Pix Building
Why it's listed
Standing on a major corner of Galveston's downtown mall, this three-story brick commercial building at 2128 Postoffice Street dates to about 1858-59. Charles Hodgsen Pix, an English merchant who arrived in Galveston early in the city's history, built it. He had started in business on the Strand as Pix and Burney, Shipbrokers, and kept his business at this location through the 1896-97 city directory. Later, the Galveston Tribune operated here from 1906 to 1924, and Michael's Jewelry first appears at the address in the 1938 directory. The rectangular building has a flat roof, a corbeled brick cornice, six-over-six windows with molded heads, and a street level faced with black tile, with multiple door openings and display windows. It is recognized as one of the oldest pre-Civil War commercial buildings remaining in Galveston, valued for its age and plain design, and it serves as an anchor for this corner of the mall. Its condition is described as good, with reversible alterations.
Significance in brief: It is one of the oldest pre-Civil War commercial buildings left in Galveston and the oldest on the downtown mall. It is distinguished by its age and architectural simplicity, and it anchors this corner of the mall. It also has a long record of commercial use, including as the home of the Galveston Tribune.
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 84001713, listed August 14, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2128 Postoffice St., Galveston |
|---|---|
| County | Galveston County |
| Listed | August 14, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001713 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Charles Hodgsen Pix (builder) |
| Architectural style | Commercial |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is the same as the original (commercial); condition is listed as good, with reversible alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Strand Historic District, The |
| Coordinates | 29.30512, -94.79246 (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 84001713.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002034
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.