Galveston: Faded Glory

The Storm

Galveston was a thriving metropolis in the year 1900, when a Category 4 hurricane leveled much of the city and was the deadliest natural disaster to ever strike the United States. The vulnerability of the city’s shipping trade encouraged inland development, and paved the way for the Port of Houston, which gave the city its moniker “Where 17 Railroads Meet the Sea”.

Today much has changed in the region, but Galveston is still a city of late 19^th century architecture. Many of the large mansions on Broadway are from the era before The Great Storm. The City Cemetery along Broadway Boulevard holds tombs, statues and graves dating back to 1847, many done in a style reminiscent of New Orleans. Much of the city is still Victorian homes with hurricane shutters, much like Key West.

Much of downtown has been restored faithfully, and husks of old red brick industry are visible from the pier alongside the revitalized tourist industry on “The Strand”. The Strand features many small shops, candy stores, art galleries and margarita stands, attracting many visitors for spring break. Both families and college students flock to Galveston in the spring, and local motorcycle clubs mix with tourists waiting to embark from cruise liners during the summer.

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. Gulf waters are usually quite warm, owing to equatorial flow into the Gulf of Mexico and the shallow waters of the Texas coast. Looking to the future of the energy trade in renewable sources, Houston companies have recently begun exploration to create wind farms off the coast of Galveston.

Moody Gardens

Moody Gardens is a major attraction in Galveston; the three glass pyramids hold an aquarium, rainforest biosphere and science themed activities along with an IMAX theater and Palm Beach, a landscaped sandy area with freshwater lagoons.

Larcher

The Seawall is a great place for a walk on the beach, the wall facing the ocean is covered in murals and large graffiti tags. A 12 foot barrier built to protect the city from coastal flooding, the Seawall’s absence on the edges of the city had prompted most buildings to be built on stilts or risk their lives.