Point #29- Galveston...On the Gulf Coast

To obtain this point: One must visit this island city, wander the Strand, and reminisce about the history of this Texas jewel.

Existing on a gulf coast barrier island, Galveston is a town that has lived and died with the waves. By the end of the 19th century, Galveston was the heart of Texas commerce. At that time it was known as the "Ellis Island of the West" because of its importance in immigration and "the Wall Street of the Southwest" because of its commercial strength. This all changed with the worst natural disaster in US history.

The Galveston Storm of 1900 derailed Galveston's progress. The entire island was engulfed by the storm surge and decimated the city. The hurricane destroyed 3,600 buildings and killed over 6,000 people. After the hurricane, the survivors dumped the bodies into the gulf only to have them washed up on the shore the next couple days...how disgusting!

In true Texas spirit, the Galvestonians rebuilt better than ever. To fix the problem of living on a barrier island, they literally raised the island! The seawall was built 10.4 miles long and 17 feet high. For the buildings that survived, they either filled in their basements or lifted the buildings and put fill underneath. Now Galveston continues to live perilously on the edge of the Gulf Coast.

Enjoy Texas...and did you know that the first European to visit Galveston Island (Cabeza de Vaca) was shipwrecked there and called it Isla de Malhado (Island of Doom).