shares that could be redeemed for land or resold. The new city of Galveston grew rapidly, with over 4,000 residents in 1840. The city was geographically isolated, with no fresh water. There was not a bridge to connect the island to the mainland, and water was delivered by steamer every day. Construction In late 1838, Williams won election to the Fourth Congress. He asked McKinney to supervise the building of a home for the Williams family. Like most of the wealthier residents in the city, Williams wished to live along the banks of McKinney's Bayou. His lot was located near the bayou at 35th Street and Avenue A, about west of the town. Williams had ordered a prefabricated house, which was shipped from Maine. It was built in the Greek Revival style, with some elements of classic Louisiana plantation architecture. To allow the house to better weather storms, it was elevated on ten brick piers. The bricks used for the piers were transported to Galveston as ballast on ships. The -story house was topped with a cupola and widow's walk. The first floor had long porches, and dormer windows adorned the attic. The cupola windows could be opened, allowing cool ocean breezes to enter the house. The house faces east, and had a large gallery on both the south and east sides. The downstairs consisted of a parlor, dining room, central hallway, and two bedrooms. Both the parlor and the front bedroom had French doors that opened onto the porch. The upstairs had four small bedrooms, each with a dormer. Classical wood columns supported the porch roof, and a white picket fence surrounded the house. A detached brick kitchen was in the rear, and on either side of the house were garden plots. Williams estimated that the house cost $7,472. Williams family residence For the next 20 years, Williams, his wife, and children lived in the house. Williams often lounged on the widow's walk. At this time, Galveston Island had few trees or tall buildings, and from the widow's walk Williams could see the Gulf. He could also watch the horse races at a nearby race track which he co-owned with McKinney. He installed a telescope on the widow's walk, pointed towards the harbor. It was customary for ships to flash signals as they approached land to inform the harbormaster of the types of cargo they carried. Williams used his