gold colors, and the furniture is a mix of period pieces–some originally owned by the Williams family–and contemporary furniture. The theater was converted to a kitchen, and the bathroom was upgraded with antique fixtures. After the showcase concluded, the GHF offered the house for lease. Tenants would also serve as curators and would be required to interview for the opportunity to live there. Tenants are requested to open the house or grounds occasionally. This is the first time that a group has leased a historic building with a newly redesigned interior. The home suffered minimal damage during Hurricane Ike, which hit Galveston in September 2008. In early 2016 the GHF sold the house to Leah and Mariano Garcia-Blanco, who moved to Galveston from North Carolina in 2014 and who are restoring the interior of this home so important to Galveston and Texas. Legacy In 2007, Dwayne Jones, then executive director of the GHF, stated "I can hardly overemphasize the importance of this house, not only to Galveston and Texas history, but to the history and affections of our organization. The house inspired a generation of active, public-spirited Galvestonians to found what has grown into the largest local historic preservation group in the nation — an organization that has had a profound effect on our community." The house is reputed to be haunted by Williams. Tourists have reported feeling a cold draft and a presence outside the bedrooms of the children. A replica of the house was built in the Woodlands, a northern suburb of Houston, in the early 2000s. Homebuilder Insignia Homes chose six historic Texas houses, and built luxury replicas in a single neighborhood. Although the exterior is almost identical to the original Williams house, the interiors were redesigned to be more modern. See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Galveston County, Texas Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Galveston County Notes References Sources - Read online External links Greek Revival houses in Texas Houses completed in 1839 Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas National Register of Historic Places in Galveston County, Texas Historic house museums in Texas Museums in Galveston, Texas Defunct museums in Texas Houses in Galveston, Texas