The year it was built
1894
An 1894 house that was lifted off the ground and kept
The house is older than the Seawall. In the grade raising it went up on jackscrews, like about 2,000 other buildings on the island.
What happened here, year by year?
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1874 | The Galveston Daily News calls the town the Oleander City in print. |
| 1894 | The house is built in the East End. |
| September 8, 1900 | The 1900 Storm. At least 6,000 of the island's 44,000 residents die. |
| 1902 to 1904 | The first Seawall is built, about 3.3 miles long and 17 feet above mean low tide. |
| 1903 to 1911 | The grade raising. About 2,000 buildings across some 500 blocks are lifted on jackscrews while sand is pumped underneath. |
| 1975 | The East End Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. |
| 1976 | The district is named a National Historic Landmark. |
| 2014 | Celeste Arceneaux buys the house and starts two years of work. |
| 2016 | The Meraki Inn opens. |
The island
What was the grade raising?
After the 1900 Storm, Galveston decided to stay and to get higher. The Seawall went up first, from 1902 to 1904. Then, from 1903 to 1911, the city raised the ground behind it.
About 2,000 buildings were lifted on jackscrews, a quarter turn at a time, while dredged sand was pumped underneath. Houses, churches and water lines all went up together, across some 500 city blocks.
The Seawall has been extended ever since and now runs for more than 10 miles along the Gulf.
The house
What is original in the house?
Celeste kept everything that could be kept. This list is part of the demo's story.
- The heart pine floors, in every room
- The staircase, the newel post and the stained glass over the door
- The double gallery porches and their railings
- Pocket doors between the parlor and the dining room
- The brick cistern in the garden, now a planter
- The carriage house, which is now The Darkroom
The district
What is the East End Historic District?
The inn's neighborhood: block after block of Victorian houses, a few minutes from the harbor.
About 150 acres
Roughly bounded by Broadway, Market, 19th and 9th streets.
More than 550 buildings
Most are Victorian, with a few Greek Revival houses that are older still.
A National Historic Landmark
Listed on the National Register in 1975 and named a landmark in 1976.
The house, answered
How old is the inn?
In this demo's story the house was built in 1894 and the inn opened in 2016.
Did the house survive the 1900 Storm?
In this demo's story, yes. The inn is fictional. The storm, the Seawall and the grade raising are real, and the figures on this page come from the American Society of Civil Engineers and the National Park Service.
Is the East End a historic district?
Yes. The East End Historic District covers about 150 acres and more than 550 buildings, and it has been a National Historic Landmark since 1976.
Your dates
Ask for your dates
Pick an arrival day, the number of nights and a room. The innkeeper replies the same day.
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