An Archeological Field Inspection of Resources Discovered During Construction at the GSA New Generator Building Galveston, Texas

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Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge the very able and efficient assistance of Ms. Margaret Schlankey, Archival Assistant, Rosenberg Library, Galveston, whose timely and unselfish assistance made it possible for the investigation team to accomplish this work within a one-day time frame (Click here to visit the Rosenberg Library Web Page).

Management Summary/Abstract

On January 14, 1993, John H. Jameson, Jr., archeologist at the Interagency Archeological Services Division, National Park Service, Atlanta, Georgia (NPS-IASD), and William J. Hunt, Jr., archeologist at the NPS Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln, Nebraska, conducted a preliminary archival study and field inspection of historic resources discovered during construction by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) at a new generator building site in Galveston, Texas.

The resources were determined to be brick and mortar foundations and a partially exposed basement floor of marble in the northwest corner of a courthouse/post office/customs building constructed in 1888-1892 and designed by renowned architect Nicholas J. Clayton. The exposed resources were recorded and photographed. Besides construction debris, no other historic materials were observed during the investigation. In response to verbal recommendations by NPS, and following verbal concurrence by the Texas Historical Commission, GSA carried out measures to avoid impacting the resources. These measures consisted of covering the exposed foundations with Mirafi 140-N filter fabric and an 8-inch thick layer of sterile sand. With the implementation of these protection measures, we recommend that the project proceed and that no further cultural resources investigations are needed.

Introduction

This report presents the results of a field inspection by two NPS archeologists of a construction area located immediately west of the existing federal post office/courthouse, corner of Church Street (or Avenue F) and 25th Street (or Rosenberg Street), in downtown Galveston, Texas. The work was conducted in compliance with and according to standards required by the National Historic Preservation Act and federal regulation 36 CFR 800.

During the construction of 4-5 feet deep foundation trenches by the GSA construction contractor, brick and mortar foundations were exposed at three places. Each exposure revealed the upper portions of a 3-5 foot foundation. At one exposure, the remains of a marble floor were also exposed. Following verbal consultation with the Texas Historical Commission (SHPO), GSA (Tai Tran, Project Manager, Design and Construction Division, GSA Region 7) contacted IASD-NPS requesting technical assistance. GSA plans to construct a new generator building that will service the existing federal post office/courthouse and other government buildings in the immediate vicinity. The investigation was carried out on January 14, 1993.

The purposes of the investigations were to: (1) assess the situation and provide recommendations for further archeological work, if needed; (2) in as great an extent as is possible in the time available, identify, record, and evaluate any observed cultural resources; (3) assess potential impacts to cultural resources; and (4) provide recommendations to GSA for reducing or eliminating adverse effects to significant resources.

This report includes copies of selected maps, photographs and newspaper articles maintained and supplied courtesy of the Rosenberg Library, Galveston and Texas History Center, 2310 Sealy Avenue, Galveston, Texas 77550.

Setting

Project Location

The project area is located in the north-central portion of the city block formed by the intersections of the north-south oriented 25th and 26th streets and the east-west oriented Church and Post Office streets in Galveston, Texas (Figure 2: 76.5 KB and Figure 3: 114.0 KB). The construction trenches encompass an area of approximately 600 square feet and are located immediately behind (west of) the northwest corner of the existing federal post office/courthouse.

Natural Environment

The city of Galveston, encompassed by Galveston Island, is located on the northwest coast of the Gulf of Mexico, about 50 miles southeast of Houston, Texas (Figure 1 at right). The city lies on the northeastern end of Galveston Island at the entrance to Galveston Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico. The barrier island, first formed about 5,000 years ago (Sherwood Gagliano, personal communication, 1993), lies about 2 miles from and parallels the Texas coast. It varies in width between 1.5 and 3 miles and is 27 miles in length. An uninterrupted sandy beach borders on the east side, while salt marches and tidal flats predominate on the west or harbor side.

The climate of the island is semi-tropical with soils consisting of gray and grayish-brown to pale yellow fine sands. The brackish water table typically lies about 4 feet below surface, and historic period inhabitants have always had to imports potable water or depend on cisterns (McComb 1986: 6-8). The island is uncommonly susceptible to hurricanes; eleven major storms were recorded in the 19th century in the years 1810, 1815, 1818, 1837, 1842, 1867, 1871, 1875, 1886 (two separate storms), and 1900 (McComb 1986: 26-31).

Cultural Environment

Prehistory. Humans likely have occupied the Texas shoreline, at least on a transient or intermittent basis, since late Pleistocene and early Holocene times, some 10-15,000 years ago. In fact, lower sea levels would have allowed occupation of shorelines located as far as 60-150 miles farther out into the Gulf of Mexico. PaleoIndians and early Archaic period groups occupied the nearby McFadden Beach area and also likely inhabited the Galveston Bay area (Larry D. Banks, personal communication, 1993). However, because Galveston Island probably did not form until about 5,000 years ago, no archeological evidence would be expected prior to that date (Sherwood Gagliano, personal communication, 1993). Archeological investigations have uncovered absolute evidence for occupation by hunting and gathering groups starting about A.D. 500. Only a half dozen small, aboriginal sites, relating mostly to the historic Karankawa and their predecessors, have been recorded to date (Carolyn Murphy, personal communication, 1993). No prehistoric sites are known from the immediate vicinity of the project area.

Historic period. Notwithstanding its susceptibility to hurricanes, Galveston has nevertheless endured and prospered as a important seaport. It was headquarters for 19th century pirates such as Jean Laffite, and was a major Confederate port during the Civil War. The port enjoyed its primary affluence as a seaport during the second half of the 19th century, but by the 1890's, was losing in the competition with Houston and other ports. Two major disasters, a fire in 1885 and the cataclysmic hurricane of 1900, dampened economic prosperity. The modern city is a deepwater port of entry whose economy is based on oil refining, shipbuilding, dry-cargo export, and food processing. With a declining maritime economy, the city has more recently promoted other economic pursuits such as tourism (McComb 1986; Cartwright 1991). The seat of Galveston County, it has a present population of about 60,000.

The project area is located on a central city block that was likely inhabited by Americans by 1850 (McComb 1986: 42-83) (Figure 2: 76.5 KB).

Field Methods

The project area was inspected by team members John Jameson and Bill Hunt on January 14, 1993. At approximately 9:00 am, Hunt and I met on-site with the GSA construction contractor and project architect. After brief discussions, we recommended a program of archeological recordings and archival investigations with the objectives of identifying and recording the exposed foundations, making tentative evaluations of impacts, and providing preliminary recommendations to GSA for meeting 36 CFR 800 compliance standards. This program was carried out during the course of the day, with Bill Hunt examining and recording the in situ foundation remains, while I attempted a local records search.

Results

Records Search

Having noted references to the Rosenberg Library as a primary archival source in McComb's Galveston, A History publication, I decided to begin my archival inquiries there. Upon my arrival at the library, Ms. Margaret Schlankey, Archival Assistant in the library's Galveston and Texas History Center, suggested that the subject foundation ruins were likely associated with the late 19th courthouse that stood on the site. Ms. Schlankey referred to the 19th century structure as the "Clayton building," which had been razed to make way for the construction of the current (circa 1935) post office/courthouse. Fortunately, the Galveston and Texas History Center was found to contain substantive and germane archives including Sanborn fire insurance maps from 1885 and later, in addition to microfilm copies of local newspapers, and period photographs.

Sanborn fire insurance maps. The Sanborn maps (Figure 3: 114.0 KB, Figure 4: 38.8 KB, Figure 5: 44.0 KB, Figure 6: 35.1 KB, and Figure 7: 37.5 KB) are color coded, and include four pertinent volumes: one consists of the set of original 1885 maps; a second was a 1889 edition; the third a 1912 edition; and the fourth is the post-1912 edition with post-1912 revisional updates pasted on. The Sanborn map of 1885 (Figure 3: 114.0 KB) depicts the subject block as containing a number of commercial buildings, including a lumber yard, cobbler, grocery, and meat house. The north half of the block is labelled "SITE FOR NEW COURT HO." I noticed that the post-1912 volume showed the project area with a plan outline of the existing ca. 1935 structure pasted and superimposed on the plan outline of the 1888-1892 Clayton-designed structure. When I adjusted and superimposed the microfilm photocopies of the two maps (see and compare Figure 5: 44.0 KB and Figure 6: 35.1 KB), the approximate relative alignments of both structures could be delineated. From this alignment, it appears that the project foundations are likely part of the northwest corner of the 1892 Clayton building. Although I was not allowed to copy the maps directly from the originals, I was able to make microfilm photocopies.

Newspaper articles. I was able to locate and make microfilm photocopies of several contemporary articles in the Galveston Daily News (GDN) relating to the construction and demolition of the Clayton-designed postoffice/courthouse. In the June 4, 1887 edition, Clayton is quoted (page 8), saying that it is rare for a private architect to be contracted by the government to design the building, since design for federal buildings are usually produced inhouse by the office of the supervising architect in Washington, D.C. Because of the cost and intricateness of the building, "it is hard to obtain men competent to complete the work." The January 9, 1889 edition included (page 8) a short column where Clayton states: "The work upon the massive foundation, with its unusually complex arched construction of the best class of brickmasonry laid in cement, [is] now rising nearly ten feet above a remarkably solid substratum of concrete and blocks of Texas granite."

Architect Nicholas J. Clayton was the first professional architect in the state and purportedly the most important Victorian architect in Galveston, having a long list of renowned structures to his credit, including the Block-Oppenheimer and W.L. Moody buildings on the Strand, the elaborate Gresham House (alias Bishop's Palace), and many others (McComb 1986: 65).

The June 4, 1891 issue of GDN (page 8) contained an article entitled: "The New Federal Building. The Handsome Structure Nearing Completion," which gives more details of the construction:

And finally, the September 30, 1891 issue (page 8) also contained a detailed article entitled: "A Beautiful Structure. Uncle Sam's Building is About Completed":

By the 1930's, however, public (or least GDN's) architectural tastes and opinions had changed dramatically. Instead of praise for the "one of the prettiest and most imposing structures to be found in the southwest," the paper states, in the November 10, 1935 edition:

In the waning moments before the wielding of the 1935 wrecking ball, Nicholas Clayton must have turned over in his grave.

Photographs. Several contemporary photographs and photocopies are on file at the Rosenberg Library's Galveston and Texas History Center (Figure 7: 37.5 KB, Figure 8, and Figure 9).

Field Recording

Three weeks prior to our field visit, GSA had discovered brick foundations and had halted construction activities. The construction trenches were located one meter west of the northwest corner of the existing post office/courthouse (see Appendix). They were placed to allow construction of the subsurface concrete foundation for a new building that will house an emergency electrical generating system. The trenches formed a generally rectangular pattern, varying from one to two meters in width, with two unexcavated blocks, and encompassing a 600 square foot area. At the time of our visit, the walls of trenches had slumped and bases were muddy from the runoff of recent rains.

Despite the slumping and muddy conditions, brick foundations could be seen on the north and south sides of the excavation area (Figure 11 and Figure 13: 31.1 KB). Those on the south side appeared rounded on the upper surface and may have been damaged during the construction of the existing (constructed circa 1935) structure. The exposed foundation on the north side was 'L' shaped, the long axis oriented east-west and aligned with the shorter segment in the south trench. No rounding or evidence of recent damage from construction was observed.

During an on-site meeting, the project A/E contractor pointed out a location at the northeast margin of the south foundation segment where grayish-white marble flooring was exposed. Slate fragments were observed on top of the northern foundation segment near the corner. Another foundation arm was found to be projecting to the north near the east end of the segment. Pipes were observed crossing the middle portion of the eastern-most trench; these are not currently functional and, according to the A/E contractor, will be left in place when the concrete foundations are poured.

When Bill Hunt removed the slumped fill from the trench, he observed a massive, red brick and concrete foundation varying in width from 0.64 meters to 0.76 meters at the upper surface (Figure 14, Figure 15: 36.8 KB, Figure 16: 39.5 KB, Figure 17, Figure 18: 30.4 KB, Figure 19: 30.1 KB, Figure 20: 40.8 KB, Figure 21: 39.3 KB, and Figure 22: 33.0 KB). The brick was hard-fired and uniform, suggesting a late 19th to early 20th century construction date. We also noted a lack of cut nails in the construction fill, suggesting a post-1885 construction date. The basally expanding brick footer suggested a massive structure. The position of the foundation ruins below the level of the existing post office/courthouse foundations suggested a pre-1935 context. Artifacts observed in direct association with the foundation segments include: red brick, concrete fragments, marble fragment (similar to flooring), gray slate (roofing fragments?), and wire nails.

Recording procedures included preparation of sketch maps of the trenches and exposed foundation features and the taking of both black & white prints and color slides. Originals are temporarily on file at the NPS-IASD office in Atlanta.

Summary and Conclusions

Archival investigations. Limited archival investigations at the Rosenberg Library resulted in substantive background information derived mostly from contemporary newspaper accounts, Sanborn fire insurance maps, and photographs. One particularly revealing observation was the overlapping alignments when microfilm photocopies of the 1889 and post-1935 paste-over Sanborn maps were compared. From this, it appears that the subject foundations are part of the northwest corner of the Clayton building.

When first constructed, the Clayton structure was widely admired as "one of the most beautiful edifices in the state ... one of the prettiest and most imposing structures to be found in the southwest ... The postoffice will occupy the ground floor, the custom house the second and the United States court the third."

Contemporary newspaper accounts provide details on the construction: the foundations were of concrete and granite; the construction carried all the loads on metal columns; the building was of St. Louis pressed brick and Lake Superior sandstone with terra cotta trimmings; the pillars were of polished granite and the roof entirely of slate; each story had three large corridors with white marble tiling; each story had wash stands, stalls and closets constructed of Tennessee pink marble with nickel-plated fittings; the basement was used for toilet rooms for the post office and for the steam heating apparatus.

Field recording. The subject brick foundations were observed on the north and south sides of the GSA contractor's excavation area. At the northeast margin of the south foundation segment, grayish-white marble flooring was exposed and recorded. Slate fragments were observed on top of the northern foundation segment. Another foundation arm was found to be projecting to the north near the east end of this segment. When recently slumped fill was removed from the trench, we observed and recorded a massive, red brick and concrete foundation. A lack of cut nails in the construction fill suggested a post-1885 construction date. The position of the foundation ruins below the level of the existing post office/courthouse foundations suggested a pre-1935 context. Artifacts observed in direct association with the foundation segments included: red brick, concrete fragments, marble fragment (similar to flooring), gray slate (roofing fragments?), and wire nails.

Conclusions. Field recording and archival study by NPS archeologists of cultural resources discovered during construction by GSA has determined the resources to be brick and mortar foundations and a partially exposed basement floor of marble associated with a courthouse/post office/customs building designed by architect Nicholas Clayton and constructed in 1888-1892. Our observations in the field of the brick foundations and marble flooring appear to be consistant with contempory newspaper accounts, Sanborn fir insurance maps, and photograghs. Besides construction debris, no other historic materials were observed during the this investigation.

Recommendations

In response to verbal recommendations by NPS, and following verbal concurrence by the Texas Historical Commission, GSA carried out measures to avoid impacting the resources. These measures consisted of covering the exposed foundations with Mirafi 140-N filter fabric and an 8-inch thick layer of sterile sand. With the implementation of these protection measures, we recommend that the project proceed and that no further cultural resources investigations are needed.

References Cited

Cartwright, Gary
- 1991 Galveston, A History of the Island. Atheneum, Macmillan Publishing Co., New York.

McComb, David G.
- 1986 Galveston, A History. University of Texas Press, Austin.

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