United States Customs House and Court House (Galveston, Texas)
Old Galveston Customhouse | |
Location | 1918 Postoffice St., Galveston, Texas |
---|---|
Coordinates | 29°18′18″N 94°47′23″W / 29.30500°N 94.78972°W |
Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
Built by | Charles B. Cluskey, E.W. Moore |
Architect | Ammi B. Young |
Architectural style | Greek Revival |
NRHP reference No. | 70000747[1] |
Added to NRHP | August 25, 1970 |
The United States Customs House and Court House, also known as Old Galveston Customhouse, in Galveston, Texas, is a former home of custom house, post office, and court facilities for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, and later for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Completed in 1861, the structure is now leased by the General Services Administration to the Galveston Historical Foundation. The courthouse function was replaced in 1937 by the Galveston United States Post Office and Courthouse.
Building history
The building symbolized the importance and prosperity of Galveston which was Texas' leading
Supervising Architect of the Treasury
The building was begun in 1860 and completed in 1861. The Boston firm of Blaisdell and Emerson built it in 114 days, an unprecedented accomplishment at the time. The extensive use of
Significant alterations were made in 1917, when the General Services Administration added courtrooms and judicial offices to the second floor of the U.S. Custom House, which then became the Federal Courthouse, serving the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. This location would later become the seat of the Galveston Division, after congress added a second judgeship in the 1930s.[2][3][4] The building continued to serve as a courthouse until 1917, and housed offices for federal agencies throughout the twentieth century. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. In 1998 the Galveston Historical Foundation signed a cooperative agreement with the U.S. General Services Administration that permitted the Foundation to lease and rehabilitate the building for its headquarters.
Architecture
The U.S. Custom House in Galveston is a simply detailed
Nearly all the original decorative elements on the exterior of the building are cast iron including
The interior of the building is H-shaped in plan and was originally designed to provide space for the Customs Service and the Post Office. Extant original elements include the elaborate cast-iron, double-return stair leading to the second floor. The stair's ornamental newel posts have an acanthus motif and fluted shafts set on octagonal bases. The cast-iron risers are pierced with a circular fret design.
In 1917 the U.S. Custom House was converted for use as a Federal courthouse and a courtroom was created on the second floor. The U.S. Custom House survived the Civil War and various disasters including the 1885 Galveston Fire, the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900, Hurricane Carla in 1967, and a boiler explosion in 1978 that resulted in the closing of the second floor for almost two decades. Although these events required extensive repairs and renovations, the U.S. Custom House's fireproof construction ensured the survival of its most significant stylistic elements.
In 1998 a public-private partnership was established between the U.S. General Services Administration and the Galveston Historical Foundation to allow for the restoration of the building by the Galveston Historical Foundation for use as its headquarters and historic preservation resource center. Assisted by private donations, the careful and sensitive rehabilitation included the removal of 1960s dropped ceilings, the restoration of the second floor, and the removal of the non-original interior wood shutters. The Galveston Historical Foundation formally moved into the refurbished U.S. Custom House in June 1999.
Significant events
- 1857–1859: Supervising Architect of the Treasury Ammi B. Young produces the original design for the U.S. Custom House.
- 1860–1861: U.S Custom House is constructed based on the redesign by local superintendents Charles B. Cluskey and E.W. Moore.
- 1865: Occupied by the Confederate Army, the building is the site of the ceremony ending the Civil War in Galveston. The U.S. Customs Service resumes occupancy.
- 1900: The U.S. Custom House is damaged by the Galveston Hurricane.
- 1917–1918: A courtroom is created on the second floor for use by the Federal Courts.
- 1967: Following the repair of extensive damages caused by Hurricane Carla, the building is formally rededicated on June 17.
- 1970: The U.S. Custom House is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.[5]
- 1978: A boiler explosion damages the building and the second floor is closed.
- 1998–1999: A public-private partnership results in the restoration and use of the building by the Galveston Historical Foundation.
Building facts
- Architects: Original design by Ammi B. Young, Supervising Architect of the Treasury
- Revised, executed design by Charles B. Cluskey and E.W. Moore, and David Watson Architect and Associates.
- Construction Dates: 1860-1861
- Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic Places
- Location: 502 Twentieth Street
- Architectural Style: Classical Revival
- Primary Materials: Brick and cast iron
- Prominent Features: Two-story galleries
See also
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- ^ "Southern District of Texas: History of the District". Archived from the original on 2009-09-17. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
- ^ General Services Administration: U.S. Custom House, Galveston, Texas
- ^ "Galveston Historical Foundation: More About the Custom House". Archived from the original on 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2009-10-03.
- ^ "Old Galveston Customhouse – Galveston County ~ NRHP 70000747". Texas Historic Sites Atlas. Texas Historical Commission. 1970.
External links
Media related to United States Customs House and Court House (Galveston, Texas, 1861) at Wikimedia Commons
Attribution
- This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the General Services Administration.