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Commission approves landmark nomination for 2528 Post Office, a house tied to Galveston’s historic red‑light district
Summary
The Galveston Landmark Commission voted unanimously to recommend landmark designation for a wood‑frame house at 2528 Post Office associated in historic records with brothel keeper Molly Walters; the request now goes to City Council for final action.
The Galveston Landmark Commission voted to approve a request to designate the house at 2528 Post Office as a Galveston landmark and forward the nomination to City Council for a final decision.
Staff said the house, completed in 1886 and commonly called the Molly Walters house, is significant for its architecture and its documented association with Galveston’s late‑19th and early‑20th century red‑light district. Daniel, a historic preservation staff member, told commissioners that historic evaluation is “content neutral” and that “it is our duty and best practice to consider the historic value of a structure regardless of anything else.”
The staff report describes the property as a two‑story, wood‑frame National Folk–style house on a corner lot, with porches on two sides and a history of alterations and restorations. The report says Molly Walters operated boarding houses and brothels in Galveston after arriving from New Orleans in 1868, purchased multiple properties, and by the 1890s had establishments in the area historically known as the city’s red‑light district. Staff noted the property already appears on the National Register and is eligible for local historic‑property financial incentives. The report recommended approval with the commission’s standard condition 1 and noted Planning Commission review on April 8 and City Council final action on April 24.
Architect Laura Carrera, who represented the applicant, said she and others involved in the nomination are “very excited about this property” and described research into the house’s history and connections to published local histories.
Commissioners moved and seconded the nomination and voted unanimously to approve the request and forward it to City Council for final consideration.
The nomination package and staff photos presented at the meeting show the house’s current exterior and reference an earlier bay window facing 26th Street that the current owners plan to restore. The staff report also referenced other Galveston properties previously recognized for associations with vice‑era history, including the R.F. Martin building, to show precedent for recognizing such sites under established historic‑preservation criteria.
