Adolph and Regina Frenkel House

Adolph and Regina Frenkel House. . The Galveston Real Estate and Loan Association formed in the 1870s and included some of the city's most prominent businessmen. Other 19th century Galveston real estate companies typically operated as mortgage institutions, but this group planned to build houses as investments. In 1882, the association purchased six adjacent lots along Avenue I with plans to construct three two-story houses. , The 1883 construction of this house is associated with contractor Frank Jones, an early builder in Galveston. In 1884, the property and house were sold to Adolph Frenkel (1838-1921), a cashier for the Leon and H. Blum Land Company and a native of Bavaria who immigrated to the U.S in 1853. , Frenkel, his children and second wife, Regina (Marx) Frenkel (1858-1934), lived in the house for more than 50 years. Regina was well-known for her active contributions to the Lasker Home for Homeless Children, where she served as president for decades. Regina also participated in the National Council of Jewish Women and worked for the Red Cross during World War I. , The house is a two-story, five-bay, wood-framed Folk Victorian house with a two-story rear addition added by Frenkel. Octagon-and-dot pavers complete the front walkway, original to the 1883 development. All three houses built by the association share identical l-shaped floor plans and cross-gabled roofs. The most notable architectural features are the double gallery and decorated front gable. The house is a prominent example of its architectural style and reflects early development of the Silk Stocking Historic District. , Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2020.