How old is galveston

Their homes are still standing and are popular tourist spots. As we all know, everything is bigger in Texas and in the 19th century, everything in Texas was done first in Galveston. The city of Galveston was incorporated in and it quickly became the most active port west of New Orleans. Galveston was hit by a terrible storm on September 8, At the time of The Great Storm, Galveston had a population of 37, and at the time was the fourth largest city in Texas.

The Great Storm destroyed a third of the city, demolishing more than 3, buildings. More than 6, people were killed and, in fact, there were too many bodies to be given traditional burials. Bodies were weighted and buried at sea. Unfortunately, many bodies washed back up on shore; from that point on, bodies were burned on funeral pyres.

The storm is one that still remains in the collective memory of Galveston as families pass the stories from generation to generation. If you would like to hear and see the complete story, head to Pier 21 Theatre to see the film The Great Storm. It is shown daily. After the storm, residents who wanted to stay decided to raise the level of the entire city by 8 feet, and by 17 feet at the seawall.

They put a slant in the ground which forced water to run off into the bay. Their plan was successful; when another terrible hurricane hit in , the city withstood its harsh winds and rains and only eight people were killed. After The Great Storm, Galveston never returned to being the city it once was.

Galveston had been a very popular port city, but Houston eclipsed it when it dug its Ship Channel in During the Prohibition Era, Galveston evolved into a gambling and drinking resort town. But this era came to an end in when the Texas Rangers raided the city and ended gambling in Galveston. The city languished until the early s. At that time, Galveston began a campaign of renewal which has been a roaring success.

Rosenberg Library was expanded. A block residential historical district was established in the east end; the Strand area and a number of notable buildings were placed on the National Register. The City of Galveston is located on the upper Texas coast of the Gulf of Mexico and occupies virtually all of a mile-long island located approximately 2 miles off the Texas mainland 50 miles southeast of Houston, Texas.

Principal economic support is provided by the Port of Galveston and related interest, the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, and other health institutions, financial institutions, tourism, shrimping, and fishing.

Skip to Main Content. Loading Close. Do Not Show Again Close. Sign In. Galveston Today The City of Galveston is located on the upper Texas coast of the Gulf of Mexico and occupies virtually all of a mile-long island located approximately 2 miles off the Texas mainland 50 miles southeast of Houston, Texas.

City History. Meat, produce, and fish were sold on the ground level, with city offices and a police station above them and the chamber of commerce on the top floor.

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