Menard, Michel B., House

Historically, the Menard House is associated with Michel Brindamour Menard, who is considered the founder of Galveston as well as a leader in the early years of the state of Texas. Architecturally, the house is an outstanding example of the Greek Revival style and one of Galves- ton's earliest extant structures.

Menard was born near Montreal, Canada, on December 5, 1805, and came to Texas in 1833 or 1834 and settled at Nacogdoches where he traded with the Mexicans and Indians. During the Texas Revolution in 1836, Menard at the request of the Texas Government used his Indian influence to quell the tribes on the northeast frontier who were being encouraged by the Mexicans to harass the settlements.
Menard was a member of the Convention that declared the independence of Texas and was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. On November 30, 1836, Menard and Andrew J. Yates were appointed commissioners to negotiate a loan of five million dollars on the bonds of the government of Texas. In December 1836, Menard purchased from the First Congress of the Republic one league and one labor of land on Galveston Island and with a number of associates, organized the Galveston City Company. He represented Galveston in the House of the Fifth Congress of the Republic.

It has been assumed that Menard erected this house in 1838. However, research conducted in 1967, in connection with the Historic American Buildings Survey, indicates that the house was probably built in 1838-39 by Augustus Allen, a founder, and promoter of the city of Houston. Michel Menard probably did not live in the house until 1840 when research indicates that Menard's cousin, Peter J. Menard, purchased the property. In 1843, the same year that she married Michel Menard, Mary Jane Riddle purchased the property from Peter, and it is believed that Michel Menard made substantial changes to the original house at that time. Menard, himself, did not hold title to the property until his wife's death in 1848. He died in 1856; in 1885, the Ketchum family acquired the property.

The Menard House is the most outstanding example of a two-story Greek Revival structure and one of very few pre-Civil War residences remaining in Galveston. The strong Ionic columns, placed not only on the main facade but on the wings as well, are unique among early extant houses in the city. In addition, the Menard House retains a large surrounding yard appropriate to its proportions.