Silk Stocking
My plans this morning included a slow drive through the entirety of Galveston’s Silk Stocking Historic District. I wanted to see all of the beautiful old homes and mansions. Regretfully, a self-guided tour was one I had not yet - In all my days on the island - put on my agenda.
Before I headed out, I did a bit of homework, searching online to get the facts about the district - specifically, its exact location and boundaries. Silk Stocking, I learned, is situated south of Broadway Boulevard and bounded by 25th and 23rd streets, from Avenue K to Avenue P. It is recognized as one of the most intact neighborhoods of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The district’s name refers to the wealth of its early residents; all were considered prosperous; all could easily afford to purchase silk stockings - unlike many others on the island at that time.
Silk Stocking was originally developed in the 1870s. It featured a mix of single-family houses, a small corner store, large vacant blocks and industrial sites. Until the 1890s, the core of the Silk Stocking District was occupied by the Texas Cotton Press. After the Texas Press went bankrupt and was demolished, the area was subdivided, and the lots sold at auction in 1898.
Many buildings here survived the Great Storm of 1900 and subsequent grade raising, when The Seawall was built and sand was pumped in to raise the level of the land beneath it.
The homes in this 14-block section of historic Galveston include some of the island’s finest examples of Queen Anne architecture. The entire area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
Today, 25th Street (also called Rosenberg Street) is the main link between the historic Downtown/Strand/Postoffice/Seaport area and The Seawall, with a trolley line connecting them.
Nowadays, the homes for sale in Galveston’s Silk Stocking District range in size from modest to massive, with the average featuring at least 2,000 square feet. Prices range from the $150,000s to the $750,000s.
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2022
- Mar 17, 2022 Ivy Dishes
- Jan 29, 2022 Grace Episcopal Church
- Jan 1, 2022 100 Years
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2021
- Aug 25, 2021 My Fig Tree
- Apr 28, 2021 Darlene's Shrimp
- Apr 24, 2021 Oleander Festival
- Feb 27, 2021 Great Winter Storm
- Feb 10, 2021 The Mourning Wave
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2020
- Oct 26, 2020 Crepe Myrtles
- Sep 18, 2020 Trimming the Palms
- Jul 19, 2020 The Dancers
- Jul 11, 2020 Postcards
- Jun 20, 2020 Resilience Flag
- Jun 19, 2020 Juneteenth
- Jun 10, 2020 Silk Stocking
- May 27, 2020 Tree Sculptures
- May 6, 2020 Babe's Beach
- Apr 22, 2020 Opera House
- Mar 2, 2020 Texas Heroes Monument
- Feb 15, 2020 Mardi Gras Parade
- Jan 19, 2020 St. Joseph's Church
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2019
- Dec 15, 2019 Celebrations
- Nov 6, 2019 Fresh Paint
- Oct 21, 2019 Jazz Age Series
- Oct 20, 2019 ARToberFEST
- Oct 6, 2019 Stingeree
- Oct 5, 2019 Pumpkin Time
- Oct 2, 2019 Sea Turtles
- Sep 29, 2019 Powhatan House
- Sep 24, 2019 The Dolphins
- Sep 5, 2019 Lucas Apartments
- Aug 24, 2019 Sandcastles
- Aug 9, 2019 The Daily News
- Jul 18, 2019 Beach Walk
- Jul 10, 2019 La King's
- May 25, 2019 Pleasure Pier
- May 1, 2019 Bolivar Ferry
- Mar 15, 2019 Saengerfest Park
- Jan 19, 2019 Moody Mansion
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2018
- Dec 18, 2018 The Vintage Suitcase
- Dec 17, 2018 Festival of Lights
- Dec 2, 2018 Sunday Brunch
- Nov 21, 2018 Hendley Row
- Oct 27, 2018 Island Oktoberfest
- Sep 20, 2018 The Strand Clock
- Sep 16, 2018 St. Mary Cathedral
- Aug 11, 2018 No More Shed
- Jun 10, 2018 Rosenberg Library
- May 7, 2018 Stepping It Up
- May 3, 2018 A Happy Hour
- May 1, 2018 Ashton Villa
- Apr 21, 2018 96th Birthday
- Apr 1, 2018 Seawolf Park
- Mar 27, 2018 Ball High School
- Mar 15, 2018 East End
- Feb 1, 2018 Tremont House
- Jan 26, 2018 Menardi Gras
- Jan 24, 2018 Mardi Gras Decor
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2017
- Dec 1, 2017 Miss Ruby
- Oct 8, 2017 Railroad Museum
- Oct 7, 2017 Tall Ship Elissa
- Sep 9, 2017 Star Drug Store
- Sep 8, 2017 1900 Storm Statue
- Aug 6, 2017 The Turquoise Table
- Aug 1, 2017 Bishop's Palace
- Jul 23, 2017 Garten-Verein
- Jul 21, 2017 Yard Work
- Jul 16, 2017 The Strand
- Jun 17, 2017 Stewart Beach
- Jun 7, 2017 The Original
- Jun 3, 2017 Murdochs
- May 27, 2017 Bryan Museum
- May 19, 2017 Firemen on Call
- May 13, 2017 Williams-Borden Neighborhood
- May 1, 2017 Oleander City
- Apr 28, 2017 God Winks