Six years later, in 1893, Walter and Josphine formally opened Gresham's Castle.Įven in the 19th century, most politicians like Gresham couldn’t escape some kind of controversy. Gresham was elected to Texas Legislature in 1887, which is the same year that he commissioned Clayton to design the home. By 1872, he was elected as Galveston County's District Attorney. Gresham was one of the highest paid attorneys in the state of Texas, and no stranger to success.īy 1868, he opened a law office and married Josephine Mann. Yet Gresham was likewise a Civil War Veteran, and, later, an attorney and politician. (The palace's proximity to the seaside is another plus.) Who Was Walter Gresham? Walter sitting in his library.īorn in 1841, Walter Gresham founded the Gulf, Colorado, and Sante Fe Railroad, earning his reputation as a railway magnate.
You can see why Bishop's Palace looks as if it sprang from the pages of a storybook, singular and spectacular. One fireplace within the estate is even lined in silver.
ROAD TRIPPER GALVESTON WINDOWS
Yet Bishop's Palace is somehow more remarkable on the inside: stained glass windows flank fireplaces, floors and staircases are wrought from rare wood. The facade is likewise embellished with etchings of people, animals, and plants alongside those of mythical creatures. Together, they span three stories high – making for a formidable, albeit foreboding estate. Although the foundation is constructed from carved limestone, the property's facade is supplemented with sandstone and granite. It took over six years to build, which may account for its intricate ornamentation and flamboyant features. With steep roofs and steeper turrets, Bishop's Palace appears from a fever dream. The Gresham's themselves tagged the property "Gresham's Castle," no doubt referring to its Châteauesque style and sprawling square feet. Clayton, Bishop's Palace was built for Colonel Walter and Josephine Gresham at a whopping $250,000. Building Bishop’s Palace Photo of Gresham’s Castle.ĭesigned by architect Nicholas J. Perhaps that explains why it's never where you left it? Although it's an ultimately innocuous incident, it's still spooky. It contains relics from her travels, making it especially sensitive to supernatural energies. Josephine's most notable haunting involves her former card box: the box remains within the home, though it's said to move about on its own. Some even say that he's an anxious apparition, nervously fretting about. He's particularly active during hurricanes, leading some to believe that his frequency is protective rather than pugnacious. Keep your eyes peeled, Walter's known to pace the halls. The Gresham Ghosts allegedly move about the mansion, attentive to the property's improvements and progressions. Walter and Josephine Gresham lived in the house from 1892 to 1920. Of course, their presence is no surprise: Walter and Josephine Gresham commissioned the estate, living within it with their nine children until their deaths. The most infamous inhabitants of Bishop Palace are undoubtedly Walter and Josephine Gresham. Walter and Josephine Gresham lived in the house from 1892 to 1920 Are these sinister specters? Or overprotective poltergeist? The Gresham Ghosts There are no reports of tragedies inside the home, but those who are sensitive to spirits say that Bishop's Palace is saturated in paranormal activity. The Bishop’s Palace was a beacon for safety in Galveston then, but today witnesses report inexplicable pushing, scratching, tripping, and punching from unseen or unidentified forces while they stand or pass by the front of the house. Yet Bishop Palace withstood the storm, big enough that it even saved the lives of 200 people who ran to it for refuge. The Hurricane of 1900 was particularly catastrophic for the island, killing 6,000 to 8,000 people. Galveston is infamous for ghosts, so it's no surprise that Bishop's Palace is haunted.
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