Bishop's Palace, Galveston

Bishop's Palace
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The Bishop's Palace in Galveston
Location:	Broadway and 14th St. Galveston, Texas, USA
Nearest city:	Galveston, Texas
Coordinates:	29°18′11″N 94°46′56″W
Built:	1887 to 1893
Architect:	Nicholas J. Clayton
Governing body:	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
NRHP Reference#:	70000746
Added to NRHP:	August 25, 1970

The Bishop's Palace, also known as Gresham's Castle, is an ornate Victorian house located on Broadway and 14th Street in the East End Historic District of Galveston, Texas. The American Institute of Architects has listed the home as one of the 100 most significant buildings in the United States, and the Library of Congress has classified it as one of the fourteen most representative Victorian structures in the nation.

The house was built between 1887 and 1893 by Galveston architect Nicholas J. Clayton for lawyer and politician Walter Gresham. In 1923 the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galveston purchased the house, and, situated across the street from the Sacred Heart Church, it served as a bishop's residence. After the diocesan offices were moved to Houston, the diocese opened the mansion to the public in 1963, with proceeds from tours being used to help fund the Newman Center, operating in the basement, serving Catholic students at the nearby University of Texas Medical Branch.

The home is estimated to have cost $250,000 at the time[1]; today its value is estimated at over $5.5 million.

The Galveston Historical Foundation provides guided tours of the house on weekends.

External links

• Bishop's Palace - Galveston Historical Foundation
• Bishop's Palace from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Early 20th century photographic postcards of Texas buildings at the University of Houston Digital Library