Galveston, Texas

Galveston is a coastal city in southeastern Texas. It is located on Galveston island, a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico. The city is the county seat of Galveston County. Covering 208.3 sq mi (539.6 sq km), it has a population approaching 50,000 people, making it the second largest city in Galveston County behind League City (which surpassed it in population in 2005).

St Mary's Cathedral Basilica, Galveston, Texas
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More on Galveston

Galveston is today one of the largest ports in the united States. It serves as the main gateway for goods passing between the city of Houston and the rest of the world. Galveston has a developed economy centered on tourism, health care, shipping and financial services. It is also the home of the Medical Branch campus of the University of Texas.

Galveston experiences a humid subtropical climate. July and August are the hottest months, when the average high temperature rises to 89°F. Coldest month is January, with average low temperature of 50°F. September gets the most rain, at 8.8 in. Galveston lives under threat of hurricanes, particularly during the summer and fall.

Until the arrival of the first Europeans, the island of Galveston was inhabited by the Karankawa and Akokisa tribes who called the island Auia. Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca and his men made an unceremonious arrival when they were shipwrecked there in 1528.

Galvez Hotel, Galveston
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The name Galveston dates to 1785, when Spanish explorer José de Evia named it Ciudad de Gálvez in honor of Count Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid. In 1816 it was used by pirate Louis-Michel Aury as his base to support Mexico's bid for independence against Spain. However, on his return to Galveston, he found that it had been taken over by a rival pirate, Jean Lafitte, who turned the town into his own private kingdom. Lafitte was eventually ousted from Galveston by the United States Navy in 1821.

The Port of Galveston was established in 1825. The town then served as the capital of the Republic of Texas in 1836. In 1839 it received its city charter. By the turn of the 20th century, it was the largest cotton ports in the country, rivaling New Orleans.

Galveston was battered by Hurricane Ike in 2008. The city has since recovered from the devastation and is against growing, with a rise in property values.

Visiting Galveston

Interstate 45 is the main highway connecting Galveston to the rest of the country. It links the city with Houston and League City.

Places of Interest in Galveston

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