Bishop’s Palace Completes Conservatory Restoration

Galveston Historical Foundation’s 1892 Bishop’s Palace was recently awarded over $66,000 from the Texas Historical Commission (THC) through their Texas Preservation Trust Fund (TPTF) matching grant. The grant has allowed GHF to work on the conservatory on the East side of the property. The work done included reconstructing the original copper roof to its initial design and materials. The work also included repairs to the steel supports which have corroded over time due to exposure.

The Texas Legislature established the TPTF in 1989. The fund is currently managed by the Texas Treasury Safekeeping Trust Company. Investment earnings are distributed as matching grants to qualified applicants for acquisition, survey, restoration, preservation, planning, and heritage education activities leading to the preservation of historic architectural and archeological properties and associated collections of the State of Texas. Competitive grants are awarded on a one-to-one match basis and are paid as reimbursement of eligible expenses incurred during the project.

“In January 2019, the THC accepted 42 grant applications requesting over $1.1 million in grant funds,” says Texas Historical Commission Executive Director, Mark Wolfe, in an announcement statement. “29 projects were selected from the initial application stage to proceed to the project proposal slate. 24 proposals were submitted to the THC in July. Today at the THC’s quarterly meeting, eleven proposals were approved for grant funding.”

“Thanks to the assistance of the Preservation Trust Fund of the Texas Historical Commission we have returned Mrs. Gresham’s treasured area back as it was in 1894,” explains Dwayne Jones, GHF Executive Director. “The program of the Texas Historical Commission recognizes the architectural significance of Bishop’s Palace and allows us to take the most significant historic attraction in Galveston to an even higher level.”

ABOUT THE 1892 BISHOP’S PALACE

The 1892 Bishop’s Palace (a.k.a. Gresham House) is a contributing building in the East End Historic District and a National Historic Landmark. The house is listed in the National Register of Historic Places at the national level of significance in the area of architecture. Architectural historians list the Bishop’s Palace as one of the most significant of Victorian residences in the country.

ABOUT GALVESTON HISTORICAL FOUNDATION

Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) was formed as the Galveston Historical Society in 1871 and merged with a new organization formed in 1954 as a non-profit entity devoted to historic preservation and history in Galveston County. Over the last sixty years, GHF has expanded its mission to encompass community redevelopment, historic preservation advocacy, maritime preservation, coastal resiliency and stewardship of historic properties. GHF embraces a broader vision of history and architecture that encompasses advancements in environmental and natural sciences and their intersection with historic buildings and coastal life and conceives of history as an engaging story of individual lives and experiences on Galveston Island from the 19th century to the present day.