The Wilbur Cherry House
Galveston, Galveston County, Texas
Marker Inscription
New York native Wilbur Cherry (1819-1873), a veteran of the Texas revolution, had this two-story home built about 1852. A pioneer Texas newspaperman, Cherry had earlier helped establish a local paper, now the "Galveston Daily News. His residence, one of the oldest on the island, features a distinctive three-bay double gallery with square pillars. Cherry's widow Catherine (d. 1911) continued to reside here past the turn of the century. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1981
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
New York native Wilbur Cherry fought in the Texas revolution and then helped launch the newspaper that survives today as the Galveston Daily News. Around 1852 he built this two-story home with its distinctive double gallery of square pillars, one of the oldest surviving residences on the island. His widow Catherine lived on there past the turn of the century.
Why it matters
The house links Galveston's revolutionary founders with the rise of the Texas press, both essential to the young republic and its port city.
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Related people
- Β· Wilbur Cherry
- Β· Catherine Cherry
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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