The Galveston Historic Homes Tour is an annual event that celebrates the rich architectural and cultural heritage of Galveston, Texas. Established in 1974 by the Galveston Historical Foundation, the tour was created to raise awareness of the city’s extensive collection of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century homes and to support historic preservation efforts. Each May, the event opens the doors to privately owned historic homes, many of which are not normally open to the public. The tour showcases a variety of architectural styles—including Victorian, Greek Revival, and Queen Anne—and offers a glimpse into Galveston’s prosperous past as a major port city. Over the decades, it has become one of the largest and most anticipated heritage events in the country, attracting thousands of visitors eager to admire the craftsmanship and history preserved in these iconic structures.

Our trip to Galveston on Friday was delightfully uneventful! It was nothing like last year when we lost power under the oaks on Ye Olde Block Farm on Thursday, followed by driving along the beach road during a lightning storm on Friday. Fortunately, this year’s storms stayed north of the Interstate 10 corridor until we settled into the Airbnb and made a trip to Old City Cemetery.

The wildflowers at the cemetery were as beautiful as ever, but the photos I posted didn’t do them justice because it was cloudy. I am currently at the cemetery this Sunday morning, taking a few photos before my shift at the 1896 James and Pauline Foster House (3523 Avenue P). Morning shots are fantastic! One note I will add is that I was pleasantly surprised by the spontaneous airshow that ensued when two biplanes began their maneuvers over the island, complete with smoke trails. I know they had fun, and I thank them for the show.

The rain moved offshore Saturday morning, leaving the atmosphere cloudy, cool, and breezy—a perfect setup as we made our way to our first home, the 1886 Richard and Eliza Walker House at 1705 Ball. We arrived twenty minutes before the start of the tour, so there was no wait, and we were the first to tour the house. In fact, I found that there was little wait for most of the tours, except for two, which I will get to later.

I thought that Richard and Eliza Walker House was outstanding, with a beautiful interior and staircase. It is well worth a visit, although you would have to “love thy neighbor” to live there, as you can almost shake hands from window to window in both homes. I will also add that seven of the eight houses require you to wear booties for the tour.

Next on the list was the 1886 Jacob and Martha Bernheim House at 1814 Sealy. There was no wait, and I really loved the original floors and wonderful porches. Note that as I write this, I’m sitting on a porch enjoying the constant breeze here in Galveston. The porch is not as attractive as the ones on the tour, but I think we can all agree that sitting on a porch in May, working or vegging out and enjoying the breeze, is almost spiritual—I digress.

 1890 Clarke and Courts Building (fifth-floor loft) at 2400 Mechanic, New Jersey, designed by Clayton and Company, is accessible via stairs only—there is no elevator access. And boy, did I pay to climb this mountain. It’s a beautiful loft, but when you have a sciatic nerve problem, it’s like climbing Mount Everest. I made it—yay!

Our next adventure took us to the 1886 Mollie Walters House (Preservation in Progress) at 2528 Post Office. I will say that this was the second longest line of the day, behind only the Cover House, which I find odd. Normally, a restoration in progress doesn’t have any docents or lines of people waiting to visit, but as the last remaining bordello in the Red Light District, I hope to visit this treasure when the restoration is complete—during the Historic Homes Tour, of course! Note: This was the only house where booties were not required! I’ll stop now.

The 1896 Charles and Louisa Flake Cottage at 1901 25th Street is another treat worth visiting. I thought the lines were stagnant when we arrived, but fortunately, the crew (docents) kept the line moving. All homes on the tour did a great job of maintaining the flow!

After the usual lunch stop at Shrimp N Stuff, it was time for a visit to the 1896 James and Pauline Foster House at 3523 Avenue P, designed by Charles Bulger. If you’re reading this blog on Sunday, May 4, come by for a visit! I’ll be there from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to sign you in. I love this house and hope to see you there!

The last two homes I want to explore next week, but the cover house, the 1899 Felix and Eva Mistrot House at 1804 35th Street (designed by George B. Stowe), was my second favorite wrapped porch after only the McFaddin-Ward House in Beaumont. The 1889 Joseph and Elizabeth Treaccar House at 2928 Avenue K has an interesting story, but I’ll leave those details to the docents on houses, as my intention here is not to tell you the whole story but to encourage you to do the tour and visit these lovely homes, where you can hear the fascinating stories firsthand while in the houses yourself.

Again, another great tour with a bunch of awesome crews. I really enjoyed this tour, sciatic nerve and all. The City Cemetery is also a stop not to be missed, especially if you are a photographer.

Until next time . . .