Galvez Hotel
Encyclopedia
The Hotel Galvez is a historic hotel
located in Galveston, Texas
, United States
that opened in 1911. The building was named the Galvez, honoring Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid, Count of Gálvez
, for whom the city was named. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on April 4, 1979.
using a combination of Mission Revival and Spanish Revival styles. The hotel opened in June 1911 at a cost of $1 million.
On October 3, 1940, the Galvez Hotel was acquired by William Lewis Moody, Jr.
During World War II
, the hotel was occupied by the United States Coast Guard
for two years and rooms were not rented to tourists. The Galvez's importance to the local economy was restored after the war, particularly during the late 1940s and early 1950s when gambling
was popular in Galveston. However, when the illegal gambling industry was shut down in the mid 1950s by the Texas Rangers
, the local economy became depressed and the Galvez deteriorated.
The hotel received a major refurbishing in 1965. In 1971, the hotel was acquired by Harvey O. McCarthey and Dr. Leon Bromberg. In 1979, another major renovation to the hotel was initiated by Denton Cooley
, who purchased the hotel in 1978, and it became a Marriott
franchise in 1989. The hotel was purchased in April 1995 by Galveston native and real estate developer George P. Mitchell
. Mitchell restored the hotel to its historic 1911 look. While owned by Mitchell Historic Properties, a 1996 management agreement gave day-to-day operational control to Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
under the name Hotel Galvez. The hotel has 226 rooms and suites.
During Hurricane Ike
in 2008, the hotel lost clay tiles from its roof and was flooded on its lower level, where the spa
, health club
, business offices
, and laundry
were located.
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
located in Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that opened in 1911. The building was named the Galvez, honoring Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid, Count of Gálvez
Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid, Count of Gálvez
Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid, Viscount of Galveston and Count of Gálvez was a Spanish military leader and the general of Spanish forces in New Spain who served as governor of Louisiana and Cuba and as viceroy of New Spain.Gálvez aided the Thirteen Colonies in their quest for independence and led...
, for whom the city was named. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on April 4, 1979.
History
Galveston civic leaders planned on building the Galvez Hotel in 1898 after a fire destroyed another large hotel (the Beach Hotel) on Galveston Island. After the Hurricane of 1900, the plans accelerated in order to draw tourists back to the island. The hotel was designed by Mauran, Russell & Crowell of St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
using a combination of Mission Revival and Spanish Revival styles. The hotel opened in June 1911 at a cost of $1 million.
On October 3, 1940, the Galvez Hotel was acquired by William Lewis Moody, Jr.
William Lewis Moody, Jr.
William Lewis Moody Jr. was an American financier and entrepreneur from Galveston, Texas, who founded a private bank, an insurance company, and one of the largest charitable foundations in the United States. Moody was active in the day-to-day operations of his companies until two days before his...
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the hotel was occupied by the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
for two years and rooms were not rented to tourists. The Galvez's importance to the local economy was restored after the war, particularly during the late 1940s and early 1950s when gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
was popular in Galveston. However, when the illegal gambling industry was shut down in the mid 1950s by the Texas Rangers
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
, the local economy became depressed and the Galvez deteriorated.
The hotel received a major refurbishing in 1965. In 1971, the hotel was acquired by Harvey O. McCarthey and Dr. Leon Bromberg. In 1979, another major renovation to the hotel was initiated by Denton Cooley
Denton Cooley
Denton Arthur Cooley is an American heart surgeon famous for performing the first implantation of a total artificial heart. Cooley is also founder and surgeon in-chief of the Texas Heart Institute, chief of Cardiovascular Surgery at St...
, who purchased the hotel in 1978, and it became a Marriott
Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. is a worldwide operator and franchisor of a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities. Founded by J. Willard Marriott, the company is now led by son J.W. Marriott, Jr...
franchise in 1989. The hotel was purchased in April 1995 by Galveston native and real estate developer George P. Mitchell
George P. Mitchell
George Phydias Mitchell is an American businessman, real estate developer and philanthropist from Texas.-Biography:He was born to Greek immigrant parents in the port city of Galveston, Texas. Mitchell earned a degree from Texas A&M University with an emphasis in geology and petroleum engineering...
. Mitchell restored the hotel to its historic 1911 look. While owned by Mitchell Historic Properties, a 1996 management agreement gave day-to-day operational control to Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Wyndham Hotels and Resorts is a group of chains of hotels and resorts located mainly in the United States and Canada, but also in Mexico and the Caribbean.-History:...
under the name Hotel Galvez. The hotel has 226 rooms and suites.
During Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
in 2008, the hotel lost clay tiles from its roof and was flooded on its lower level, where the spa
Day spa
A day spa is a business establishment which people visit for professionally administered personal care treatments such as massages and facials. It is similar to a beauty salon in that it is only visited for the duration of the treatment. Day spas sited in airport terminals are often called airport...
, health club
Health club
A health club is a place which houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise.-Main workout area:...
, business offices
Office
An office is generally a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it ; the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty. When used as an adjective, the...
, and laundry
Industrial laundry
Large institutions that require a constant flow of clean linen, working-clothing or uniform, will often employ the services of an industrial laundry. Hospitals, prisons and hotels, for instance, will usually have their own laundry departments. The organized collection, laundering and timely...
were located.