William and Adele Skinner House
Galveston, Galveston County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In 1895, local banker William Cooke Skinner (1870-1953) and his wife, Adele (Preston) Skinner (1874-1966), bought this parcel for a home for their young family. Charles William Bulger (1851-1922), noted Texas architect, designed the two-story Queen Anne-style home, which was completed in 1896 and remains one of his more ornate residential designs. The primary façade features two gables, a gallery that wraps around the southwest corner, and a distinctive tripartite bay window. Most of the irregularly spaced windows, characteristic of Queen Anne style asymmetry, retain their historic wooden shutters. Other surviving original elements are the interior ornamental trim and stained glass in the stairwell. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – 2017
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1895 local banker William Cooke Skinner and his wife Adele bought this parcel for their young family, and by 1896 noted Texas architect Charles William Bulger had designed them one of his most ornate Queen Anne homes. Its facade features twin gables, a wraparound corner gallery, and a distinctive tripartite bay window, with irregularly spaced windows and surviving wooden shutters. Original interior trim and stained glass in the stairwell remain.
Why it matters
It preserves the exuberant Queen Anne architecture of a prosperous Galveston on the eve of the 1900 storm.
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Related people
- · William Cooke Skinner
- · Adele Preston Skinner
- · Charles William Bulger
Themes & tags
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