Kempner, Daniel Webster, House
Also known as: Las Palmas
Why it's listed
Built in 1907-1908 at 2504 Avenue O in Galveston, this two-and-a-half story house was designed by New York architect Sir Alfred C. Bossom, who was English-born and trained. It is a frame building with textured stucco walls, a red clay tile roof, Doric-capped porch columns, and stepped, curvilinear parapeted gables with rose window motifs. Inside are a marble-floored entry hall, a Rococo style living room, a Murano glass chandelier, a 7,000 bottle wine cellar, and a ship's bilge pump installed because of hurricane concerns. A carriage house with greenhouse and a former cow barn stand on the grounds. The house represents a conscious move away from Galveston's Victorian styles. It was the home of Daniel Webster Kempner, a banker and cotton businessman who served as American Red Cross Field Director during World War I, and his wife Jean Bertig Kempner, a leading civic organizer. Many of the family's furnishings and collections remain in place.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a fine example of the eclectic revivalism common in the early twentieth century, and as a deliberate break from Galveston's Victorian-era mansions. It is also valued as the work of Sir Alfred C. Bossom and for its ties to the Kempner family, prominent in Galveston business and civic life. Many original furnishings and interior appointments remain.
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 79002945, listed March 30, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2504 Ave. O, Galveston |
|---|---|
| County | Galveston County |
| Listed | March 30, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002945 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1907-1908 |
| Architect / builder | Sir Alfred C. Bossom, architect, R.I.B.A. (b.1881-d.1965) |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied private residence in good condition; altered, with the dormer window changed in 1961 after damage from Hurricane Carla. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Silk Stocking Residential Historic District |
| Coordinates | 29.29338, -94.79287 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 79002945.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001013
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.