USS STEWART
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Why it's listed
Berthed on dry land beside the Galveston Ship Channel, USS Stewart is a World War II destroyer escort of the Edsall Class. Brown Shipbuilding in Houston laid her keel in July 1942, launched her four months later, and delivered her to the Navy in May 1943. Built of welded steel and driven by diesel engines, she was designed for speed of construction and for hunting submarines, carrying Hedgehog and depth charge weapons along with 3-inch and 40mm guns. Of 563 destroyer escorts built, she is one of only two surviving in the United States. Her interior compartments, from crew berthing and the galley to the bridge and combat information center, remain largely original, and restoration work is ongoing. Her service life lasted less than five years, which limited later alteration. The ship is valued for her military role in the Battle of the Atlantic and for showing how Texas shipyards mobilized for the war.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the ship is one of only two of the 563 World War II destroyer escorts still in existence in the United States. It represents the type and method of construction of anti-submarine escorts built quickly in welded steel. It also shows the contribution of Texas and Gulf Coast shipyards to the war effort, and it retains high integrity of design.
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 07000689, listed July 12, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | East End of Seawolf Park, Galveston |
|---|---|
| County | Galveston County |
| Listed | July 12, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000689 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1943-46 |
| Architect / builder | Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, Texas |
| Architectural style | Other: Edsall Class Destroyer Escort |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Open as a museum ship on dry land at Seawolf Park. The exterior is weathered and being stripped and repainted, and the Flying Bridge is closed to the public pending repairs. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 29.33596, -94.77963 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 07000689.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7874393
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.