Drive
down Seawall Boulevard to the West End of Galveston Island and you’ll be
treated to the most unusual house, something akin to a silo top upside down.
Called
The Kettle House because it also resembles a teapot, the home is the cause of
many a tourist causing traffic slowdowns on this stretch of highway just
outside the Galveston Island State Park.
According
to “Weird Texas: Your Travel Guide to Texas’s Local Legends and Best Kept
Secrets
” by Wesley Treat, Heather Shades
and Rob Riggs, the house was built by a man who once constructed storage tanks
for oil companies. “The neighbors, some of whom were residents when the ‘Kettle’
went up, have seen the man but know little about him,” state the authors.
” by Wesley Treat, Heather Shades
and Rob Riggs, the house was built by a man who once constructed storage tanks
for oil companies. “The neighbors, some of whom were residents when the ‘Kettle’
went up, have seen the man but know little about him,” state the authors.
If
you search the Kettle House online you get much of the same, plus one story
about how it was constructed to be a convenience store and abandoned.
My
source on the island told me that a man built the unique establishment and a
hurricane arrived, preventing him from moving in. The owner passed away and his
son now owns the curiosity. It’s believed that no one lives there because they
couldn’t get permits to finish the building.
I don’t know about you all, but I would give anything for a peek inside.
I don’t know about you all, but I would give anything for a peek inside.
I have some info for you:
ReplyDeletePublic records show that the house was transferred from Clayton E. Stokley to Mary N. Stokley Etheridge… I have pasted his obit for you to read:
Clayton E. Stokley, 82 of Pasadena, passed away Wednesday, June 29, 2005. He served in the U.S. Army during WWII, a member of the American Post 521 and received the Silver Star, Gold Star and the Purple Heart medals. He is preceded in death by wife, Patsy Lou Stokley and son, Joseph Will Stokley. He is survived by daughters, Mary Nell Etheridge-Rachels and husband Michael, Linda Joyce Stokley; sons, David Ross Stokley and wife Lisa, Edgar Barry Stokley and wife Patricia, Clayton E. Stokley Jr.; brothers, Horace Stokley, James H. Stokley and wife Margie; grandchildren, Nicole R. Stokley, Christina Ann Stokley, Elizabeth Barri Stokley, Joseph Will Stokley Jr. and Derrick Devin Etheridge; great grandchildren, Ezra Isabel Juarez and Mia Alexandra Juarez. Visitation will be from 6-9 P.M. on Friday, July 1, 2005 at Grand View Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 P.M. on Saturday, July 2, 2005 at Grand View Funeral Home. Interment to follow at Grand View Memorial Park.
According to his Army records, he was a welder and was wounded during World War II in Eur
Awesome, thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteThis house is very close to the old Nottingham factory, which was a very large brick structure around the 1900. They had industrial equipment and made lace curtains there. I've often wondered if the kettle or vat was leftover from that business, and maybe drug to this current location a short distance away. It's got to be heavy and difficult to move.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jeff. This is definitely a story that needs more research. Next time I'm in Galveston, I'm going to poke around more.
ReplyDelete