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Free Traveling Guides » States » Texas » Greater TexasAshton Villa
Ashton Villa, situated along Broadway in Galveston, Texas, was established by James Moreau Brown in 1859. Brown was a banker, a wholesale hardware merchant, railroad corporation president, and the richest man in Texas. This Italianate home was the grandest mansion in the state at the time it was built. It was the first brick house to be built in Texas. Wonderfully renovated in 1971, Ashton Villa has been now listed on the National register of Historic Places and is also designated as a Recorded Texas Historic landmark. Today, Ashton Villa is full of antiques, original art, and family heirlooms. It offers a close glimpse into the life of a well-known Victorian family.
Ashton Villa was one of the very few homes that survived the Great Storm of 1900. After the Brown family left the mansion, it became home to the El Mina Shrine Temple. However, the Shriners moved out by the 1970s and the villa was in line for annihilation. Fortunately, the property was bought from the federal government by the city of Galveston, for use as a museum. Ashton Villa is the greatest treasure of the Galveston Island and is open to the public since 1974.
Ashton Villa is also considered to be the “most haunted building in America”. The ceiling fans in the Villa have been known to turn themselves on; a chest of drawers in Bettie Brown’s dayroom reportedly locks and unlocks without a key; one bed refuses to stay made; and the ghost of Bettie has been also seen a number of times in the Gold Room. People on tours have also reported feeling a presence around them. The main attractions in the campus include the Heritage Visitors Center, a gift shop, and an information center.
At present, Ashton Villa is the center of the social life of the Island. Enchanting settings for receptions and weddings, parties, meetings, and luncheons are offered by the elegant ballroom of the Villa. Other features of this extraordinarily beautiful villa include a Caterer’s prep room, convenient parking, and rest room facilities. This opulent Mansion had set the standard for all he magnificent homes that followed. It is a great place to visit or to celebrate your next function.
- Address: 1859 Ashton Villa,
2328 Broadway,
Galveston, TX 77550
- Telephone: (409) 762-3933
- Hours of Operation: Summer: Mon - Sat, 10 AM - 4 PM; Sun, Noon - 4 PM; Winter: Noon - 4 PM daily
- Tours: Noon - 4 PM daily, on the hour
- Website: www.galvestonhistory.org/
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