Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church
Why it's listed
Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church occupies an entire city block at 22nd Street and Avenue G in Galveston. The red brick sanctuary, built between 1855 and 1857 to designs by architect John de Young, follows the early English Gothic Revival style with lancet windows, buttresses and a battlemented central tower. Inside, a hammerbeam timber ceiling, dark-stained woodwork and stained glass, including the Sealy Memorial Tiffany Window of 1904, define the nave. The complex also includes Eaton Memorial Chapel, designed by Nicholas Clayton in 1882, and a Parish Hall/Cloister from 1930. The congregation grew from a mission founded in 1842 under Rev. Benjamin Eaton, the third Episcopal mission in the Republic of Texas. The building survived the hurricanes of 1900 and 1915, and in 1926 it was raised above the 1915 high water mark. It remains among the oldest church buildings in continuous use in the Diocese of Texas, and later repairs and additions have largely kept to the original style.
Significance in brief: The church is presented as an architecturally correct example of early English Gothic Revival, with fine stone, brick and woodwork. It housed the third Episcopal mission established in the Republic of Texas, founded by Rev. Benjamin Eaton. It has survived hurricanes and floods and is one of the oldest church buildings in continuous use in the Diocese of Texas.
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 79002946, listed September 4, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 22nd St. and Ave. G, Galveston |
|---|---|
| County | Galveston County |
| Listed | September 4, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002946 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1855-57 |
| Architect / builder | John deYoung |
| Architectural style | Early English Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in religious use; described as one of the oldest church buildings in continuous use in the Diocese of Texas. Restored repeatedly after storm damage. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 29.30259, -94.79211 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 79002946.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002068
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.