50 years.

The Michel B. Menard House, located at 1605 33rd Street, is the oldest surviving residential building on the island. Built in 1838 by Menard, a founder of Galveston, the grand Greek revival house fell into such disrepair over the course of its lifetime that by the 1990s, it was threatened with demolition by the City of Galveston. The current owners purchased the house in order to rescue it from that fate. Their restoration of the property was so exacting that the Menard House won first place in the annual preservation awards given by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1995. Not normally open for public tours, the house now serves as an event venue available for private or corporate rental. Several adjacent buildings are currently being restored and will soon be added to the Menard compound’s event rental offerings.

St. Joseph’s, located at 2202 Avenue K, is the oldest German Catholic Church in Texas and the oldest wooden church building in Galveston. It was built by German immigrants in 1859-60. The building is a simple wooden gothic revival structure. Its square bell tower has a trefoil window. Although damaged in the 1900 Storm, the church was repaired, enlarged, and redecorated within the year, retaining its original architectural character. In 1968, the Catholic Diocese closed the church and sold the contents at public auction. Upon learning that the building was to be used as a warehouse, GHF stepped in and leased the property. Most of the original furnishings were recovered, re-installed, and the structure was stabilized. Not normally open for public tours, St. Joseph’s is currently available only for private rentals and is a popular wedding venue.

The Texas Seaport Museum home of the Tall Ship of Texas, the restored 1877 Elissa, is located in the historic port of Galveston at Pier 22, at 22nd Street and Harborside Drive. The museum tells the story of a rich legacy of seaborne commerce and immigration. It also houses a database containing the names of more than 133,000 immigrants who entered the United States through Galveston. Admission to the museum also includes a self-guided tour of the tall ship in its berth.

For more information about the “Free Day” at GHF, contact Galveston Historical Foundation at 409-765-7834.