Just one block east of Sacred Heart Church on Broadway, a charming Victorian home stands as a quiet testament to Galveston’s rich architectural legacy. Adjacent to a peaceful Rosary Garden, the residence holds many stories within its walls. Though some original features have been lost over time, many remain intact. 

 The upper porch of the home at 1210 Broadway was once uncovered, offering a clear view of the elaborate eave and gable details that originally crowned the bay window - features now removed. 

 Distinctive porch railings, once marked by large X insets, were thoughtfully recreated during a past renovation. Today, the design alternates inset Xs with vertical rails, framed by classical colonettes. 

 A low, stuccoed concrete wall with ball finials still defines the front of the property - an enduring element of the home’s original charm - now backed by a tall hedge. 

 Built in 1906 for Frederick George Leinbach (1858-1947), a respected Galveston pharmacist and businessman, the home reflects the legacy of a man deeply committed to his community. 

 In the wake of the 1900 Storm, Leinbach opened a free dispensary above his drugstore, earning the admiration of locals for his generosity and civic spirit. His new residence stood just steps from Sacred Heart Church, where he was a lifelong member. 

 

 Before building his own home, Leinbach lived with his widowed mother, Theresa Hagemann Leinbach (1828-1923), and a family who were tenants at 1205 Ball Street. By the time he commissioned his new residence, he had achieved enough success to live independently. 

 Though a bachelor, Leinbach built a spacious home with family in mind. His mother moved in with him, along with his sister Helena (Lena) Wickes (1872-1960) and her four children - Mary, Ursulee, Harry, and Georgia - ranging in age from four to twelve. 

 Lena’s husband, Harry Munn Wickes (1869-1928), was stationed in Guantanamo, Cuba, serving as a telegrapher for the Naval Defense Reserve. 

 In 1909, seeking to distinguish his business from Galveston’s 18 other drugstores, Leinbach installed an electric sign outside his store at 2121 Market Street - now the site of Marmo Plaza. The illuminated display was a bold move at the time, reflecting both innovation and ambition. 

 Over the years, Leinbach’s pharmacy earned a reputation as one of the city’s most respected. It was a family-supported enterprise: his brother, J. W. Emil Leinbach, served as bookkeeper, and his nephews contributed to the daily workings of the store. 

 In May 1920, the family celebrated Theresa’s 92nd birthday with a dinner at home and a show-stopping cake so impressive it was displayed in the window of the Galveston Co-Operative Stores at 2017 Avenue E until 11am that day. 

 A newspaper article described the dessert’s staggering ingredients: 100 eggs, 28 pounds of sugar, and 12 pounds of butter. Topped with 92 candles, the cake weighed 42 pounds and measured three and a half feet across. 

 In the 1920s, George shared the Broadway home with his mother until she passed in 1923, his widowed sister Mary Ahrens (1867-1939), and her daughters - Anna, a beader for a dressmaker, and Lucille. 

 His sister Lena also lived there with her son Harry, who worked at Purity Ice Cream, and her daughter Georgia, a talented violinist who transitioned from stenography at the railroad office to pursuing her musical ambitions in New York City. 

 By the 1930s, George and his now-widowed sister Lena resided in the home with Lena’s divorced daughter, Ursulee Wickes Rahe (1895-1978), and her three daughters. 

 Leinbach moved his drugstore to 2013 Postoffice Street in October 1931 and, at the age of 73, hired a young pharmacist to take over his position at the drugstore. In 1936, after 38 years of running his own business, he retired. 

 An insurance document for the home reveals that Leinbach sold his Broadway house to Hutchings, Sealy & Company in 1932, and leased it from the firm for the remainder of his years there. 

 George remained in his home on Broadway with Lena, Ursulee, and two of her teenage daughters until 1942, when he moved into a smaller home that Lena had purchased. At age 81, he was still working as a druggist, but with the next generation now grown, the large house was no longer needed. 

 Norwegian immigrants Jens Thoreson Aamoth (1907-2003), a watchmaker at Michael’s Jewelry Store on the corner of 22nd and Postoffice streets, and his wife, Aslaug Bergtora Anderson (1915-2000), purchased the property in late March 1942. 

 They moved into the house with their daughter Rose Marie, and within a few weeks, Aamoth began converting the house into apartments, listing himself as the contractor on city permits. These renovations likely included covering the second-story gallery, removing fireplaces, expanding the east side of the house to move the staircase, adding a bedroom, and dividing other rooms, increasing the home's square footage to just over 3,000 square feet. 

 The family lived there until 1946, when the home was sold to William Duval McMillan (1903-1971) and his second wife, Elizabeth Virginia Turner (1907-1970). The couple moved into the house from their suite at the Jack Tar Courts, with Elizabeth’s son from a former marriage, Hullum Duke Erasmus “Ras” Redwine, Jr. (1928-1978). 

 McMillan was president of the Beach Association and the Texas Fishermen’s Association and was highly active in the community. 

 The McMillens are credited with turning the house back into a single-family dwelling. William deeded the house to his wife in August 1949. 

 The McMillens hosted an engagement party in August 1950 for Ras Redwine, William's stepson and Virginia's son, and his fiancée, Helen Jean Scheiffer of Austin. The cocktail party and buffet dinner welcomed 35 special guests to celebrate the happy couple. The wedding took place the following month in Austin. 

 William and Virginia divorced in 1960, and that December, Virginia sold the house to Ismael Robles and his wife. The following year, Virginia married her former employer, Houston oilman Evans Graves Graham, founder of Graham-Penn Oil. 

 In 1988, Robles undertook a significant upgrade to the property by demolishing the aging carport located at the rear of the home. In its place, he constructed a more functional two-car garage. 

 The Broadway home remained in the Robles family’s care for over six decades. In 2021, the property changed hands, entering a new chapter under a succession of investors. 

 The current owner has preserved notable architectural elements, including the diamond lattice windows in several front rooms, each retaining its original glass panes. While many historic details were regrettably lost under previous ownership, recent updates have revealed the enduring quality of the home's original construction and materials - testament to its craftsmanship and resilience. 

 Now known as the Sandpiper House, it is available as an Airbnb or wedding venue rental. The home features five bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, a private pool and hot tub, and beautiful garden areas. 

 The stories visitors create during their visits will become part of the continuing history of this historic home.