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1:33 AM / Friday March 29, 2024

14 Nov 2013

Only in Galveston

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November 14, 2013 Category: Travel Posted by:

ABOVE PHOTO: Ocean Star Museum

 

By Renée S. Gordon

 

Galveston, Texas is in the unique position of being able to offer visitors a chance to combine outdoor activities, architecture tours, exceptional dining, entertainment and accommodation options as well as an opportunity to experience a truly unique history. In 2013, the Texas Commission on the Arts designated the Galveston Downtown Cultural Arts District a Texas State Official Cultural District. With all it has to offer the city can once again be recognized as “The Playground of the South.”

 

Juan de Grijalva sighted Galveston in 1519, but the first non-native visitors to the island came under duress. Pánfilo de Narváez had received permission from the Spanish crown to conquer and colonize Florida. He set out in 1527 and by 1528 the mission was a disaster. On September 22nd, Narváez and his surviving men set out in shoddy hand built boats. In November when Narváez reached western Galveston Island, only two boats remained. The men named the island “Malhado” or “Isle of Misfortune.” It was inhabited by the unusually tall, 6-ft., Karankawa who subsisted by fishing along the bays in the Gulf of Mexico. Narváez was swept overboard by a storm and his body was never recovered. Only four men survived and one of them, Cabeza de Vaca, kept a journal that is among the earliest documentation of European contact in Texas.

 

There is some evidence that isolated Spanish slave ships captured or tricked some Karankawa into slavery. It is not until 1685 that the first settlement was established in East Texas, a fort, erected by the French led by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle who may have named the island St. Luis. Ironically, like Narváez, La Salle was lost. The Karankawa wiped the colonists out after the French allegedly stole canoes from them and a battle ensued. The Indians won that battle but by the 1830s they had been devastated by European diseases. In 1785, an expedition under the leadership of José Antonio de Evia to map the Gulf region, named the island Galveston after Bernardo de Gálvez, the Spanish Viceroy who aided the U.S. during the American Revolution.

 

What is today Galveston was actually two islands until hurricane soil deposits joined them in 1835. The western island appealed to privateer Jean Laffite* around 1815 when he left Louisiana after being denied a land claim promised for his assistance during the War of 1812. Laffite and his followers moved to a compound he named Campeche where he became governor in 1819. From this new base of operations he and his men continued to raid Spanish ships and to engage in the largest slave trading operation in Galveston. During that time the kidnapping of a Karankawa by Laffite’s men led to a raid on his compound by the natives. They had superior numbers but the opposing forces had two cannons. This defeat was another blow to the Karankawa’s continued existence on the island.

 

Stephen F. Austin, with Spanish permission, established a settlement at the Port of Galveston in 1823. In 1835, the town was made the homeport of the Texas Navy and on March 2, 1836 Texas was declared a republic. Texas became the 28th state in the Union on December 29, 1845.

 

The 46-sq. mile barrier island has 32 miles of beaches and the longest continuous sidewalk in the country. It puts on the third largest Mardi Gras celebration in the country and the world’s largest motorcycle rally, the Lone Star Motorcycle Rally, the world’s largest motorcycle rally. Obviously anytime is the perfect time to vacation on the Gulf but no matter when you go there are certain sites and activities that should be on your list. www.lonestarrally.com

 

Galveston is one of the country’s premier birding destinations and is famous internationally. At East End Lagoon Nature Preserve birders can see birds at rest in the wetlands and tidal pools from the comfort of their vehicles. Another prime location is Pier 19 where you can watch the birds waiting for the “Mosquito Fleet,” colorful shrimp boats, to return to their berths on the north end of the Strand Historic District. The 12th Annual Birding and Photo Festival will be held in April 2014. www.galvestonfeatherfest.com

 

The Texas Seaport Museum and Tall Ship Elissa are situated on the Strand at Pier 22. The two story museum relates Texas’ maritime history through artifacts and photographs and a unique computerized catalogue containing data on more than 133,000 immigrants who entered the country via the Port of Galveston. Docked adjacent to the museum is the 1877 Tall Ship Elissa inscribed as one of America’s treasures by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1990. Self-guided tours are offered. www.elissa.org

 

Daily one-hour Bay Watch Dolphin Tours aboard a covered jet boat, embark from Pier 21. These narrated excursions are outstanding and I highly recommend them. The trip orients you to the city, provides historic background and gets you up close and personal with dolphins. On the Bay Watch Tour you have a 99 percent chance of seeing bottle-nosed dolphins as well as birds and other sea creatures. www.galvestonbaywatch.com

 

The Pier 21 Theater is a must visit to really understand the indomitable spirit of the people of Galveston. The theater shows two films, The Great Storm and The Pirate Island of Jean Lafitte, throughout the day. www.galveston.com/pier21theatre

 

The Great Storm is a recounting of the tale of the storm that hit Galveston in 1900, simply known as the Great Storm because this was prior to naming them, the most devastating natural occurrence in U.S. history. Estimates of the loss of life range from 9-12,000. So many people died and so few were left that people were buried at sea, where they promptly washed back up on the shore. As a result Galveston is one of the most haunted cities in the country.

 

Because the island was less than 9-ft.above sea level the citizens realized it needed a seawall. Two years later they began construction of a Galveston Seawall that is 17-ft. above sealevel with a 16-ft wide base that narrows to 5-ft. at the top. The original 1-mile structure has now extended to more than 10-miles. Every structure, gas and sewer lines, trees, houses, etc., within the 500 block city were also raised.

 

The Pirate Island of Jean Lafitte gives a glimpse into Jean’s legendary career. It is fitting that it is shown relatively near the site of his home, the Maison Rouge, the Red House. Supposedly a captured ship yielded red paint among its cargo hence the color of his mansion. According to documents the house had 12 gables, 10-ft. arches, a cannon in a cupola atop the house and a substantial exterior staircase, the only portion of the original structure that remains. Eventually Lafitte fired on an American vessel and the U.S. gave him 60 days to vacate the island. When he left on March 3, 1821 he burned everything to the ground. The remains are on Water Street between 14th and 15th Streets.

 

Pier 19 is home to the Ocean Star Offshore Energy Center and Museum, a retired drilling rig that functions as a three story showcase of the oil drilling process. The self-guided tour explains the methodology from geological investigation to production. Exhibits include actual equipment and interactive displays. I suggest you begin on the 3rd-level and work your way down. www.oceanstaroec.com

 

Downtown Galveston boasts the longest row of historic buildings, and one of the largest concentrations of Victorian architecture, in the country and these buildings are filled with eateries, museums and one of a kind shopping venues. www.downtowngalveston.org

 

The Tremont House is a fantastic boutique hotel located in the historic district inside the 1879 Blum Building. There are 119 guest rooms with luxury amenities and it provides spectacular views from the only rooftop bar on the island. www.wyndhamtremonthouse.com

 

There are more than 100 shops and in your stroll around do not pass up a stop in La King’s Confectionery. La King’s is an ice cream parlor and candy factory that offers more than 50 types of candy using traditional recipes and equipment. You can eat in or take out and either is a wonderful experience. www.lakingsconfectionery.com

 

Complete your pirate fix in the interactive PIRATES! Legends of the Gulf Coast. This is both a museum and an experience with costumed guides, interactive stations and life-sized dioramas presented within the rooms on a pirate vessel. There are portraits of the most notorious pirate captains including two women. A highlight of the tour is a room dedicated to pirates in the movies. Johnny Depp is featured along with the vest that Yul Brynner wore in 1958 when he portrayed Lafitte in “The Buccaneer.” www.piratesgulfcoast.com

 

Haunted Mayfield Manor is situated adjacent to “Pirates!” within 12 rooms of the 1885 Butterowe Building. The building was used after the 1900 hurricane to store bodies. Today it is the home of the fictional Dr. Horace Mayfield. He studied ailments of both the mind and body. The loss of his research, entire family and fiancée in the storm drove him insane. In 20-minute tours year round you can enter the macabre world of Dr. Mayfield. You have been warned. www.hauntedmayfieldmanor.com

 

Another totally unique tour, East End Historical District & Galveston Tree Sculptures, is offered by Galveston Island Tours on open-air shuttle buses. The 50-block East End area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The earliest homes predate the Civil War and reflect a variety of architectural styles. www.galvestonislandtours.com

 

Hurricane Ike swept across Galveston Island in September 2008 as a category 2 and widespread flooding and the saltwater caused the loss of 40,000 trees. True to Galvestonian spirit the islanders carved the dead trees into sculptures and created the Galveston Tree Sculpture Trail. Each sculpture tells a story, some poignant, some whimsical. A trail treasure is the Tin Man and Toto from The Wizard of Oz in front of King Vidor’s, the film’s director, boyhood home. www.galveston.com/3pelicans/brochure/brochure.pdf

 

Zeke and Oscar, zinc winged lions on granite foundations, are iconic symbols of the Victorian Bishops Palace. The mansion, a Galveston gem, is listed as one of the top 100 most important buildings in America. The building was erected from 1887-92 at a cost of $250,000 and was sold in 1923 to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galveston. The 19,000-sq. ft. house has 52 rooms. Guided tours are regularly scheduled and encompass the history as well as architectural elements of the mansion. Superb accouterments include a Namibian marble fireplace in the library, a handcarved banister to the second floor and a chapel with a ceiling mural of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and onyx crucifix. www.galvestonhistory.org

 

The 1911 Spanish Colonial-Revival Hotel Galvez & Spa, the Queen of the Gulf, is a beachfront Wyndham Historic Hotel that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The Galvez is a destination in itself with complete business services, 224 luxurious rooms and suites, indoor heated pool, dining venues, a full service spa and a Hall of History located on the lower level. It has been featured on Travel Channel’s Ghost Stories and Discovery Channel’s Ghost Lab as one of the most haunted places on the island. Ghost tours are offered. www.wyndhamhotelgalvez.com

 

The Galveston Island Pass gives visitors up to 40 percent off admission to 11 attractions over 30 days. This is a way to have affordable fun for one or an entire family. www.galvestonislandpass.com

 

Our visit to phenomenal Galveston will continue in part two when we follow the African American History Trail and venture farther afield. In the meantime you can read more at www.galvestoncvb.com

 

I wish you smooth travels!

 

*No two sources spell Laffite the same way. My spellings duplicate those I found at the sites I visited or researched.

 

TRAVEL TIPS:

If you are in search of a unique holiday gift you should consider the Moov Mic, a detachable boom microphone that converts headphones into a full headset with a multi-position boom microphone combining audio and voice functionality. It is real for travelers. You can watch the video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=v01UrkHk00U) or check out the website. www.Headsetbuddy.com

Plan ahead for the holidays by making a reservation at Philadelphia’s newest hotel, the Radisson Blu Warwick, the first Radisson Blu on this coast. Located on Rittenhouse Square and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the hotel has undergone a $20-million conversion and now offers redesigned public spaces, guestrooms, three dining areas and 2,000-sq. ft. fitness center. Blu’s world-class hospitality does not disappoint. www.radissonbluphiladelphia.com

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