1. Unit 8 Notes Part 2

5. Galveston, Texas: Basic Facts
Mexico used Galveston as a port due to its naturally deep harbor.
In 1800s Galveston was a center for cotton shipping for Texas and the U S.
Largest city in Texas in late 1800s

6. Galveston, Texas: Basic Facts
During the late 1800s Galveston was known as the “Wall Street of the Southwest”
Galveston enjoyed its role as the financial center of Texas, a true white-collar City.
First Texas city to have:
electric lights
telephone
baseball team

7. Ashton Villa

8. The Bishops Palace

9. The Grand 1894 Opera House

10. Did not know how powerful it was
September 1900
By early September 1900, citizens of Galveston hear about a storm in the Gulf of Mexico
Did not know how powerful it was
Most citizens disregarded the warnings given by Dr. Isaac Cline

11. Dr. Isaac Cline The city’s representative of the U.S. Weather Bureau

12. September 7, 1900
Dr. Cline notices unusual swells in the gulf as he makes his rounds, but nothing signaling what’s to come.
Dr. Cline received messages from the Weather bureau as Galveston had been put under a storm warning as early as Sept 4.
Galveston’s 38,000 residents go to sleep that night unaware of the fate that awaits them

13. 1900 Storm Path

14. September 8, 1900: Early Morning
Early in the day, water begins to flood homes blocks from the beach
Galveston’s highest point above sea level was only 8.7 feet and people begin to move to higher ground and into tall buildings
As flood waters rise the bridge to mainland is destroyed by a boat that escapes its moorings

15. September 8, 1900: Early Evening
By the early evening, the winds began to blow the deadly storm surge onto the island
A storm surge of 15.7 feet swept over the island and completely submerged it.
Winds estimated at near 130 mph gusts

16. September 8, 1900: Late Evening
As people fled the storm, many were killed by flying debris from houses that had been destroyed by wind and water
People clung to anything to keep afloat.
By night time the city was in utter darkness as the gasworks for city lighting was destroyed.

17. September 8, 1900: Midnight to Early Morning Next Day
By 11:00 pm, the winds turned from the south and the storm began to weaken
By the next morning the storm was gone and devastation was left in its wake:
6,000-8,000 people dead on the island
3,600 buildings destroyed
$20 million in damage done to the island = to $700 million today

20. Causeway before the storm
Causeway after the storm

23. Aftermath
Bodies were collected to be identified and then a plan was made to dispose of them
Bodies were staked on barges and weighted down to be sunk in the gulf.
A few days later the bodies washed back onto the island.

24. Aftermath… The city officials decided to burn all the bodies.
Many African-American citizens were put in charge of burning the bodies.
Galveston asked for assistance from the governor to prevent riots in the city
125 people were shot for looting from houses and from the dead bodies.

25. Changes After the Storm
Galveston changed its City Government to a commission system to speed up the process of recovering
A seawall was proposed to block the island from deadly storm surges
The city planned to raise it’s elevation by bringing in sand from the gulf

26. The Seawall
Galveston built a 17 foot sea wall that extends for over three miles of the islands coastline.
They increased the elevation of the town by 16 feet

29. Galveston Rebuilds
However, Houston overtook Galveston as the most important port city in Texas when the Houston Ship Channel was built.

30. Galveston’s economy today is based largely on tourism.
Galveston Today
Galveston’s economy today is based largely on tourism.
It is also the home of two Universities:
Texas A&M Galveston
University of Texas Medical Branch