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Galveston, Texas

 
Galveston, Texas

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Galveston, Texas



 
 
"Galveston" redirects here. For other uses, see Galveston (disambiguation)
Galveston (disambiguation)

Galveston may refer to one of the following:Education*Galveston College, is a comprehensive community college located on Galveston Island in Galveston, Texas....
.


Galveston is a city in and seat
County seat

A county seat or parish seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there....
 of Galveston County
Galveston County, Texas

Galveston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Greater Houston metropolitan area. As of the 2007 U.S. Census estimate, the population was 283,987....
 located on Galveston Island
Galveston Island

Galveston Island is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf coast in the United States, about 50 miles southeast of Houston, Texas. The entire island, with the exception of the little Jamaica Beach, Texas, is within the city limits of the City of Galveston, Texas....
 on the Gulf Coast
Gulf Coast of the United States

The Gulf Coast region of the United States comprises the coasts of states which border the Gulf of Mexico. The states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida are known as the Gulf States....
 in the U.S. state
U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 state of the United States that share sovereignty with the federal government of the United States . Because of this shared sovereignty, an United States is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of Domicile ....
 of Texas
Texas

Texas is a U.S. state located in the South Central United States, nicknamed the Lone Star State. Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, spanning , and with a growing population of 24.3 million residents....
 within the metropolitan area. As of the 2005 U.S. Census estimate, the city had a total population of 57,466. Galveston is accessible by the Galveston Causeway
Galveston Causeway

The Galveston Causeway is a causeway in Galveston, Texas, United States. It is the only free roadway access point to Galveston Island. The causeway carries Interstate 45 traffic over Galveston Bay and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway....
 linking Galveston Island to the mainland on the north end of the city, a toll bridge on the western end of the island, and by ferry boat service on the east end of the city.

Galveston is known for the hurricane that struck it
Galveston Hurricane of 1900

The Hurricane of 1900 made Landfall on the city of Galveston, Texas, Texas on September 8, 1900. . ; .It had estimated winds of 135 miles per hour at landfall, making it a Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale#Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale....
 in 1900.






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Encyclopedia


"Galveston" redirects here. For other uses, see Galveston (disambiguation)
Galveston (disambiguation)

Galveston may refer to one of the following:Education*Galveston College, is a comprehensive community college located on Galveston Island in Galveston, Texas....
.


Galveston is a city in and seat
County seat

A county seat or parish seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there....
 of Galveston County
Galveston County, Texas

Galveston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Greater Houston metropolitan area. As of the 2007 U.S. Census estimate, the population was 283,987....
 located on Galveston Island
Galveston Island

Galveston Island is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf coast in the United States, about 50 miles southeast of Houston, Texas. The entire island, with the exception of the little Jamaica Beach, Texas, is within the city limits of the City of Galveston, Texas....
 on the Gulf Coast
Gulf Coast of the United States

The Gulf Coast region of the United States comprises the coasts of states which border the Gulf of Mexico. The states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida are known as the Gulf States....
 in the U.S. state
U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 state of the United States that share sovereignty with the federal government of the United States . Because of this shared sovereignty, an United States is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of Domicile ....
 of Texas
Texas

Texas is a U.S. state located in the South Central United States, nicknamed the Lone Star State. Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, spanning , and with a growing population of 24.3 million residents....
 within the metropolitan area. As of the 2005 U.S. Census estimate, the city had a total population of 57,466. Galveston is accessible by the Galveston Causeway
Galveston Causeway

The Galveston Causeway is a causeway in Galveston, Texas, United States. It is the only free roadway access point to Galveston Island. The causeway carries Interstate 45 traffic over Galveston Bay and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway....
 linking Galveston Island to the mainland on the north end of the city, a toll bridge on the western end of the island, and by ferry boat service on the east end of the city.

Galveston is known for the hurricane that struck it
Galveston Hurricane of 1900

The Hurricane of 1900 made Landfall on the city of Galveston, Texas, Texas on September 8, 1900. . ; .It had estimated winds of 135 miles per hour at landfall, making it a Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale#Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale....
 in 1900. The natural disaster that followed still counts as the most deadly in American history. A 10-mile (16-km) long, 17-foot (5.18 m) high seawall
Seawall

A seawall is a form of hard and strong coastal defense constructed on the inland part of a coast to reduce the effects of strong waves.In the UK, "sea wall" also refers to an earthen bank used to create a polder?a dike ....
 protects the city from floods and hurricane storm surge.

The city's tourist attractions include the Galveston Schlitterbahn
Schlitterbahn

Schlitterbahn is the name used for three waterparks located in Texas. They are considered to be among the top water parks in the world. Schlitterbahn is a German language word meaning "slippery road"....
 waterpark, Moody Gardens
Moody Gardens

Moody Gardens is a tourist complex in Galveston, Texas, Texas. It is owned, through a complex agreement, by the City of Galveston but funded, operated, and supported by the multi-billion dollar Moody Foundation....
 botanical park, the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum
Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum

The Ocean Star Offshore Oil Rig & Museum, located in Galveston, Texas, is a museum dedicated to the offshore oil and gas industry. Located next to the Strand National Historic Landmark District, the museum is housed on a retired jack-up rig set up in the Galveston ship channel....
, the Lone Star Flight Museum
Lone Star Flight Museum

File:Lone Star Flight Museum front.jpgFile:B17-Thunderbird-runup WL.jpgThe Lone Star Flight Museum, located in Galveston, Texas, displays more than 40 historically significant aircraft and many hundreds of artifacts related to the history of flight....
, a downtown neighborhood of historic buildings known as The Strand
Strand National Historic Landmark District

The Strand District, in downtown Galveston, Texas, Texas , is a National Historic Landmark of mainly Victorian era buildings that now house restaurants, antique stores, and curio shops....
, many historical museums and mansions, and miles of beach front. The Strand plays host to a yearly Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras

The terms "Mardi Gras" and "Mardi Gras season", in English language, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, ending on the day before Ash Wednesday....
 festival, Galveston Island Jazz & Blues Festival, Texas Beach Fest, Lone Star motorcycle rally, and a Victorian-themed Christmas
Christmas

Christmas , also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus. The day marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts Twelve Days of Christmas....
 festival called Dickens on the Strand
Dickens on the Strand

Dickens on the Strand is an annual Christmas festival in Galveston, Texas occurring the first weekend in December. Established in 1974 and set against the historical backdrop of Galveston's Strand, participants come to witness and relive the Charles Dickens era....
 (honoring the works of novelist Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens

Charles John Huffam Dickens, Royal Society of Arts , pen-name "Boz", was the most popular English people novelist of the Victorian era, as well as a vigorous Reform movement....
, especially A Christmas Carol) in early December. Galveston was also home to the Balinese Room
Balinese Room

The Balinese Room was a well-known nightclub in Galveston, Texas, Texas, United States built on a pier stretching 600 feet from the Galveston Seawall over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico....
, an historic nightclub, formerly a notorious illegal gambling hall, which was located on a pier extending into the Gulf of Mexico.

Galveston is the second-largest city in Galveston County in population after League City; League City surpassed Galveston between 2000 and 2005.

History


Exploration and settlement

Galveston island was originally inhabited by members of the Karankawa
Karankawa

The Karankawa were a group of Native Americans in the United States peoples, now extinct as a tribal group, who played a pivotal part in early Texas History of Texas....
 and Akokisa
Akokisa

The Akokisa were the indigenous tribe that lived on Galveston Bay and the lower Trinity River and San Jacinto River rivers in Texas. They are regarded as a band of the Atakapa Indians, closely related to the Atakapa of Lake Charles, Louisiana....
 tribes, who used the name "Auia" for the island. The Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca and his crew were shipwrecked on the island (or nearby) in November 1528, calling it "Isla de Malhado" ("Isle of Doom"), and there began his famous trek to Mexico.

During his charting of the Gulf Coast in 1785, the Spanish explorer José de Evia named the island Gálvez-town or Gálveztown in honor of Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid, Count of Gálvez
Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid, Count of Gálvez

Bernardo de G?lvez y Madrid, Viscount of Galveston and Count of G?lvez was a Military history of Spain and the general of Spanish forces in New Spain who served as List of colonial governors of Louisiana and Colonial heads of Cuba....
. The first permanent European settlements on the island were constructed around 1816 by the pirate Louis-Michel Aury
Louis-Michel Aury

Louis-Michel Aury was a French Corsair operating in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean during the early 19th century.Aury was born in Paris, France, in around 1788....
 as a base of operations to support Mexico's rebellion against Spain. In 1817 Aury returned from an unsuccessful raid against Spain to find Galveston occupied by the pirate Jean Lafitte
Jean Lafitte

Jean Lafitte was a pirate and privateer in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. He often spelled his name Jean Laffite. Lafitte is believed to have been born either in France or the French colony of Saint-Domingue....
, who took up residence there after having been driven from his stronghold in Barataria Bay off the coast of New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana. New Orleans is the center of the New Orleans metropolitan area metropolitan area, the largest metro area in the state....
. Lafitte organized Galveston into a pirate "kingdom" he called "Campeachy" (or "Campeche"), anointing himself the island's "head of government." Lafitte remained in Galveston until 1821 when he and his raiders were given an ultimatum by the United States Navy
United States Navy

The United States Navy is the navy of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy currently has approximately 331,682 personnel on active duty as of 31 December 2008 and 124,000 in the United States Navy Reserve....
: leave or be destroyed. Lafitte burned his settlement to the ground and sailed under cover of night for parts unknown. There are still rumors that Lafitte's treasure is buried somewhere between Galveston Island, Bolivar Peninsula and High Island.

Following its successful revolution from Spain, the Congress of Mexico
Congress of Mexico

Congress is the legislative branch of the Federal government of the United Mexican States. Its structure and responsibilities are defined in Articles 50 to 79 of the 1917 Constitution of Mexico....
 issued a proclamation on October 17, 1825, establishing the Port of Galveston
Port of Galveston

The Port of Galveston is the port of the city of Galveston, Texas. It was established by a proclamation issued by the Congress of Mexico on October 17, 1825, while the land known today as Texas was still part of Mexico....
, and in 1830 erected a customs house. During the Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution

The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was fought from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836 between Mexico and the Mexican Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas....
, Galveston served as the main port for the Texas navy. Galveston also served as the capital of the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas

The Republic of Texas was a sovereignty nation in North America between the United States and Mexico that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the nation claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S....
 when in 1836 interim
Interim

Interim is an album by British rock band The Fall , compiled from live and studio material and released in 2004. It features the first officially released versions of "Clasp Hands", "Blindness" and "What About Us?" ? all of which were later included on the band's next studio album Fall Heads Roll ? as well as the instrumental "I'm Ro...
 president David G. Burnet
David G. Burnet

David Gouverneur Burnet was an early politician within the Republic of Texas, serving as Interim President , Vice-President , & Secretary of State for the new state of Texas after it was annexed to the United States of America....
 relocated his government there.

In 1836, Michel B. Menard, a native of Canada, along with several associates purchased 4,605 acres (18.64 km²) of land for $50,000 from the Austin Colony to found the town that would become the modern city of Galveston. Menard and his associates began selling plots on April 20, 1838. In 1839, the City of Galveston adopted a charter and was incorporated by the Congress of the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas

The Republic of Texas was a sovereignty nation in North America between the United States and Mexico that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the nation claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S....
.

The :Battle of Galveston was fought in :Galveston Bay and on the island on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War
American Civil War

The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
 when Confederate
Confederate States Army

The Confederate States Army was a military organization whose primary mission was to provide the necessary forces and capabilities to support the National Security and defense of the Confederate States of America during its brief existence from 1861 to 1865....
 forces under Major General
Major General

Major General or Major-General is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of Sergeant Major General. A Major General is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of Lieutenant General and senior to the ranks of Brigadier and Brigadier General....
 John B. Magruder
John B. Magruder

John Bankhead Magruder was a career military officer who served in the armies of three nations. He was a United States Army officer in the Mexican-American War, a Confederate States Army General officer during the American Civil War, and a postbellum general in the Imperial Mexican Army....
 attacked and expelled occupying Union
Union Army

The Union Army was the army that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S....
 troops from the city, which remained in Confederate hands for the duration of the war. In May 1865, the Lark
CSS Lark

The Lark was a paddle steamer employed by the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. She was the last blockade runner to successfully escape from a Southern port before the Union blockade completely closed off this vital source of supplies....
 successfully evaded the Union blockade
Union blockade

The Union Blockade refers to the actions between 1861 and 1865, during the American Civil War, in which the Union Navy maintained a massive effort on the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Coast of the United States of the Confederate States of America designed to prevent the passage of trade goods, supplies, and arms to and from the Confederacy....
 off of Galveston Harbor and headed for Havana
Havana

Havana is the capital city, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city is one of the 14 Provinces of Cuba. The city/province has 2.1 million inhabitants, and the urban area over 3.5 million, making Havana the largest city in both Cuba and the Caribbean....
, becoming the final Confederate ship to slip through the blockade from any Southern port.

Juneteenth, which is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, owes its origins to the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation
Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation consists of two Executive order s issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War....
 upon the return of Union forces to Galveston in 1865.

In the late 1890s, the Fort Crockett
Fort Crockett

Fort Crockett is a government reservation originally built as a defense installation on Galveston Island overlookingthe Gulf of Mexico. The fort was originally built to protect the city and harbor of Galveston and to secure the entrance to Galveston Bay,...
 defenses and coastal artillery batteries were constructed in Galveston and along the Bolivar Roads.

Growth

Beach Hotel Galveston
Utmb Old Red
Galvestonhistorical
At the end of the 19th century, the city of Galveston was a booming metropolis with a population of 37,000. Its position on the natural harbor of Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay

Galveston Bay is a large estuary located along Texas's upper coast....
 along the Gulf of Mexico made it the center of trade in Texas, and one of the largest cotton ports in the nation, in competition with New Orleans. Between 1838 and 1842, 18 newspapers were started to serve the island's rapidly growing population (The Galveston County Daily News is the sole survivor). A causeway
Causeway

In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated on a sandbank, usually across a broad body of water or wetland. A transport corridor that is carried instead on a series of arches, perhaps approaching a bridge, is a viaduct....
 linking the island with the mainland was finished in 1860, which paved the way for railroad expansion.

During this era, Galveston was also home to a number of state firsts, including: the first post office (1836), the first naval base (1836), the first Texas chapter of a Masonic order (1840); the first cotton compress (1842), first Roman Catholic Cathedral (St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica
St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica

|image = Saint_Mary.jpg|300px|location = Galveston, Texas USA|geo- = |religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic...
) (1847), the first parochial school (Ursuline Academy) (1847), the first insurance company (1854), the first gas lights (1856), first Jewish Reform Congregation (Congregation B'nai Israel
Congregation B'nai Israel

Congregation B'nai Israel is a Jewish synagogue located in Galveston, Texas, USA. It is the oldest Reform Judaism Congregation in the U.S. state of Texas....
) (1868), the first opera house (1870), the first orphanage (1876), the first telephone (1878), the first electric lights (1883), the first medical college (now the University of Texas Medical Branch
University of Texas Medical Branch

The University of Texas Medical Branch is a component of the University of Texas System located in Galveston, Texas, Texas, United States, about 50 miles southeast of Downtown Houston Houston....
) (1891), and the first school for nurses (1890).

Storm of 1900

Galvestonstormmarker
In 1900, the island was struck by a devastating hurricane
Tropical cyclone

A tropical cyclone is a storm characterized by a large low pressure system center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and flooding rain....
. Even post-Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest Atlantic hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest, in the history of the United States....
, this event holds the record as the United States' deadliest natural disaster
Natural disaster

A natural disaster is the consequence of a natural hazard which affects human activities. Human vulnerability, exacerbated by the lack of planning or appropriate emergency management, leads to financial, environmental or human losses....
.

In the early morning of September 8, high surf despite prevailing winds out of the north heralded the oncoming storm. By noon low-lying areas near the Gulf and the Bay side of the city were taking on water and the winds increased. Near 4 p.m. a storm surge approximately high slammed into the coast. According to many personal accounts, the storm subsided before midnight. Wind speeds reached up to 125 mph (an estimate, since the anemometer
Anemometer

An anemometer is a device that is used for measuring wind speed, and is one instrument used in a weather station. The term is derived from the Greek word anemos, meaning wind....
 was blown off the U.S. Weather Bureau building). Isaac Cline
Isaac Cline

Isaac Monroe Cline was the chief meteorologist at the Galveston, Texas office of the US Weather Bureau from 1889 to 1901.Cline was born near Madisonville, Tennessee on October 13, 1861 to Jacob and Mary Cline....
 was the bureau's chief meteorologist. An account of the events surrounding the hurricane based on his personal records is given in Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson
Erik Larson

Erik Larson is an United States author. He has written Isaac's Storm , about the experiences of Isaac Cline during the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America , about the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and a series of murders by H....
. The city was devastated, and an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 people on the island were killed.

After the storm cleared, the city decided to shore up its defenses against future storms: a permanent concrete seawall
Galveston Seawall

The Galveston Seawall is a seawall in Galveston, Texas, USA that was built after the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 for protection from future hurricanes....
 was built along a large portion of the beach front (1902–1904) and the entire grade of the city was raised some behind the wall to a few feet near the Bay (1904–1910). Just after the hurricane, the city originated the City Commission form of city government (which became known as the "Galveston Plan"), although the city has since adopted the Council-Manager
Council-manager government

The council-manager government is one of two main variations of Representative democracy Local government in the United States, and was first used in Sumter, South Carolina....
 form of government. Despite attempts to draw new investment to the city after the hurricane, Galveston never fully returned to its previous levels of national importance or prosperity. Development was also hindered by the construction of the Houston Ship Channel
Houston Ship Channel

The Houston Ship Channel in Houston, Texas is part of the Port of Houston?one of the United States's busiest sea ports.The channel is a conduit between the continental interior and the Gulf of Mexico for both petrochemical products and Midwestern United States grain....
, which brought the Port of Houston
Port of Houston

The Port of Houston is the port of Houston, Texas, the fourth-largest city in the United States. The Port is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities located a few hours' sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico....
 into direct competition with the natural harbor of Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay

Galveston Bay is a large estuary located along Texas's upper coast....
 for sea traffic. To further her recovery, and rebuild her population, Galveston actively solicited immigration. Through the efforts of Rabbi Henry Cohen and Congregation B'nai Israel
Congregation B'nai Israel

Congregation B'nai Israel is a Jewish synagogue located in Galveston, Texas, USA. It is the oldest Reform Judaism Congregation in the U.S. state of Texas....
, Galveston became the focus of a 1907 immigration plan called the Galveston Movement
Galveston Movement

The Galveston Movement operated between 1907 and 1914 to divert Jews fleeing Russia and eastern Europe away from crowded East Coast of the United States cities....
 that, in the following years, diverted roughly 10,000 Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is a term that applies to the geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the Europe. Throughout history and to a lesser extent today, parts of Eastern Europe has been distinguishable from Western Europe and other regions due to cultural, religious, economic, and historical reasons, even though there i...
an, Jewish immigrants from the crowded cities of the Northeastern United States.

Post-1900s

Stewart Building Galveston
Though the storm stalled economic development and the city of Houston grew into the region's principal metropolis, Galveston has regained some of its former glory. Today it is considered a major tourist destination, and remains a port of entry and a destination for cruise ships, and a port of call and repairs for cargo ships. Galveston is currently ranked the number 1 port on the Gulf Coast and number 4 in North America (2007). The city features an array of lodging options, including fine hotels, vintage bed & breakfast inns, beachfront condominiums, and resort rentals.

Galveston's historic downtown and abundant beaches are major tourist destinations. Houstonians and visitors from around the world purchase beach homes and condominiums and make Galveston their second home.

Other attractions in Galveston include Moody Gardens
Moody Gardens

Moody Gardens is a tourist complex in Galveston, Texas, Texas. It is owned, through a complex agreement, by the City of Galveston but funded, operated, and supported by the multi-billion dollar Moody Foundation....
, the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum
Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum

The Ocean Star Offshore Oil Rig & Museum, located in Galveston, Texas, is a museum dedicated to the offshore oil and gas industry. Located next to the Strand National Historic Landmark District, the museum is housed on a retired jack-up rig set up in the Galveston ship channel....
, the Galveston Railroad Museum, Schlitterbahn
Schlitterbahn

Schlitterbahn is the name used for three waterparks located in Texas. They are considered to be among the top water parks in the world. Schlitterbahn is a German language word meaning "slippery road"....
, the Strand
Strand National Historic Landmark District

The Strand District, in downtown Galveston, Texas, Texas , is a National Historic Landmark of mainly Victorian era buildings that now house restaurants, antique stores, and curio shops....
 and the Lone Star Flight Museum. Galveston is also home to several historic ships: the tall ship Elissa
Elissa (ship)

The tall ship Elissa is a three-masted barque. She is currently moored in Galveston, Texas, and is one of the oldest ships sailing today....
 (the official Tall Ship of Texas) at the Texas Seaport Museum and USS Cavalla
USS Cavalla (SS-244)

USS Cavalla , a Gato class submarine submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the cavalla, a salt water fish of the pompano family inhabiting waters off the eastern coast of the Americas from Cape Cod to R?o de la Plata....
 and USS Stewart
USS Stewart (DE-238)

USS Stewart is an Edsall class destroyer escort destroyer escort, the third United States Navy ship so named. This ship was named for Rear Admiral Charles Stewart , who commanded USS Constitution during the War of 1812....
, both berthed at Seawolf Park on nearby Pelican Island. Galveston is also home to a symphony orchestra and a small ballet company.

The Galveston County Daily News, the city's main newspaper, is the oldest continuously printed newspaper in Texas since 1842. , the city's official tourism website, launched in the fall of 1994.

Galveston has been the home of the University of Texas Medical Branch
University of Texas Medical Branch

The University of Texas Medical Branch is a component of the University of Texas System located in Galveston, Texas, Texas, United States, about 50 miles southeast of Downtown Houston Houston....
 (UTMB) since 1891. UTMB is a major teaching and indigent-care hospital which now encompasses 84 acres (340,000 m²)., UTMB is the largest employer in Galveston County
Galveston County, Texas

Galveston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Greater Houston metropolitan area. As of the 2007 U.S. Census estimate, the population was 283,987....
, creating over 15,000 jobs and bringing about $300 million into the local economy. The Shriners Hospital adjacent to UTMB is a 30-bed pediatric burn hospital providing comprehensive acute care and reconstructive and rehabilitative care to children who have been burned. American National Insurance Company
American National Insurance Company

American National Insurance Company is a major United States insurance corporation based in Galveston, Texas. The company and its subsidiaries operate in all 50 U.S....
, one of the largest life insurance companies in the United States, and Moody National Bank
Moody National Bank

Moody National Bank is a nationally chartered bank, founded in 1907, that is based in Galveston, Texas, USA.With assets of nearly $1 billion dollars [as of December 2006] Moody Bank is one of the largest privately owned Texas-based banks....
 are headquartered in Galveston.

Galveston Victorian Home Ball and 17th
Galveston's beaches are much cleaner than in the past. With the island's population showing greater concern for their environment, washed-up seaweed is now only moved back from the water's edge to allow the natural buildup and preservation of the beaches. The beaches are now cleaned daily by the Galveston Park Board.

On April 23, 1991 Galveston, and other areas of Galveston County, received an enhanced 9-1-1
9-1-1

9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan . It is one of eight N11 codes. In some jurisdictions, the use of this number is reserved for true emergency circumstances only....
 system which routes calls to proper dispatchers and allows dispatchers to automatically view the address of the caller. Previously Galveston had basic 9-1-1 service.

In the 2000s, property values rose after expensive projects were completed and demand for second homes increased. This led some middle class families to move from Galveston to other areas such as League City
League City, Texas

League City is a city in Galveston County, Texas and Harris County, Texas in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S....
, Texas City
Texas City, Texas

Texas City is a city located in Galveston County, Texas, a county in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. As of the United States Census 2000, the city population was 41,521 ....
, and La Marque
La Marque, Texas

La Marque is a city in Galveston County, Texas, Texas within the Houston Metropolitan Area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 13,682....
. The city population remained relatively the same from 2000 to 2005 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

In 2007 The Associated Press
Associated Press

The Associated Press is an Media of the United States news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, Radio station and Television station stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staffers....
 compiled a list of the most vulnerable places to hurricanes in the U.S. and Galveston was one of five areas named. Among the reasons cited were low elevation and the single evacuation route off the island which is blocked by the fourth largest city in the United States, Houston.

Hurricane Ike

Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike

Hurricane Ike IPA] was the third most destructive hurricane to ever make landfall in the United States. It was the ninth named storm, fifth hurricane and third major hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season....
 made landfall on Galveston Island in the early morning of September 13, 2008 as a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 110 miles per hour. Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff said the previous day that the hurricane might cause "catastrophic effects" and "threaten the lives and safety of citizens along the Texas coast and the western part of Louisiana". Ike produced waves and a rising storm surge of about 14 feet, which went around the famous Galveston Seawall
Galveston Seawall

The Galveston Seawall is a seawall in Galveston, Texas, USA that was built after the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 for protection from future hurricanes....
, flooding the city via the storm sewers, and the unprotected "bay side" of the island, before the first winds or drop of rain. While most residents evacuated the island prior to the storm, many decided to stay. One person explained, "I've decided not to evacuate. We have a lot of faith in the seawall, and we have boards on the windows. Most people on the island live on second or third stories, so they don't have to worry about the water so much." The flooding caused by the storm surge caused many to change their minds, and an attempt was made by the Coast Guard and local officials to rescue hundreds of persons trapped on the island.

The storm left Galveston without electricity, gas, water pressure and basic communications.

Public housing projects in Galveston were one of the hardest hit areas. The Galveston Housing Authority hopes to move away from traditional housing developments and adopt a program of building houses for individual low-income families. Galveston ISD too suffered enormous damage from Hurricane Ike; the school district lost over 2,300 students, when compared to 07-08 enrollment numbers. The Galveston postal operations temporarily moved to 14057 Delaney Road in La Marque. The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service is an Independent agencies of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States....
 also operated postal pickup for Galveston residents at the North Houston Processing Center and North Houston Post Office at the 4600 block of Aldine Bender Road in Houston.

By Spring 2009 several restaurants resumed business, while some were still closed.

Image:Hurricane Ike-38265.jpg| Waters rise in this neighborhood as well as areas throughout the city as Hurricane Ike approaches the east coast of Texas



Image:Hurricane Ike in Galveston.jpg| A US Air Force aerial view of Galveston shortly after Ike on Sept. 13 Image:Airmen Search and Rescue Galveston Island Hurricane Ike September 13.jpg| Another image by the US Air Force, taken Sept. 13 Image: Image:BalineseRoomPostIkePaul.jpg| The famous Balinese room's leftover pilings



Image:Scholls Airport.jpg| A photo taken 4 months after hurricane Ike of Scholls International Airport in Galveston Image:Beach Restoration.jpg| Part of the Galveston beach restoration taken 4 months after hurricane Ike Image:4 months post Ike.jpg|A house in Galveston damaged by hurricane Ike

Architecture

Buildings in Galveston notable for their architecture include many in the historic Strand District, Hotel Galvez, Moody Mansion, Ashton Villa, and the Bishop's Palace
Bishop's Palace, Galveston

The Bishop's Palace, also known as Gresham's Castle, is an ornate Victorian house located on Broadway and 14th Street in the East End Historic District of Galveston, Texas....
 (also known as 'Gresham's Castle'). The restored Grand 1894 Opera House
Grand 1894 Opera House

The Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston, Texas is a historic theater currently operated as a not-for-profit performing arts theater. The Romanesque Revival architecture style Opera House is located at 2020 Post Office Street in Galveston's Strand National Historic Landmark District....
 is still in use.

Tallest buildings:

  • Palisade Palms Trade Winds Tower (Under construction)
  • Palisade Palms Beach Club (Under construction)
  • The Emerald Condominiums (Under construction)
  • Ocean Grove Condominiums (Under construction)
  • East Beach Resort & Spa (Under construction)
  1. American National Insurance Company
    American National Insurance Company

    American National Insurance Company is a major United States insurance corporation based in Galveston, Texas. The company and its subsidiaries operate in all 50 U.S....
     Tower (One Moody Plaza)
  2. San Luis Resort South Tower
  3. San Luis Resort North Tower
  4. The Breakers Condominiums
  5. The Galvestonian Resort and Condos
  6. One Shearn Moody Plaza
  7. US National Bank Building
  8. By The Sea Condominiums
  9. John Sealy Hospital
    John Sealy Hospital

    John Sealy Hospital is a hospital that is a part of the University of Texas Medical Branch complex in Galveston, Texas, United States.Sealy opened on January 10 1890....
     Towers at UTMB
  10. Medical Arts Building (aka Two Moody Plaza)


Economy

The Port of Galveston
Port of Galveston

The Port of Galveston is the port of the city of Galveston, Texas. It was established by a proclamation issued by the Congress of Mexico on October 17, 1825, while the land known today as Texas was still part of Mexico....
, also called Galveston Wharves
Port of Galveston

The Port of Galveston is the port of the city of Galveston, Texas. It was established by a proclamation issued by the Congress of Mexico on October 17, 1825, while the land known today as Texas was still part of Mexico....
, began as a trading post in 1825. Today, the port has grown to of port facilities. The port is located on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, on the north side of Galveston Island, with some facilities on Pelican Island. The port has facilities to handle all types of cargo including containers, dry and liquid bulk, breakbulk, RO/RO, refrigerated, and project cargoes. The port of Galveston also serves as a passenger cruise ship terminal for cruise ships operating in the Caribbean. It homports 2 Carnival Cruise Lines
Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival Cruise Lines is a cruise line operating a large number of cruise ships. Originally an independent company founded in 1972 by Ted Arison, it is now a branded division within Carnival Corporation & plc, a publicly traded company which owns a number of different cruise brands....
 vessels the Carnival Conquest
Carnival Conquest

Carnival Conquest is a Conquest Class cruise ship owned by Carnival Cruise Lines. Sixty percent of her staterooms have ocean views, and sixty percent of those have balconies....
 and the Carnival Ecstasy. It also homeports Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International is a Miami, Florida -based cruise line brand owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., with 21 ships in service and two under construction....
, Voyager of the seas
Voyager of the Seas

Motor Ship Voyager of the Seas, completed in 1999, is the first of five Voyager class cruise ships from Royal Caribbean International. It can handle up to 3114 guests, and, along with its cousins in the Voyager class, is one of the largest passenger ships in the world; currently, only Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 and Royal Caribbean In...
, which is the largest cruise ship ever to be based is Galveston.

Geography and climate

Galveston is located at (29.281137, -94.825945).

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (77.85%) is water.

Cityscape

A 2003 report written by D. Freeman of the University of Texas Medical Branch identified several communities within Galveston. The western portion of Galveston is referred to as the "West End." Communities in eastern Galveston include Lake Madeline, Offats Bayou, Central City, Fort Crockett, Bayou Shore, Lasker Park, Carver Park, Kempner Park, Old City/Central Business District, San Jacinto, East End, and Lindale. Residential communities in the West End include Laguna Harbor.

Demographics

As of the census
Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population....
 of 2000, there were 57,247 people, 23,842 households, and 13,732 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....
 was 1,240.4 people per square mile (478.9/km²). There were 30,017 housing units at an average density of 650.4/sq mi (251.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 58.66% White, 25.49% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 0.42% Native American, 3.21% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 9.73% from other races
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, and 2.41% from two or more races. 25.77% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 23,842 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.6% were married couples
Marriage

Marriage is a social, spirituality, or law union of individuals. This union may also be called matrimony, while the ceremony that marks its beginning is usually called a wedding and the married status created is sometimes called wedlock....
 living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,895, and the median income for a family was $35,049. Males had a median income of $30,150 versus $26,030 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income

Per capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone....
 for the city was $18,275. About 17.8% of families and 22.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.1% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure


Local government

The city's charter specifies a council-manager government
Council-manager government

The council-manager government is one of two main variations of Representative democracy Local government in the United States, and was first used in Sumter, South Carolina....
. Galveston's city council serves as the city's legislative branch, while the City Manager works as the chief executive officer and the municipal court system serves as the city's judicial branch. The city council and mayor promote ordinances to establish municipal policies. The Galveston City Council consists of six elected positions, each derived from a specified voting district. Each city council member is elected to a two year term, while the mayor is elected to a two year term. The city council appoints the City Manager, the City Secretary, the City Auditor, the City Attorney, and the Municipal Judge. The city's Tax Collector is, as of 2008 and as determined by the city council, outsourced to Galveston County. The city manager hires employees, promotes development, presents and administers the budget, and implements City Council policies. As of 2008 Lyda Ann Thomas
Lyda Ann Thomas

Lyda Ann Thomas is the mayor of Galveston, Texas, United States. She was first elected in 2004 to succeed Roger "Bo" Quiroga. Thomas is the third female mayor of Galveston....
 is the mayor and the City Council members are Tarris L. Woods (District 1), Linda Colbert (District 2), Elizabeth Beeton (District 3), Susan Fennewald (District 4), Danny L. Weber (District 5), and Karen Mahoney (District 6). Galveston City Hall, located at 823 Rosenberg Avenue, is the nerve center of the city government. The City Hall Annex, attached to the west side of city hall, has various offices; including the fire department.

Police controversy

In September 2006, the City of Galveston charged 12-year old Dymond Milburn with felony assault
Assault

Assault is a crime of violence against another human. In some jurisdictions, including Australia and New Zealand, assault refers to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, while in other jurisdictions, such as the United States, assault may refer only to the threat of violence caused by an immediate show of fo...
. This was in response to an incident in which three plain-clothes police officers said that they mistook the 12-year old Milburn, who is black, for a white prostitute. Milburn was treated at the hospital for injuries including multiple contusions, bleeding from the nose and ear, deep choking marks at her neck, and a black eye as a result of her treatment at the hands of police officers. The police have countered that the choke marks were made by the tree which Dymond clung to with her arms and legs while the officers attempted to pull her into their unmarked van. The child, an honor student, was put through two trials for felony assault against a police officer. The case against Milburn resulted in a hung jury
Hung jury

A hung jury is a jury that cannot agree upon a verdict after an extended period of deliberation and is deadlocked with irreconcilable differences of opinion....
 with 5 voting to acquit and one voting against on February 10, 2009. It was thus a mistrial. The incident has sparked international outrage at Galveston County DAs Kurt Sistrunk and Joel Bennett for their use of the justice system to further traumatize a child already injured by the police.

The Galveston Police Department has had a history of police brutality incidents with little official response. A School Board leader has publicly stated he was the victim of police brutality by the GPD. Eleven people at a wedding reception at the San Luis Resort were beaten by the Galveston Police, arrested and jailed. Videos show Galveston police officers tasering and pepper spraying people who are not threatening the officers. A FEMA Director of Operations attempting to report police brutality at the incident was jailed and arrested.

Fire and Police Departments

The Galveston Fire Department provides fire protection services through six fire stations and seventeen pieces of apparatus; the fire department administration and the fire marshal are, respectively, in Suite 202 and Suite 203 at 2517 Ball Street. The Galveston Police Department provides the city's police service; it is headquartered at 601 54th Street.

County, state, and federal representation

Galvcocourt
The Galveston County Justice Center, the headquarters of the county, is located at 600 59th Street in Galveston. Galveston is within the County Precinct 1; as of 2008 Patrick Doyle serves as the Commissioner of Precinct 1. The Galveston County Sheriff's Office operates its law enforcement headquarters at 601 54th Street, while the jail is located at 5700 Avenue H. The Galveston County Department of Parks and Senior Services operates the Galveston Community Center at 2201 Avenue L.

Galveston is located in District 23 of the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives

The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members from an equal amount of districts across the Texas, with each constituency consisting of nearly 140,000 people....
. As of 2008, Craig Eiland
Craig Eiland

Allen Craig Eiland is a Democratic Party and Speaker pro Tempore of the Texas House of Representatives. Eiland represents Texas House district 23, which includes Galveston, Jamaica Beach, Texas, Texas City and the Bolivar Peninsula in Galveston County and all of Chambers County, Texas....
 represents the district. Most of Galveston is within District 17
Texas Senate, District 17

District 17 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Brazoria County, Texas, Chambers County, Texas, Fort Bend County, Texas, Galveston County, Texas, Harris County, Texas and Jefferson County, Texas counties in the United States state of Texas....
 of the Texas Senate
Texas Senate

The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the Texas with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency....
; as of 2008 Joan Huffman
Joan Huffman

Joan J. Huffman is a former felony court judge in Houston, Texas, Texas, and an incoming Republican Party member of the 31-member Texas State Senate from District 17, which includes a portion of populous Harris County, Texas....
 represents the district. A portion of Galveston is within District 11
Texas Senate, District 11

District 11 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Brazoria County, Texas, Galveston County, Texas and Harris County, Texas counties in the United States state of Texas....
 of the Texas Senate
Texas Senate

The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the Texas with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency....
; as of 2008 Mike Jackson
Mike Jackson (Texas politician)

J. Michael ?Mike? Jackson is a Republican Party member of the Texas Senate representing the Texas Senate, District 11....
 represents the district.

Galveston is in Texas's 14th congressional district
Texas's 14th congressional district

Texas's 14th district for the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that covers the area south and southwest of the Greater Houston region, including Galveston, Texas, in the state of Texas....
. As of 2008, Ron Paul
Ron Paul

Ronald Ernest Paul is a Republican Party United States Congressman, who gained widespread attention during his campaign for the 2008 Republican Party presidential nomination....
 represents the district.

The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service is an Independent agencies of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States....
 operates post offices in Galveston, including the Galveston Main Post Office at 601 25th Street, and the Bob Lyons Post Office Station at 5826 Broadway Street,

In addition the post office has a contral postal unit at the Medical Branch Unit on the campus of the University of Texas Medical Branch
University of Texas Medical Branch

The University of Texas Medical Branch is a component of the University of Texas System located in Galveston, Texas, Texas, United States, about 50 miles southeast of Downtown Houston Houston....
. In November 2007 West Galveston Contract Unit, a Contract Postal Unit
United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service is an Independent agencies of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States....
, opened inside a local business at Bob Smith Drive near Farm to Market Road 3005
Farm to Market Road 3005

Farm to Market Road 3005 is a farm-to-market road in Galveston, Texas and Jamaica Beach, Texas as well as the area around these two cities on Galveston Island....
 in Jamaica Beach
Jamaica Beach, Texas

Jamaica Beach is a city in Galveston County, Texas, Texas, United States. As of the census, the city population was 1,075....
, a city sandwiched in between sections of Galveston.

Transportation


Airports

Scholes International Airport at Galveston
Scholes International Airport at Galveston

Scholes International Airport at Galveston is an airport located in Galveston, Texas, Texas, United States. The airport, three miles southwest of Galveston's city hall, has two runways....
  is a two-runway airport in Galveston; the airport is primarily used for general aviation, offshore energy transportation, and some limited military operations. Commercial airline service is operated out of Houston through William P. Hobby Airport
William P. Hobby Airport

William P. Hobby Airport is a public airport located 8 miles southeast of the central business district of Houston, Texas, Texas, United States....
 and George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport

George Bush Intercontinental Airport is a Class B airports international airport in the city of Houston, Texas, United States serving the Greater Houston area....
. University of Texas Medical Branch
University of Texas Medical Branch

The University of Texas Medical Branch is a component of the University of Texas System located in Galveston, Texas, Texas, United States, about 50 miles southeast of Downtown Houston Houston....
 has two heliports: one for Ewing Hall and one for its emergency room.

Mass transit

Island Transit
Island Transit (Texas)

Island Transit is a public transit company operating in Galveston, Texas. The company runs several bus routes, and a streetcar system, called Galveston Island Trolley....
, which also runs the Galveston Island Trolley
Galveston Island Trolley

Galveston Island Trolley is a heritage streetcar in Galveston, Texas. As in late 2006, the total network length was 6.8 miles . There are 22 stations....
, operates Galveston Island's public transportation services.

Freeway system

Interstate 45
Interstate 45

Interstate 45 is an Interstate Highway located entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It connects the cities of Dallas, TX and Houston, TX, continuing southeast from Houston to Galveston, TX on the Gulf of Mexico....
 has a southern terminus in Galveston and serves as a main artery to Galveston from mainland Galveston County and Houston. Farm to Market Road 3005
Farm to Market Road 3005

Farm to Market Road 3005 is a farm-to-market road in Galveston, Texas and Jamaica Beach, Texas as well as the area around these two cities on Galveston Island....
 (locally called Seawall Boulevard) connects Galveston to Brazoria County
Brazoria County, Texas

Brazoria County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas located on the Gulf Coast of the United States within the Greater Houston metropolitan area....
 via the San Luis Pass-Vacek toll bridge. And State Highway 87, known locally as Broadway Street, connects the island to the Bolivar Peninsula via the free Bolivar Ferry.

Intercity buses

Greyhound Bus Lines serves Galveston Station, which is located at 3825 Broadway Street.

In pop culture

The Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett

James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer, songwriter, author, businessman, and recently a movie producer best known for his "island escapism" lifestyle and music including hits such as "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday." He has a devoted base of Fan known as "Parrotheads." His band is called the Coral Reefer Band....
 song, "Who's the Blonde Stranger?" and Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb

Jimmy Layne Webb is an American songwriter. His compositions include "Up, Up and Away ," "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman," "Galveston ," and "MacArthur Park "....
's "Galveston
Galveston (song)

"Galveston" is the title of a 1969 in music song written by Jimmy Webb and popularized by Glen Campbell.The song is sung by a soldier in combat who is nostalgic for his home town, Galveston, Texas, Texas, characterized as a woman: "I still see her standing by the water ......
" (popularized by Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell

Glen Travis Campbell is a Grammy Award, Dove Award winning, and two time nominated Golden Globe Award United States country pop singer, guitarist and occasional actor....
) are set in or refer to Galveston, as are ZZ Top
ZZ Top

ZZ Top is an American Rock music trio formed in late 1969 in Houston, Texas, United States. The group members are Billy Gibbons , Dusty Hill , and Frank Beard ....
's "Balinese", Greg Trooper used Galveston in a song called No Higher Ground (in reference to the 1900 Galveston Hurricane), Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley

Dierks Bentley is an American country music artist. After years of playing various local venues, Dierks was discovered and signed to Capitol Records in 2003....
's "I Can Only Think of One", Gene Autry
Gene Autry

Orvon Gene Autry was an United States performing arts who gained fame as "Singing cowboy" on the Radio in the United States, in Cinema of the United States and on Television in the United States for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s....
's "Gallivantin' Galveston Gal" and R.E.M.
R.E.M.

R.E.M. is an American Rock music band formed in Athens, Georgia, Georgia , in 1980 by Michael Stipe , Peter Buck , Mike Mills , and Bill Berry ....
:s "Houston". "Indian Queens," from Nick Lowe
Nick Lowe

Nick Lowe is an English people singer-songwriter, musician and Record producer.A pivotal figure in United Kingdom pub rock, punk rock and new wave music, Lowe has sound recording and reproduction a string of well-reviewed solo albums....
's 2001 album The Convincer
The Convincer

The Convincer is a 2001 studio album by United Kingdom singer-songwriter Nick Lowe. Produced by Lowe and Neil Brockbank, it was released in Europe by Proper Records and by Yep Roc Records in the USA....
 also mentions Galveston.

The Galveston shoreline was the filming location for the infamous beach-driving scene between Jack Nicholson
Jack Nicholson

John Joseph "Jack" Nicholson is an United States actor, film director, film producer, and screenwriter, Movie star for his often dark-themed portrayals of Neurosis Fictional character....
 and Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine is an United States Academy Awards-winning film and theater actress, dancer, activist, and author, well-known for her beliefs in new age spirituality and reincarnation....
 in the 1983 Oscar-winning film Terms of Endearment.

Rapper DMX
DMX (rapper)

Earl Simmons , better known by his stage name DMX, is an United States entertainer, who rose to fame in the late 1990s. His stage name stands for Dark Man X, the name he used when he first started rapping in 1990....
 shot the music video for "Party Up (In Here)" at the Frost Bank in Galveston.

The Blackadder
Blackadder

Blackadder is the generic name that encompasses four series of an acclaimed BBC One historical British sitcom, along with several List of Blackadder episodes#See also....
 series one episode "The Queen of Spain's Beard
The Queen of Spain's Beard

"The Queen of Spain's Beard" was the fourth episode of the first series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder ....
" features a scene where Lord Percy describes the Spanish Infanta's eyes as being "bluer than the famous stone of Galveston", despite being set in medieval times several centuries before Galveston's foundation.

Education


Colleges and universities

Gc Photo
The city is home to three post-secondary institutions: Galveston College
Galveston College

Galveston College is a comprehensive community college located on Galveston Island in Galveston, Texas, Texas, United States. GC is led by a president who is answers to nine member publicly elected Board of Regents....
 (a junior college opened in 1967), Texas A&M University at Galveston
Texas A&M University at Galveston

Texas A&M University at Galveston is an ocean-oriented branch campus of Texas A&M University offering courses in marine biology, marine fisheries, marine engineering technology, marine sciences, marine transportation, maritime administration, maritime studies, maritime systems engineering, oceans and coastal resources, and university studies...
, and University of Texas Medical Branch
University of Texas Medical Branch

The University of Texas Medical Branch is a component of the University of Texas System located in Galveston, Texas, Texas, United States, about 50 miles southeast of Downtown Houston Houston....
.

Primary and secondary schools


Public schools
The city of Galveston is served by Galveston Independent School District
Galveston Independent School District

Galveston Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Galveston, Texas, Texas, United States....
. Six district public elementary schools, including Burnet, L. A. Morgan, Greta Oppe, Gladneio Parker, Henry Rosenberg, and Charles B. Scott, serve grades pre-Kindergarten through 4. All Galveston Island residents are assigned to Weis Middle School for grades 5 through 6, Central Middle School for grades 7 through 8, and Ball High School
Ball High School

Ball High School is a public secondary school in Galveston, Texas, Texas, United States. Ball, which covers grades 9 through 12, is a part of Galveston Independent School District....
 for grades 9 through 12. One magnet middle school, Austin Middle School, has grades 5 through 8.

Prior to 1968, Galveston operated Ball High School for White students and Central High School for Black
Black people

Black people is a term usually referring to a Race of humans with a dark skin color, but the term has also been used to categorise a number of diverse populations into one common group....
 students; Central School, the first Texas public school for African-Americans, opened in 1885 and became a high school in 1886. In 1968 the two high schools consolidated and the Central campus became a junior high school. Travis Elementary School, which opened in 1948, closed in the 1970s. Crockett Elementary School closed by 1978. The tax base of the Galveston ISD grew by 13% in 2005 while Galveston ISD lost many district-zoned non-Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest Atlantic hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest, in the history of the United States....
 evacuee students. San Jacinto Elementary School closed in 2006. Alamo Elementary School, which opened in 1935 and received renovations in 1980 and 1986, closed in 2007. Prior to fall 2008, Galveston ISD had a different school configuration: Elementary schools served pre-Kindergarten through grade 5 and Austin, Weis, and Central middle schools served grades 6 through 8.

Galveston also has State charter schools
Charter school

Charter schools are elementary or secondary schools in the United States that receive public money but have been freed from some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter....
, state-funded schools not affiliated with local school districts, including Kindergarten through 5th Grade Ambassadors Preparatory Academy and Pre-Kindergarten through 8th Grade Odyssey Academy.

Private schools
Several private schools exist in Galveston. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

The Roman Catholic Church Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston encompasses of ten counties in the southeastern area of Texas: Galveston County, Texas; Harris County, Texas; Austin County, Texas; Brazoria County, Texas; Fort Bend County, Texas; Grimes County, Texas; Montgomery County, Texas; San Jacinto County, Texas; Walker County, Texas; and W...
 operates two Roman Catholic private schools, including Galveston Catholic School (K through 8th) and O'Connell College Preparatory School
O'Connell College Preparatory School

O'Connell College Preparatory School is a 4-year coeducational parochial/private high school in Galveston, Texas, United States that offers university-preparatory school....
 (9-12). O'Connell Consolidated High School opened in 1968 as a consolidation of Kirwin, Dominican and Ursuline, three Galveston Catholic high schools. Galveston Catholic School opened in 1986 as a consolidation of Dominican School, Our Lady of Guadalupe School, Saint Patrick's School, and O’Connell Junior High School. Saint Patrick's opened in 1881 and received its final campus in 1926. Some parents protested plans to consolidate the schools before the consolidation became final. O'Connell was renamed to O'Connell College Preparatory School in 2007.

Satori Elementary School, a non-religious Kindergarten through Grade 6 school, is on the island. Trinity Episcopal School, a PreK-8 Episcopal Church school, is on the island. Two Kindergarten through 12th grade schools, Seaside Christian Academy (affiliated with Seaside Baptist Church in Jamaica Beach) and Heritage Christian Academy, are in Galveston.

Public libraries

The city is served by the Rosenberg Library
Rosenberg Library

Rosenberg Library, a public library located at 2310 Sealy Street in Galveston, Texas, Texas, United States, is the oldest continuously operating library in Texas....
. The library serves as headquarters of the Galveston County Library System, which opened in 1941. The Rosenberg Library's librarian also functions as the Galveston County Librarian.

Sister cities

Galveston has seven sister cities
Town twinning

Town twinning, also known as sister cities, is a concept whereby towns or city in geographically and politically distinct areas are paired, with the goal of fostering human contact and cultural links between their inhabitants....
, as designated by Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International

Sister Cities International is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and fostering town twinning, especially between cities in the United States and cities in other countries....
:
  • Armavir
    Armavir

    Armavir is a types of inhabited localities in Russia in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the left bank of the Kuban River. Population: 208,400 ; 144,000 ....
    , Armenia
    Armenia

    Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in South Caucasus between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea....
  • Thiruvananthapuram
    Thiruvananthapuram

    , Indian renaming controversy known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District....
    , India
  • Veracruz
    Veracruz, Veracruz

    The city of Veracruz is a major port city and municipalities of Mexico on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexico States of Mexico of Veracruz. The metropolitan areas of Mexico is Mexico's largest on the Gulf coast and an important east coast port....
    , Mexico
  • Stavanger
    Stavanger

    is a city and municipalities of Norway in the counties of Norway of Rogaland, Norway. Stavanger was established as a municipality 1 January 1838 . The rural municipalities of Hetland and Madla merged with Stavanger 1 January 1965....
    , Norway
  • Niigata
    Niigata, Niigata

    is the capital and the most populous cities of Japan of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island....
    , Japan
  • Cape Town
    Cape Town

    Cape Town is the second most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the metropolitan municipality of the City of Cape Town. It is the provincial Capital of the Western Cape, as well as the legislature capital of South Africa, where the Parliament of South Africa and many government offices are located....
    , South Africa
  • Tamsui, Republic of China
    Republic of China

    The Republic of China , also known as Nationalist China is a country in East Asia that has evolved from a single-party state with full global recognition into a multi-party democratic state with Political status of Taiwan....


See also

  • Galveston Hurricane of 1900
    Galveston Hurricane of 1900

    The Hurricane of 1900 made Landfall on the city of Galveston, Texas, Texas on September 8, 1900. . ; .It had estimated winds of 135 miles per hour at landfall, making it a Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale#Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale....
  • Hurricane Ike
    Hurricane Ike

    Hurricane Ike IPA] was the third most destructive hurricane to ever make landfall in the United States. It was the ninth named storm, fifth hurricane and third major hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season....
  • Isaac's Storm


External links

  • , published 1916, hosted by the