Monday, June 25, 2018

First Baptist Church of Galveston


The First Baptist Church Galveston is the oldest Southern Baptist Church in Texas, having been organized by James Huckins (1807-1863), with nine charter members on February 3, 1840. Their first permanent house of worship was a log cabin sanctuary erected near the corner of 22nd Street and Sealy Avenue (Avenue I) in 1847. The congregation's second building, was built in 1883, and featured seven steeples. Designed by architect Nathaniel Tobey, Jr., it was a mixture of Gothic and Eastern Orthodox styles. It was destroyed in the 1900 storm, and the original log cabin sanctuary was crushed by the falling church building. A replacement building was dedicated in 1905 and constructed with heavy mortar walls and a dome. It was replaced in 1958 by the fourth (and current) church structure.






Thursday, June 21, 2018

Harmony Hall Masonic Temple 1884-1928

The Harmony Hall No. 6, the extravagant Scottish Rite Temple was designed by architect Nicholas J. Clayton.

This Masonic Temple was situated at the southeast corner of 21st and Post Office Streets. Its cornerstone was laid in 1882 and completed in 1884.

The leading features of the architecture style were its plaster buttresses and Gothic detail engrafted on classic forms of the Italian renaissance, with the distinctive details of each style modified in a harmonious manner to blend the pleasing features of each. A preponderance of Gothic outlines was maintained in the arched construction, the tracery of the openings, and other salient features of this distinctively Northern European style.

The buildings corner tower was sheared off during the 1900 Storm, and not replaced. Sadly, the building was later destroyed by fire in 1928.

A front page story in The Galveston Daily News on the following day said: “A demon fire licked his way ravenously through the rich furnishings, gutted the building, cracked its wall with fiery breath, and sent flying debris into the streets where thousands of Galvestonians stood helplessly by.”

“Back then, many of the Masons worked downtown and even as the building burned, they were able to save many of the library books and some of the furniture,” said Abbie Hughes, a master Mason and member of the Scottish Rite for 56 years.

“They moved almost everything, even the grandfather clock, from the hall’s first floor to the Kahn & Levy Building directly across the street. Levy, a Mason, stored them until the new building was complete.”

The elaborate Italian marble staircase also was saved, salvaged from the charred remains.

“It was removed piece by piece, cleaned and given a place in our new home,” Wood said.

In fact, the surviving staircase became a centerpiece for the current cathedral, the Art Deco masterpiece designed by Alfred C. Finn.

Gruetzmacher Print Shop on the Strand

The late Frank Heizer sent me the photograph below showing Ritter's Saloon and Cafe (owned by Thomas Ritter, 1848-1903) immediately after the 1900 Galveston Storm. His e-mail got my juices flowing, and I did a little research into the family legend that it was the Gruetzmacher's printing presses that crashed through the ceiling into Ritter's Cafe, killing several customers.

First off, I checked my records for the location of Paul Gruetzmacher's shop, finding it located at 2109 Strand (on the 2nd floor), circa 1896, which was the last confirmed date I have. After that date, Paul is mentioned in the city directories as a printer, but gives no business address. 

The building at 2109 Strand was built for Clara (nee Gruetzmacher) Lang in 1887-1888. Clara was the sister of the printer Paul Gruetzmacher.
I was able to confirm with the Rosenberg Library that Ritter's was also located at 2109 Strand, and not on Mechanic street, as had been stated in at least one report. According to the Sanborn Insurance maps for 1899 Galveston, the address of 2109 Strand was assigned to the second building from 21st street, on the south side. In the photo above, this is the 4-story dark-colored building with the large pile of wreckage in front. The top floors were blown away by the 100-120 mph hurricane winds. This building is still standing, and is the (now) two-story building painted green in the modern photo, below.
To give you an idea of where this building is, it is located across and down the street from The Old Strand Emporium, which has been a fixture on the street for at least the last 35 years.
So, now we know that it may have indeed been Paul Gruetzmacher's printing presses that fell through the ceiling of Ritter's Cafe the afternoon of the storm, resulting in the first fatalities of the deadly hurricane. One first-hand report had called it "a strongly-built brick building, which was thought to be very safe" As the wind increased in velocity, "a blast of wind tore the roof from the building, collapsing the ceiling onto the ground-floor dining room. Desks, chairs and presses from the printing shop on the second floor crashed onto the diners."
One of these days, I will pore through the daily Galveston newspapers just prior to the Storm to see if I can find any mention of Paul Gruetzmacher's shop being open. I think there is a good possibility that the presses on the 2nd floor at 2109 Strand were indeed Paul's.

Johann Friedrich W. Ahrens, Alderman and Cabinetmaker

Johann Friedrich W. Ahrens, was born August 7, 1818 in Schleswig-Holstein. Johann married Bettie Burtner and to this union at least 3 children were born; Wilhelmina, Betty and Ann. He and his family lived at 24-26 East Market Street. [Old style address.] (Marston 1868, p. 17.) He was a cabinetmaker by trade, and served as a City Alderman in 1865 and 1866.

Ahrens immigrated from the Kingdom of Hanover to Galveston in 1845, on board the Hamilton. (Chester William Geue and Ethel Hander Geue, A New Land Beckoned, p. 76).

He was situated in Galveston before 1849, when The Galveston Weekly News had printed his advertisement, "Cabinet Making and Repairing. The subscribers furniture manufactory to be found on the corner of Post Office and 22nd Street, directly opposite Mr. Lurcher's Grocery. He is prepared to execute at short notice, all orders for making, repairing, or cleaning any kind of furniture that may be wanted. He keeps on hand a supply of Cedar, Black Walnut, Magnolia, Mahogany, etc. ready seasoned and prepared for use. His prices will be found very low, and the style of work may be seen by giving him a call." In the 1856-7 Galveston Directory, his advertisement was virtually the same but a different address given on Market Street. By 1860, Census data reveals JFW Ahrens is the foremost furniture manufacturer in Galveston County with $1,692 of Total Value of Furniture Produced. The shop employed two hands, to produce 24 desks, 18 bookcases, and 48 tables. Galveston records show that his business continued as late as 1870 (Texas Furniture, The Cabinetmakers and Their Work, 1840-1880, by Lonn Taylor and David B. Warren, Forward by Miss Ima Hogg, University of Texas Press, Austin and London, (C) 1975, pages 275, 333, and Texas Furniture, Volume Two: The Cabinetmakers and Their Work, 1840–1880; By Lonn Taylor, David B. Warren. pp. 257.)


AN ANTIQUE TEXAS CARVED PINE AND CEDAR WARDROBE, BY GALVESTON CABINETMAKER JOHANN FRIEDRICH AHRENS, THIRD QUARTER 19TH CENTURY, the rectangular top above recess paneled hinged doors with the right door interior centering the manufacturers black stenciled label, "From J.F.W. AHRENS Furniture MANUFACTORY GALVESTON, Tex," opening to an interior enclosing adjustable shelves including one drawer and hand carved garment hooks, over a scalloped skirt rail. Height: 73"" Width: 51 1/4"" Depth: 20 3/8








Ahrens supposedly fought in the Civil War for the 1st Texas Infantry State Troops. I find this service to be doubtful, as he would have been about 43 years-old in 1861, and I think this would have been a little to old to serve in such an active regiment.

Johann Ahrens died December 8, 1870, and was buried in the Old City Cemetery, Galveston.

His wife Bettie (Burtner) Ahrens was born June 27, 1822, in Germany, and died November 27, 1912 (age 92) in Houston, Harris County, Texas. She was buried in the Old City Cemetery, Galveston.

Galveston Fire of 1885

The Galveston fire of 1885, started on Friday, November 13 near the business district. The sheet music to the left celebrating the fire is a song written by Louis Gruetzmacher, with music by Jacob Day.

Cary Cartwright, in his history 'Galveston' writes:

"The fire began at a foundry near 17th and the Strand, and a stiff north wind swept it from rooftop to rooftop.... Flames raged out of control, cutting a four-block-wide swath across the center of the Island-from the Strand, over Broadway, past Avenue O, nearly to the beach. Homeowners raced ahead to save what they could.... In the street, people stumbled about, dazed and bewildered.

"Galveston's first professional fire department was barely a month old and no match for the conflagration. The pressure on its newly installed saltwater system proved insufficient, and bits of shell clogged the nozzles of the firehose. By the time it burned itself out, the fire had consumed forty-two blocks, destroying 568 buildings and homes.... Amazingly, no one died."