Bishop's Palace

Built between 1887 and 1893 for lawyer Walter Gresham, this four-story Victorian with turrets and carved stonework is one of Galveston's most photographed buildings — and one of the few that survived the 1900 hurricane.

During storms, Colonel Walter Gresham becomes restless. Witnesses see a figure pacing before the front door and around the curved porch before passing through the massive wooden doors. Some visitors near the entrance have been pushed, scratched, tripped, and even punched by an unseen force.

Gresham built this place. He is not about to let anyone mistreat it.

Bishop's Palace, at 1402 Broadway, is one of the most significant Victorian structures in the United States — the American Institute of Architects listed it among the 100 most important buildings in America. Architect Nicholas J. Clayton designed the Châteauesque mansion for Gresham and his wife Josephine between 1887 and 1893. It cost roughly ,000, which translates to over million today. The three-story castle over a raised basement features carved limestone with red sandstone and granite accents, and a steel frame that makes the outer walls twenty-three inches thick. That construction let it survive the Great Storm of 1900 virtually untouched while 6,000 Galvestonians died around it.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Galveston-Houston bought the mansion in 1923 for ,500. It served as the residence of Bishop Christopher Edward Byrne, giving the palace its name. The Galveston Historical Foundation acquired the property in 2013.

No documented tragedies occurred inside. The hauntings come from the people who loved this house.

Gresham patrols the exterior at night, checking that everything is secure. Josephine makes her presence known differently. Her card box — filled with postcards she mailed home from her travels — moves from room to room on its own. She loved entertaining and sharing her collection with guests. She still does. Both Walter and Josephine have been seen and heard pacing through the halls of their castle.