Carl and Hilda Biehl House, Galveston
The Carl and Hilda Biehl House is a striking example of early 20th-century architecture designed by Anton F. Korn Jr. and built in 1916. Nestled beside the Bishop鈥檚 Palace and neighboring another Korn-designed home, the Biehl House stands out with its elegant structure and later-added sunroom featuring large glass windows. Originally constructed from brick and concrete, the house was designed with durability in mind鈥攕trong enough to withstand hurricanes and tornadoes, a nod to the devastation of the 1900 Storm that had leveled the previous home on the site.
Carl Biehl, a German immigrant and vice consul to Russia, arrived in Galveston during its recovery and rebuilding phase after the 1900 hurricane. He founded the Wilkens and Biehl shipping company in 1905, a key enterprise servicing Galveston鈥檚 port before the Port of Houston was established. At that time, Galveston held the distinction of being the only deep-water port west of the Mississippi.
In 1915, Biehl purchased the storm-damaged lot, demolished the existing structure, and built a new home with his wife, Hilda Reymershoffer, whom he had recently married. The couple raised three children in the home, and Carl remained there until his death in 1936, with Hilda passing away a decade later in 1946.
The interior of the Biehl House boasts original oak paneling, hardwood flooring, and three fireplaces that reflect the craftsmanship of the time. A unique feature of the home was a gymnasium located in the attic, along with a functioning cistern in the backyard鈥攁 testament to both practicality and innovation. The sunroom, added a decade after the house was built, adds charm and brightness to the facade.
Carl Biehl, a German immigrant and vice consul to Russia, arrived in Galveston during its recovery and rebuilding phase after the 1900 hurricane. He founded the Wilkens and Biehl shipping company in 1905, a key enterprise servicing Galveston鈥檚 port before the Port of Houston was established. At that time, Galveston held the distinction of being the only deep-water port west of the Mississippi.
In 1915, Biehl purchased the storm-damaged lot, demolished the existing structure, and built a new home with his wife, Hilda Reymershoffer, whom he had recently married. The couple raised three children in the home, and Carl remained there until his death in 1936, with Hilda passing away a decade later in 1946.
The interior of the Biehl House boasts original oak paneling, hardwood flooring, and three fireplaces that reflect the craftsmanship of the time. A unique feature of the home was a gymnasium located in the attic, along with a functioning cistern in the backyard鈥攁 testament to both practicality and innovation. The sunroom, added a decade after the house was built, adds charm and brightness to the facade.
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Carl and Hilda Biehl House on Map
Sight Name: Carl and Hilda Biehl House
Sight Location: Galveston, USA (See walking tours in Galveston)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Galveston, USA (See walking tours in Galveston)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Galveston, Texas
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Creating your own self-guided walk in Galveston is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Galveston Introduction Walking Tour
Galveston, perched on a barrier island along the Gulf Coast, holds a unique place in Texas history. Its modern chapter began in the early 1800s, when the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte set up a short-lived base here鈥攄riven out by the U.S. Navy in 1821. The city itself was officially founded in 1836, soon after Texas won independence from Mexico, and was named in honor of Spanish colonial governor... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Historic Houses Walking Tour
Galveston鈥檚 Broadway Avenue is a living corridor of architectural ambition, lined with grand homes that speak to the city鈥檚 Gilded Age past. Most of these stately mansions were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s, during a period when Galveston thrived as a key Gulf Coast port. Wealthy merchants, civic leaders, and industrialists commissioned elaborate residences here, hoping to place the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles