What exactly is Galveston? Is it a typically Southern town? An island with a beach vibe? An historic port city like New Orleans? A Texan town? The answer to all of those is “yes”. Galveston is a fascinating place with so much to offer. Even after a few days there I felt like I had only begun to scratch the surface of the Queen City of the Gulf.
The first non-natives to inhabit Galveston came in 1816 with the pirate Louis-Michel Aury. When Aury went on a raid the following year, he returned to find that the island had been occupied by the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte. Lafitte set up a “Pirate Kingdom” there and remained with his people for the next 5 years. The Port of Galveston was established under the Mexican government in 1825, and the town would serve briefly as the capital of the Independent Republic of Texas in 1836. Galveston, along with the rest of Texas, joined the Confederacy during the Civil War and became a target due to its major port.
Since the Civil War, Galveston has gone through bouts with yellow fever and several major storms, including the hurricane of 1900, the worst natural disaster in American history, which claimed more than 6,000 lives.
Today, Galveston is still a major port city to both cargo and the cruise industry. It’s also a major tourism destination bringing crowds from nearby Houston and beyond for their pleasant beaches, historic downtown and enthusiastic nightlife. I really loved my time in Galveston and am definitely looking forward to my next visit. Next time I might just stick around for a while.
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