Homes Tour Happy Hour featuring Menard Margaritas

1605 33rd Street,Galveston TX 77550

13 May, 2023

Description

Celebrate the 49th annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour with self-guided tours of the oldest home on Galveston Island! Typically not open to the public, the 1838 Menard House will play host to light appetizers, margaritas, music, and more. Event Details Tickets are non-refundable.Street parking is available on the blocks surrounding the Menard House on a first-come, first-serve basis. No shuttle service is offered.Please wear soft-soled shoes to minimize harm to floors.In case of inclement weather, the tour may be stopped temporarily.Smoking, food, drinks, and pets are not permitted.ABOUT THE 1838 MENARD HOUSE | One of the founders of the City of Galveston, Michel B. Menard, arrived in Texas in 1829. He was born near Montreal in 1805 and entered the fur trading company of John Jacob Astor at the age of 14. Menard arrived in Nacogdoches in the 1830s and began speculating in Texas land. Because the land was only granted to Mexican- born Texans at that time, many of Menard’s land deals were made by Juan Seguin, a Mexican citizen who eventually fought under Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto. Seguin purchased 4,600 acres at the eastern end of Galveston Island on behalf of Menard in December 1836. With this claim, Menard formed the Galveston City Company with Samuel May Williams and other prominent Texas businessmen in 1838. Galveston was incorporated a year later. The house, built in 1838 and the oldest on the island, is in the Greek revival style. The furniture and furnishings, with few exceptions, all date from the first half of the 19th century (1800-1850s). They are of the federal, empire, regency, Biedermeier, and William IV styles, as interpreted by American, English, French and German artisans. Carpets, drapes, and upholstery fabrics are reproductions appropriate for the period 1830-1850. Michel Menard died in 1856, and his descendants occupied the house until 1879. In 1880, the house was bought by Edwin N. Ketchum. Ketchum was police chief during the 1900 Storm. The Ketchum family owned the home until the 1970s. ABOUT THE GALVESTON HISTORIC HOMES TOUR | Galveston Historical Foundation opens the doors to Galveston’s architectural history through public tours of privately owned homes during its annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour. Large, small, and everything in between, the 2022 tour will have something for everyone! In addition to the tours, the annual event features numerous special events, allowing guests unique experiences in many of the tour homes and historic sites across the island. ABOUT GALVESTON HISTORICAL FOUNDATION | GHF was formed as the Galveston Historical Society in 1871 and merged with a new organization formed in 1954 as a non-profit entity devoted to historic preservation and history in Galveston County. Over the last sixty years, GHF has expanded its mission to encompass community redevelopment, historic preservation advocacy, maritime preservation, coastal resiliency, and stewardship of historic properties. GHF embraces a broader vision of history and architecture that encompasses advancements in environmental and natural sciences and their intersection with historic buildings and coastal life and conceives of history as an engaging story of individual lives and experiences on Galveston Island from the 19th century to the present day.