Galveston Mansions

There are a number of beautiful mansions in the coastal town of Galveston, TX. Many were built during the height of its affluence, in the late 1800s.

Some of the mansions are beyond what most of us can imagine, with hand-painted murals, custom iron work, amazingly intricate wood carvings, marble steps, and frankly, too many special features to describe.

If you ever have a chance to visit Galveston, take the time to tour one of their truly unique homes.

Galveston was originally inhabited by an extinct native American tribe called the Auias, whose influence extended all the way to Corpus Christi. Disease, conflict with Europeans, and numerous other reasons caused them to be extinct before the Civil War. Several Spanish explorers, beginning in 1528, had significant influence on the island town, including the naming of the town for the Spanish Count Galvez (Galvez-town).

The natural harbor there provided a base for pirates until the Texas Navy routed them with the support of Mexico. Galveston was a prosperous town and a progressive town until it was devastated by a hurricane in 1900, the deadliest natural disaster in US history. It never returned to its previous days of glory but the remnants, like the mansions on main street, are a testament to its once prosperous times.