Sealy and Mary Hutchings House

Sealy and Mary Hutchings House. . Galveston developed as the “Wall Street of the South” during the latter half of the 19th century. John Henry Hutchings became one of the most successful businessmen through a banking and commissions firm he co-owned. In 1896, Hutchings gave five lots of land south of the family estate to his son, Sealy H. Hutchings (1869- 1936). A successful businessman himself, Sealy and his wife, Mary (Moody) (1870-1943), began building their home that same year. , Architect George B. Stowe established his architectural firm in Galveston during the 1890s. Born and educated on the island, he began working on a Queen Anne-style home with Classical Revival detailing for the Hutchings. The house plan featured an asymmetrical, rectangular block plan with a wooden frame. The exterior features semi-circular, octagonal and rectangular bays. A projecting pedimented portico connects the wraparound covered porches, creating an l-shape design along the north and east facade. A porte-cochere with tripled Tuscan columns supporting an above-ground porch sits along the west facade. The aftermath of the great storm of 1900 led to the raising of the house from three to six feet on brick piers. In the 1920s, newly installed glass enclosed the second-story porch. Other additions later in the decade included an elevator and third-story attic space. , The Sealy and Mary Hutchings house was owned by the immediate family until 1943 and their descendants continued ownership for more than 50 years. The home represents the historical significance of the family during Galveston's commercial growth. It is also an excellent example of the popular Queen Anne style of the period and the work of a prominent Galvestonian architect. , Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2021.