The historic Ashton Villa home Galveston is a fully restored, historic home located on the corner of 24th and Broadway in Galveston, Texas, United States. The home was constructed in 1859 and is one of the first brick structures in Texas built by slaves.
HISTORY OF THE HISTORIC ASHTON VILLA HOME GALVESTON
Colonel James Moreau Brown, a prominent hardware merchant and banker, purchased four lots at the corner of 24th and Broadway in Galveston January 7, 1859, on which to build his new home. Colonel Brown after referencing several architectural pattern books current at the time modified several plans to design his future home. Brown used slave labor and European craftsmen to build one of the first brick structures in Texas.
The house was built in Victorian Italianate style, with deep eaves, long windows and ornate verandas. The verandas were topped by cast iron lintels. The brick walls were thirteen inches thick, to add strength to the structure and help protect against humidity. The interior of the home was designed around a central hall floor plan. Other rooms of the house were laid out around the central hall. Rebecca Ashton, Brown’s wife named the home in honor of one of her ancestors, Lt. Isaac Ashton, a hero in the U.S. Revolutionary War.
AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
When the American Civil War began in 1861, the historic Ashton Villa home Galveston served as the headquarters for the Confederate Army. The home served in that capacity for the entire war, except for a brief period in the fall of 1862. In the fall of 1862, Galveston surrendered to the Union Army. The historic Ashton Villa home Galveston then became headquarters for the Union Army, but only for a brief period. Galveston was re-taken by the Confederates during the Battle of Galveston in January 1863.
END OF THE WAR
On April 9, 1865, the Confederacy surrendered, but news was slow to spread in the far reaches of Confederate states, such as Texas and over a month from Lee’s official surrender, the Battle of Palmito Ranch fought May 12 and 13, 1865 in an area east of Brownsville, TX. It took approximately another two weeks for Confederate Lieutenant General Simon B. Buckner to surrender his command of the Trans-Mississippi Department (which included Texas) to Union Major General Peter J. Osterhaus on May 26, 1865.
On Monday, June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger and 2,000 federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take possession of the department of Texas and enforce the emancipation of its slaves. It is reported that Granger’s men marched through Galveston reading General Order No. 3, the order that informed all Texans that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves were free. This order involved an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen were advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages.
On June 21, 2014, the Galveston Historical Foundation and Texas Historical Commission erected a Juneteenth plaque where the Osterman Building once stood signifying the location of Major General Granger’s Union Headquarters and subsequent issuance of General Order No. 3.
On June 19, 2006, a statue of Al Edwards, named “Unknown Legislator” was dedicated on the grounds of the historic Ashton Villa home Galveston during the annual prayer breakfast and celebration begun by Edwards in 1979. Edwards’ annual prayer breakfast and celebration, first held in 1979, still take place every Juneteenth at Ashton Villa and include a reading of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation and 1865 General Order No. 3 from a local historian from the balcony at the historic Ashton Villa Galveston.
JUNETEENTH, JUNE 19th
June 19th has since become known as Juneteenth, a portmanteau of the words June and nineteenth. Former slaves in Galveston rejoiced in the streets with jubilant celebrations. Juneteenth celebrations began in Texas the following year. Across many parts of Texas, freed people pooled their funds to purchase land specifically for their communities increasing holding large Juneteenth gatherings.
1900 STORM AND THE HISTORIC ASHTON VILLA HOME GALVESTON
Mr. Brown died in 1895, five years before the 1900 hurricane devastated Galveston. However, the house with its thick brick walls, managed to withstand the storm’s winds and infamous storm surge. The house served as shelter to Brown’s widow and children. The storm filled the home’s basement with sand and the surrounding grounds were topped with two feet of soil.
RECENT PAST
in 1927, Ashton Villa was sold to the El Mina Shrine masonic order. They made very little change to the building. The house served as their business offices and meeting hall until 1970. In 1970 the house was put up for sale. Under the threat of demolition, the Galveston Historical Foundation raised $125,000 to purchase Ashton Villa. With additional funding from local foundations and the government, the process of restoring and refurnishing Aston Villa began. Much of the original furniture and art was able to be retrieved. With the restoration project complete, the Galveston Historical Foundation opened the property to the public on July 25, 1974 to serve as a House Museum, visitors center, and a place for special events.
In 2008 during Hurricane Ike the first floor of Ashton Villa was submerged under more than 18 inches of water. It was restored. The Villa is no longer open for public tours, but the first floor is available for private bookings.
Ashton Villa is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
OTHER INTERESTING PLACES TO VISIT IN GALVESTON
If you found this blog, historic Ashton Villa home Galveston interesting, please visit my two other blogs about Other Landlarks on Broadway, 3 notable Galveston landmarks on Broadway (mygalvestonrealtor.com) and Elegantly Restored Grand Galvez Hotel Galveston TX (mygalvestonrealtor.com). Please leave your comments.
INTERESTED IN OWNING A HOME IN GALVESTON?
Do Follow “Homes For Sale” 6 active listings in galveston, texas usa (mygalvestonrealtor.com). Listings are updated each week. Questions? CALL or TEXT ME, Jerri Sutherland, Broker, eXp Realty LLC at (281) 796-0153. Interested in a property tour? Let me know and I can schedule a tour at your convenience. I live and work in Galveston, TX and I am here to serve you. I LOVE Galveston!