Galveston: A History of the IslandGalveston--a small, flat island off the Texas Gulf coast--has seen some of the state's most amazing history and fascinating people. First settled by the Karankawa Indians, long suspected of cannibalism, it was where the stranded Cabeza de Vaca came ashore in the 16th century. Pirate Jean Lafitte used it as a hideout in the early 1800s and both General Sam Houston and General James Long (with his wife, Jane, the "Mother of Texas") stayed on its shores. More modern notable names on the island include Robert Kleberg and the Moody, Sealy and Kempner families who dominated commerce and society well into the twentieth century. Captured by both sides during the Civil War and the scene of a devastating sea battle, the city flourished during Reconstruction and became a leading port, an exporter of grain and cotton, a terminal for two major railroads, and site of fabulous Victorian buildings--homes, hotels, the Grand Opera House, the Galveston Pavilion (first building in Texas to have electric lights). It was, writes Cartwright, "the largest, bawdiest, and most important city between New Orleans and San Francisco." This country's worst natural disaster--the Galveston hurricane of 1900--left the city in shambles, with one sixth of its population dead. But Galveston recovered. During Prohibition rum-running and bootlegging flourished; after the repeal, a variety of shady activities earned the city the nickname "The Free State of Galveston." In recent years Galveston has focused on civic reform and restoration of its valuable architectural and cultural heritage. Over 500 buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and an annual "Dickens on the Strand" festival brings thousands of tourists to the island city each December. Yet Galveston still witnesses colorful incidents and tells stories of descendants of the ruling families, as Cartwright demonstrates with wry humor in a new epilogue written specially for this edition of Galveston. First published in 1991 by Atheneum. |
Contents
Section 1 | 1 |
Section 2 | 13 |
Section 3 | 17 |
Section 4 | 25 |
Section 5 | 39 |
Section 6 | 55 |
Section 7 | 63 |
Section 8 | 71 |
Section 18 | 175 |
Section 19 | 183 |
Section 20 | 195 |
Section 21 | 207 |
Section 22 | 217 |
Section 23 | 229 |
Section 24 | 241 |
Section 25 | 249 |
Section 9 | 85 |
Section 10 | 95 |
Section 11 | 117 |
Section 12 | 131 |
Section 13 | 141 |
Section 14 | 151 |
Section 15 | 156 |
Section 16 | 156 |
Section 17 | 163 |
Section 26 | 263 |
Section 27 | 277 |
Section 28 | 293 |
Section 29 | 299 |
Section 30 | 313 |
Section 31 | 321 |
Section 32 | 325 |
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Common terms and phrases
ANICO attorney Austin Balinese Room bank Battle of Galveston Bayou beach became began blockade Bobby Moody Broadway building Cabeza de Vaca called Captain Cline Clouser Club coast Colonel Moody cotton crew Cuney feet Fertitta Galveston Bay Galveston County Galveston Island gambling George Sealy Gulf harbor Harris Hilton Houston hundred hurricane I. H. Kempner Ike Kempner Indians Isaac Cline Jean Lafitte John Sealy JOLO Karankawas Kempner knew Kugle Lafitte Lafitte's Lambdin Lasker later lived looked Maceo mainland Mary Moody Northen Mexican Mexico miles million Moody Foundation Moody's named never night Orleans Pier pirates port Protz railroad Republic of Texas sailed Samuel May Williams sand schooner seawall Shearn Moody ship Simpson slave South Spanish storm Strand Street Texas told took tribe veston W. L. Moody Watson Wharf Company wrote young