{"nrhp_refnum":"88002671","name":"Steffens-Drewa House Complex","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"2701, 2705, and 2709 Ave. O","address_restricted":false,"city":"Galveston","county":"Galveston County","state":"TX","lat":29.292454341000052,"lon":-94.79460586899995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1988-12-01","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A complex of three raised frame houses at 2701, 2705 and 2709 Avenue O in Galveston, Texas. The main house was built in 1870 by Dr. Ferdinand Steffens, and two rental houses were added in 1895-96 by his son-in-law Edward F. Drewa.","why_significant":"The main house is an unusual hybrid of Queen Anne, Bungalow and Gulf Coast vernacular elements, remodelled by Drewa over nearly 20 years. Its interiors hold fine ornamental plaster ceilings that Drewa, a master plasterer and contractor, made as a showcase for his work. The two rental houses harmonize with the main house and add to the character of the block.","narrative":"On Avenue O in Galveston, three raised wood-frame houses make up a property tied to two generations of one family. Dr. Ferdinand Steffens, a German-born physician, built the main house in 1870. His son-in-law, Edward F. Drewa, a plasterer and building contractor, ran his concrete, plaster and cement business from its ground floor. After the 1900 hurricane, Drewa rotated the house in 1905 to face Avenue O when the grade was raised, and he kept enlarging it until 1914. The result mixes Queen Anne detailing, Bungalow porch features and Gulf Coast vernacular raised construction. Inside, the living room, dining room and music room have elaborate plaster ceilings that advertised his skills. Drewa also built two similar rental cottages at 2707 and 2709 Avenue O in 1895-96, and the family kept them until 1944. The property was recognized for its architectural blend, the plasterwork and its link to a master craftsman.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":"Builder: Dr. Ferdinand Steffens (original house, 1870); Edward F. Drewa (remodelling and rental houses). The form lists the builder/architect as unknown.","architectural_style":"Hybrid of Queen Anne, Bungalow and Gulf Coast vernacular","criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as in good condition, as are the two rental houses; used as a private residence and occupied.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:21.626927-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/98/9719/40971998/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/88002671.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/88002671/86eebc71ac-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/88002671/86eebc71ac-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Jim Evans","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Steffens_Drewa_House,_Galveston.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Jim Evans</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Steffens_Drewa_House,_Galveston.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/40971998","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q110001069"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/texas/galveston-county/steffens-drewa-house-complex-88002671/"}