History of Galveston, Texas, USA

1766 - The first recorded hurricane in Texas struck near Galveston

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1854 - Galveston
Galveston, a port of entry, the seat of justice of Galveston county, and the most populous and commercial city of Texas, is situated on an island at the mouth of a bay of its own name, about 450 miles W. by S. from New Orleans, and 230 miles S. E. from Austin City. Lat. 29° 17' N. ; Lon. 94° 60' W. The island of Galveston, which separates the bay from the Gulf of Mexico, is about 30 miles in length and 3 miles in breadth. The surface is nearly level, and has a mean elevation of only 4 or 6 feet above the water. The bay extends northward from the city to the mouth of Trinity river, a distance of 35 miles, and varies in breadth from 12 to 18 miles. The harbour of Galveston, which is the best in the state, has 12 or 14 feet of water over the bar at low tide. Galveston is one of the most flourishing ports on the Gulf of Mexico, and carries on an active trade. Its shipping, June 30th, 1852, amounted to an aggregate of 1488 tons registered, and 4003 tons enrolled and licensed. Of the... Read MORE...

1895 - Galveston
Galveston, a port of entry, the seat of justice of Galveston co., and the most populous and commercial city of Texas, is situated on the Gulf of Mexico, and on an island at the mouth of a bay of its own name, about 550 miles W. by S. of New Orleans. It is 214 miles by rail E.S.E. of Austin City. Lat. 29° 18' N.; lon. 94° 50' W. The island of Galveston, which separates the bay from the Gulf of Mexico, is about 30 miles in length and 3 miles in breadth. The surface is level, and has a mean elevation of only 7 or 8 feet above the water. The bay extends northward from the city to the mouth of Trinity River, a distance of 35 miles, and varies in breadth from 12 to 18 miles. The harbor of Galveston, which is the best in the state, has 12 or 14 feet of water over the bar at low tide. Galveston is one of the most flourishing ports on the Gulf of Mexico, and carries on an active trade. The chief articles of export are cotton, hides, grain, and flour. Steamships make regular passages from this... Read MORE...

February 15, 1895 - A big Gulf snowstorm produced 15 inches at Galveston TX.

WeatherForYou.com

1900 - More than 6,000 die after storm washes over Galveston
The nation's deadliest natural disaster, the storm struck with little warning late on Sept. 8. Storm tides of 8 to 15 feet inundated Galveston Island and portions of the nearby Texas coast. The tides were largely responsible for the 8,000 deaths, with some estimates ranging as high as 12,000.
www.sun-sentinel.com
Sun Sentinel
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
September 8, 1900

1901 - October 8 - A deluge at Galveston, TX, produced nearly twelve inches of rain in about a six hour period. The rains came precisely thirteen months after the day of the famous Galveston hurricane disaster.

WeatherForYou.com
October 8, 1901

1909 - SLOOP'S MASTER MEETS DEATH. Capt. Matthews of the Ellen, Fishing Craft, Struck by Loosened Boom and Swept Overboard.
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS.

Galveston, Tex., July 22. - The dead body of Capt. D. T. Matthews, master of the sloop Ellen, was found on Friday morning at San Luis Pass, at the western extremity of the island. Capt. Matthews was a fisherman, employed several men to fish for him at San Luis Pass in the sloop Ellen. It was his custom to go out to the pass at stated intervals in a smaller boat - the Ellena [sic] - and bringing provisions and ice for the men on the larger boat, brought to the city the catch of fish from the larger boat on the return trip.

From one of the crew of the Ellen it was learned that Capt. Matthews was at the time of the storm in the small boat. When the boat was dragging anchor and for fear of the boat overturning, his mate rushed forward in an endeavor to cut the sail loose, but a mighty blast of wind came, overturning the little craft. The boom was loosened, and swinging around, struck the captain just above the left ear, killing him, it is supposed,... Read MORE...

1915 - August 17 - A hurricane hit Galveston, TX, with wind gusts to 120 mph and a twelve foot storm surge.
The storm claimed 275 lives, including forty-two on Galveston Island, with most deaths due to drowning. Of 250 homes built outside the seawall (which was constructed after the catastrophic hurricane of 1900), just ten percent were left standing.
The Weather Channel
August 17, 1915

1916
Galveston, a port of entry and capital of Galveston co., Tex., is situated on the Gulf of Mexico and on an island at the mouth of a bay of its own name, about 300 miles (direct) W. by S. of New Orleans. It is on the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe, the International and Great Northern and other railroads. Lat. 29° 18' N. ; Ion. 94° 50' W. The island of Galveston, which separates the bay from the Gulf of Mexico, is about 30 miles in length and 3 miles in breadth. The surface is level and has a mean elevation of only 7 or 8 feet above the water. The bay extends north ward from the city to the mouth of the Trinity River, a distance of 35 miles, and varies in breadth from 12 to 18 miles. The harbor of Galveston, which is the best in the state, has 1 2 or 14 feet of water over the bar at low tide. Through this bar the United States government has cut a deep channel, flanked by stone jetties several miles in length. Galveston, the leading commercial city of Texas, although ranking only fourth... Read MORE...

1983 - Hurricane Alicia
August 18, 1983
Hurricane Alicia makes landfall at Galveston Island, Texas, unleashing 23 small tornadoes. The storm kills 21 people, leaves Houston littered with tree limbs and broken glass, and causes $2 billion in damage.

Timeline: U.S. Storm Disasters
American Experience

www.pbs.org

Here's a list of places to go and things to do in Galveston:
The Strand Historic District: Start your journey by exploring the Strand, a historic district filled with Victorian-era buildings. You'll find unique shops, art galleries, restaurants, and museums here.

Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier: This amusement park on the pier is great for families. It has thrilling rides, games, and plenty of food options. The view of the Gulf from the Ferris wheel is fantastic.

Seawall Urban Park: Take a leisurely walk or bike ride along the Galveston Seawall. This 10-mile-long seawall offers beautiful views of the Gulf of Mexico and is perfect for watching the sunset.

Moody Gardens: A family-friendly attraction, Moody Gardens features three glass pyramids with a rainforest, an aquarium, and a discovery museum. They also have seasonal events like Festival of Lights.

Galveston Railroad Museum: If you're a train enthusiast, this museum is a must-visit. It showcases the history of railroads in Texas with an impressive collection of... Read MORE...