John Smith House
Galveston, Galveston County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Irish immigrant and Galveston police officer John Smith had this home constructed at 3601 Post Office Street in 1890, where it later served to shelter victims of the 1900 storm. It was moved to this site in 1927. The home features an unusual four-bay configuration and a two-tiered gallery. The large floor-to-ceiling windows provided cooling and ventilation in the hot Gulf Coast summers. The home remained in the Smith family until 1978. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1987
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Irish immigrant and Galveston police officer John Smith built this raised, gallery-fronted home in 1890, its tall floor-to-ceiling windows designed to catch the Gulf breeze in the sweltering island summers. A decade later the house became a refuge, sheltering survivors of the catastrophic 1900 hurricane that devastated Galveston. Moved to this site in 1927, it stayed in the Smith family until 1978.
Why it matters
The home links an immigrant's rise in a booming port city to the deadliest natural disaster in American history, when ordinary houses became lifelines during the 1900 Galveston storm.
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Related people
- · John Smith
Related events
- · Galveston hurricane of 1900
Themes & tags
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