Galveston Island has several museums, historic homes and transportation museums open to the public for tours. One such attraction is Elissa, a 19th-century squarerigged iron barque that called twice on the bustling port city during its long sailing career. Purchased in the 1970s by Galveston Historical Foundation, the ship was restored to its former majesty and is open for tours at Pier 22.
The Texas Seaport Museum, home of the official tall ship of Texas, Elissa, features Galveston’s and the Texas Gulf Coast’s maritime history through exhibits and multimedia shows. Visitors can tour the 1877 iron barque and learn about the shrimping industry on Santa Maria. Others can search a computer database containing 130,000 entries for ancestors who may have immigrated to the U.S. through the Port of Galveston. Galveston Island was one of the major ports of entry for immigrants to the U.S. By 2013, the Galveston Historical Foundation will introduce a larger permanent exhibit on immigration at the museum.
Other operations of Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) include the Bishop’s Palace, built between 1888 and 1892 by Colonel Walter Gresham and his wife, Josephine, and noted by the American Institute of Architects as one of the most significant Victorian residential buildings in America; the 1859 Ashton Villa, home to the James M. Brown family; the 1838 Michel Menard House; the 1859 St. Joseph’s Church; Garten Verein; and the Great Storm Theater. Each year GHF sponsors a homes tour during the first two weekends of May featuring a new set of privately owned historic homes. Each year GHF includes a restorationin progress house that illustrates how they preserve their buildings. GHF’s other major event is held the first weekend of each December, the internationally acclaimed Dickens on The Strand. This festival showcases the Strand Mechanic National Historic Landmark District that encompasses one of the largest collections of cast-iron storefront buildings in the country. These buildings are listed on the 2009 11 Most Endangered List of the National Trust for Historic Preservation because of damage incurred from Hurricane Ike.
Ships, planes and trains – all have museums in their honor in Galveston. The Railroad Museum, at the entrance to the historic Strand District, houses 40 rail cars and locomotives. Strolling through the sleeper and restaurant cars, one gets a sense of what it was like to travel by rail in years past. The Lone Star Flight Museum is known as one of the premier aviation museums in the country. The museum contains a flying collection of award-winning aircraft primarily from the WWII era. Flights are now available in the museum’s B-17, B-25, T-6, Stearman and P-51 Mustang, allowing visitors to experience America’s airpower heritage.
During the summer months, relive the good ol’ days by visiting the Summer Band Concerts in the park located behind Ashton Villa every Tuesday evening. Galveston Island’s Strand Mechanic National Historic Landmark District offers shops, restaurants and art galleries conveniently located within 36 square blocks. In the late 1940s, Galveston’s Pleasure Pier became king as the largest of its kind in the country. America’s top dance bands routinely filled the mammoth Marine ballroom, while outside, in an open-air stadium, patrons watched movies under a starlit sky. Fishing facilities, a full carnival midway and an aquarium exceeded expectations. Galveston’s Pleasure Pier served as an iconic family destination through the ensuing decades, exponentially stimulating the island’s tourism, commerce and pride.
Landry’s has restored the 25th Street and Seawall Boulevard pier to its magnificent roots as a preeminent historic Pleasure Pier. Landry’s has unveiled the world-class amusement park for all ages, a grand destination venue reminiscent of the City Beautiful Movement’s style, purpose and effect. The new Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier arrived in summer 2012, bringing a new standard of waterfront fun to the Gulf Coast. The $60 million destination boasts a theme park of family attractions, with 16 rides, games of chance and skill, entertainment, great food venues and retail shops.
The Texas-sized Pier, 120 feet wide and 1,130 feet long, thrusts boldly into the Gulf of Mexico from 25th Street at the famous Galveston seawall, welcoming guests 363 days a year for dining and 266 days for rides and games. Rides from thrilling to gentle line the long pier perimeter, creating an exciting sensation of being suspended above the water. All rides start 30 feet above the waves, many go much higher. Texas Star Flyer, the state’s highest swing ride, lifts guest 230 feet over the sea for an awesome view of the Gulf. For more information about these and other Galveston attractions, begin your tour with a stop at the Galveston Chamber office at the corner of 23rd and Mechanic Street or the Galveston Island Visitors Center located at 2328 Broadway inside the Ashton Villa carriage house.
This is just a sampling of the many attractions Galveston has to offer its visitors. It would take weeks to see all of the fascinating sites in the Galveston-Houston area. Within a 30-mile drive from Galveston, on the way to bustling Houston, you will find the Space Center Houston entertainment and educational center at NASA, and the Gulf Greyhound Park, the busiest and one of the most attractive greyhound racing parks in the country.
In almost any month of the year, you can find a festival on Galveston Island. The first weekend of December brings Dickens on The Strand. A celebration of Charles Dickens’ Victorian-London during the Christmas season, the annual festival is filled with bagpipers, handbell choirs and a variety of entertainment, and features authentic British foods, crafts and costumes.
Mardi Gras! Galveston, a 12-day event proceeding the season of Lent, is celebrated with parades, masked balls, art exhibits, sporting events and live entertainment. Mardi Gras! Galveston, the largest midwinter festival in Texas, draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to Galveston Island each year. Juneteenth, celebrating the freedom from slavery, takes place around June 19, the date the Emancipation Proclamation was read in Galveston in 1865, two years after it was enacted.
Late October and early November bring the Lone Star Biker Rally, attracting some 300,000 people – most on motorcycles. Events are held all over the city and nearby communities throughout the weekend, with numerous exhibits and vendors relating to motorcycle enthusiasts. Festivals and unique events throughout the year celebrate Galveston’s diverse culture and history. Oktoberfest, normally held the last weekend in October, is a celebration of German heritage. Others honor Hispanic, African American and Greek heritage, plus many more.
Featherfest in April features the Island’s bird population, some unique to this area. Designed to heighten awareness of the importance of conservation and preservation of natural habitats and the environment, the event is special to Galveston as the Island hosts more than 300 species of birds as they travel through the area annually during spring and fall migration.
Hurricane Ike in 2008 caused many trees to be uprooted and salty storm waters caused the demise of thousands of others. Sculpture artists have breathed second life into what was left of tree trunks. Most are visible from the street, so take a drive around and enjoy!
They are located at:
823 25th St. 1228 Sealy 1620 Sealy
828 Ball 902 Ball 1302 Ball
1316 Ball 1615 Ball 1717 Ball
1028 Winnie 1702 Winnie 1820 Winnie
1428 Church 1618 Church 628 14th St.
1609 Postoffice
