Galveston Island began attracting visitors long ago, when Native Americans came here to fish.
Inhabited by pirates in the 1820's (The most famous being Jean Lafitte) and early Texas settlers in the 1830s, Galveston became a major commercial center in the mid-19th Century because of her natural deepwater port.
Ships came from all over the world, carrying fruit, building materials and immigrants, and departed Galveston loaded with Texas cotton. The Island controlled the world’s cotton market for years, and that spawned trading houses, banks, land speculators and seed, hardware and dry goods suppliers. Galveston was the largest city west of New Orleans through much of the 1800s, and The Strand near the port was known as “The Wall Street of the Southwest.”
Near the end of the 1800's, the State of Texas established the first medical school west of the Mississippi. The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) became the state’s leading educator of doctors, nurses and medical professionals and a major health science and research center.
Following the disastrous hurricane of 1900, Galveston built its world-famous seawall, which has protected the city from storms for over a century and has in itself become a popular attraction.
Although Galveston beaches have attracted visitors for more than 150 years, museums and historic districts, restaurants, shops and watersports, fishing, theaters and galleries have given visitors even more reasons to visit Galveston Island.
Famous Beach Hotel
World Famous Bathing Girl Review
