GHF is honored to announce the establishment of the “Josephine Lockhart Reid Fund.” This one million dollar endowed fund, given by Josephine Reid in 2017, will benefit repair, maintenance and special projects of the 1892 Bishop’s Palace. Projects planned include art and stained glass restoration as well as furniture conservation. Josephine Reid, who passed away in late 2016, is a descendant of Walter and Josephine Gresham’s oldest daughter, Esther Gresham Lockhart, and has been a longtime supporter of GHF and the 1892 Bishop’s Palace. See details here: https://goo.gl/kAAg4T. Bishop's Palace will reopen tomorrow. We hope to see you then! #BishopsPalace #BetweentheWingedLions

Getting the house ready to reopen tomorrow! Come by for a visit.

Closing the house for a week often means cleaning, but it also means research. So, because I know all of you out there are in love with historic door hardware like I am, here's some dinner conversation starters for you! All of the interior hardware was manufactured by Sargent & Co., of New Haven Conn. The hardware upstairs is named "Ekado" and is based on design patent #16,205, August 18, 1885 by Hermann Jaworski. More than likely this was purchased out of the 1887 catalog. We reopen on Saturday the 13th..come see it for yourself!

The Gresham’s filled their home with portraits of their children. In the rotunda, a life sized portrait of Thomas Dew Gresham occupies the nook. The portrait between the bedroom and what is now the chapel depicts a young Frank Gresham. Bishop's Palace reopens on Saturday! We hope to see you then. #BishopsPalace #BetweentheWingedLions

This photograph shows the original stained glass panel on the stairs that Mr Gresham said represented “Morning.” It was allegedly replaced after a storm by Bishop Byrne with the window of St Therese of Lisieux that fills the space today. Come enjoy all the gorgeous stained glass when Bishop's Palace reopens on January 13th. #BishopsPalace #BetweentheWingedLions

One of Mrs Gresham’s favorite ways to decorate their home was to line the halls with ferns and greenery as seen here looking into the front parlor. The “tree trunk” was actually made of cork and the dog is a stuffed animal! What a hoot! While we may not have stuffed dogs lying around today, the house is still a sight to behold. Bishop's Palace will reopen on January 13th. #BishopsPalace #BetweentheWingedLions

When hosting parties at their home, Mrs Gresham lined the stairs with pillows as seen in this photograph so that tired guests could rest from dancing. It made an excellent secluded spot for couples to gather and talk away from the music. Can you imagine attending one of Mrs. Gresham's parties? They must've been extraordinary. Bishop's Palace will reopen to the public on January 13th. #BishopsPalace #BetweentheWingedLions

Did you know before it was a chapel it was a bedroom? When Bishop Byrne moved into the house he converted Josie Gresham’s bedroom into the private chapel seen today. Hanging in between the windows is a pennant for Cornell University, where Josie’s brother Frank attended college. Join us on January 13th when Bishop's Palace reopens to see how it looks today! #BishopsPalace #BetweentheWingedLions

Here the partially set dining room table waits for its guests on January 1st, 1899. All of the china, crystal, and silver normally stayed neatly in the butler’s pantry accessed by the door on the far end of the dining room. The Greshams stored their silver punch bowl (seen peaking out of the bottom left corner) in the built in cabinet when not in use. We can just imagine what a lovely New Year's party this must've been! And now Bishop's Palace sits almost empty getting cleaned and spiffed up for the return of our tours on January 13th. #BishopsPalace #BetweentheWingedLions

Bishop’s Palace is cleared out and ready for her deep clean! Come visit when she reopens on the 12th all shiny and spiffed up.

What an honor! We are "The Best of the Island!" https://www.galveston.com/bestofgalveston