This is why I love Galvston: the huge ships in
the harbor remind me of exciting foreign
places.
To visit Galveston virtually, go to

Galveston's Convention and Visitor's Bureau

And to see how reasonable life on an island can be,
visit the House Company's Website (no, I'm not
affiliated with them, but they have cool listings!)
I love the juxtaposition of the pretty red facade and the
non-painted side, because it epitomizes Galveston's vision of the
past and future.
Every year I take my son to Galveston to bask in the sun, waves... and the history.  Galveston is one of the most fascinating cities in
Texas.

Early History
Galveston, an island situated at the mouth of Galveston Bay, began life early on as a settlement of the Karankawa Indians. Later, it
became the site of the sinking of one of La Salle's ships, which was  discovered centuries later, one of the most important maritime
archeological artifact ever discovered in Texas, if not the nation. The island was also an outpost for the famed pirate Jean Lafitte,
whom Texans expelled as quickly as possible in 1821.

With cotton growing booming during the yeas of the Texas Republic, Galveston's deep water port rivaled New Orleans' for
importance. Galveston became a center for world commerce and boasted the first (albeit very short) rail line  in Texas. The
mansions of the cotton merchants, bankers, and shipping moguls along Silk Stocking Row were sights to behold.

After the Civil War, Galveston's commerce didn't cease - in fact, with railroads extending from the interior to the city, trade
expanded. Life was looking good.

The Hurricane Katrina of 1900
Then the 1900 hurricane struck, almost leveling the city. Over 6,000 people were killed as the storm surge completely drowned the
barrier island.

When Galveston citizens started to rebuild, they did so under a new administration. The city set up an acting manager, who oversaw
relief, services, and rebuilding under the guidance and oversight of city commissioners. Galveston's response to one of America's
greatest natural disasters revolutionized city government.

One of the innovations Galveston put into place was to create a sea-wall that,
in theory, should halt any future monster storm surges. The surviving
buildings were propped up on stilts, and the entire city was raised
several feet above sea level.

With all the work, though, Galveston never fully recovered from the
storm. The port never regained its former prominence, though historians
argue that Galveston's economic decline had more to do with the
railroads' shoring up shipping than with the storm's devastation.

Reborn Gem
Today, Galveston is still an important shipping center, but it also is a major
tourist destination for the Southwest. Every year thousands of
ocean-seekers make a pilgrimage to the island, where many take
advantage of the cruise ships now docking at the Galveston harbor.

Personally, what draws me to Galveston is not the ocean (though I do love it),
but its downtown. Throughout the twentieth century, the downtown took
a major beating, and several old buildiings were demolished as being
safety hazards. Thank goodness for the historical society, who decided to
actively fight to save one of the most historic inner cities in Texas.
Today, the city is a wonderful, high curb showcase of Southern architecture.

And I've already determined that I will retire on one of the studio apartments
above the downtown stores!
Galveston, My Home Away From Home
The 1870s schooner Elissa is docked at the
Galveston maritime museum
Please consider donating to the Red Cross to help out with
Hurricane Ike relief efforts. Galveston was hard hit - though Ike
was a Category 2 storm, the storm surge was like a Category
4. Galveston wasn't the only place hit; the small towns on
Bolivar Peninsula, directly across Galveston Bay, were
completely destroyed.
Hurricane Ike destroyed Galveston's shrimping and fishing industry.
This picture of the shrimping vessel Raven was taken in July of 2008.
Maison Rouge, Pirate Jean Lafitte's bandit's
roost on Galveston island in the early 19th
century, sat on the grounds of what is now
the ruin of a Victorian mansion.