Jean Lafitte Hotel
Why it's listed
Rising ten stories at the corner of Avenue F and 21st Street in downtown Galveston, this brick hotel opened in October 1927 across from St. Mary's Cathedral and half a block from the county courthouse. Architect Andrew Fraser, a Scottish native who arrived in Galveston in 1926, designed it with a flat roof, dressed stone at street level, paired and single upper windows, carved swags above second-floor arches, and a stone band separating the lower eight floors from the top two. W. L. Moody, Jr. is credited with the idea, and the site was bought from the Elks. Townspeople helped pay for construction through a "buy a room" stock plan. The hotel offered 204 rooms, each with a private bath, plus suites combining bedrooms and sample rooms for traveling salesmen. It served business visitors and tourists in a city then known as a resort, port and gambling center. Some street-level openings have been enclosed and windows on four floors replaced, but it remains a downtown landmark.
Significance in brief: It was built as the major downtown hotel when Galveston was a resort, port and gambling center, and it was the most up-to-date hotel downtown. The project was initiated by a major Galveston businessman and funded by local citizens. It was commercially and economically important and remains a visual landmark and one of the largest downtown structures.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 84001705, listed August 14, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2105 Ave. F, Galveston |
|---|---|
| County | Galveston County |
| Listed | August 14, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001705 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect Andrew Fraser, Galveston; contractor Bellows Maclay Construction Co. of Dallas |
| Architectural style | Commercial, described as carrying out the architectural motifs of the Renaissance period with American colonial style |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is hotel; condition good, with the lower level altered and windows on four floors replaced. A complete set of original plans exists for use in renovation. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Strand Historic District, The |
| Coordinates | 29.30405, -94.79110 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84001705.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q110002049
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.