East End, Midtown & Broadway

The Bishop’s Palace ~ Moody Mansion ~ Causeway

Broadway Boulevard ~ Millionaire’s Row ~

In the late 1890s and early 1900s, Galveston was known as the “Wall Street of the Southwest”. While business was mainly conducted downtown and The Strand area, several wealthy citizens built their homes on a grand boulevard named “Broadway”. Today you’ll find several of these beautiful mansions still standing and restored to their former grandeur including Ashton Villa, the Bishop’s Palace, Moody Mansion and Open Gates

Ashton Villa 2328 Broadway

Ashton Villa was built in 1859 by James Moreau Brown, the original owner who constructed the mansion for his family. The mansion was sold to El Mina Shrine in 1927 for the Shriner to use as offices and social events. The City of Galveston owns the mansion, which is leased to the Galveston Historical Foundation. The mansion can be rented for special events only. No tours are available.

Bishop’s Palace 1402 Broadway

Original owner Colonel Walter Gresham had this mansion built for his wife and 9 children between the years of 1887 and 1893. Designed by notable architect Nicholas Clayton. Later, the mansion served as the residence for Bishop Christopher Byrne after the diocesan offices moved from Houston to Galveston. The house is owned by the Galveston Historical Foundation and is available for self-guided tours.

For a Map of Galveston, please see pages 4-5

Moody Mansion

2618 Broadway

One of the most notable mansions is the Moody Mansion. This mansion was the home of the W. L. Moody, Jr. family. The home was purchased from the heirs of the original owners soon after the great hurricane of 1900. The house remained home for Moody family members until 1896. Today, its rooms are filled with the furnishings and personal effects of the family. Many rooms are open to the public for tours.

Open Gates 2424 Broadway

Now owned by the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Open Gates is a campus building on the northeastern corner of 25th at Broadway. It was built by George Sealy for his wife, Magnolia, and their four children. Designed by a New York architect Stanford White, construction was overseen in 1889 by famed Galveston architect, Nicholas Clayton. The mansion is not open to the public for tours, but instead is used as a conference center for mainly events sponsored by UTMB.