Reconstruction to 1900, Galveston County
Galveston, Galveston County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The revival of economic, political, social and religious institutions in Galveston County following the Civil War was more rapid than anywhere in the South. Galveston emerged as the largest city in Texas and with its natural seaport, became the focal point for sea and railroad transportation. The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad was established. Wholesale grocery firms were established and cotton compressing firms were founded. The first electric lights used in Texas burned in Galveston and the first telephone in the state was installed. The city also became known for its beaches, fishing, palatial homes, flowers, palms, resorts and public schools. The greatest single development of the port occurred in the 1870s when the outer channel was dredged to a depth of 32 feet, sufficient to accommodate all ocean-going vessels. On the mainland, Shoal Point succeeded the Austinia settlement and became a permanent colony in 1894 when a group of land developers named it Texas City. During this period, Galveston was hit by three catastrophes -- a yellow fever epidemic, a fire in 1885 and the 1900 storm. Some 6,000 lives were lost in the hurricane. The citizens were determined to rebuild the city and a seawall was constructed by Galveston County, followed by an enormous city grade-raising project. The first city commission form of government was founded and was later adopted by municipalities throughout the United States.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
After the Civil War, Galveston County rebounded faster than almost anywhere in the South, and Galveston became Texas's largest city and its leading seaport and rail hub. It saw the state's first electric lights and first telephone, welcomed the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad, and deepened its channel to handle oceangoing ships. Yet the era ended in catastrophe—yellow fever, an 1885 fire, and the 1900 hurricane that killed some 6,000 people—after which the city built a seawall and raised its grade, and pioneered the commission form of government.
Why it matters
Galveston's boom, disaster, and rebuilding produced innovations in commerce, infrastructure, and municipal government that rippled across the United States.
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Related events
- · 1900 Galveston hurricane
- · Galveston fire of 1885
- · Yellow fever epidemic
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Galveston County, 1901 - 1965
Galveston, TX
After the catastrophic 1900 hurricane, Galveston County reinvented itself around its deep-water port and the petrochemical boom on the mainland. The 20th century brought a tin smelter, refineries, early Army aviation experiments from Texas City, and world-class medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch. The county also endured the deadly 1947 Texas City disaster, when the freighter Grandcamp exploded, yet rebuilt and later joined the space age as neighbors to NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center.
Clarke-Jockusch Home
Galveston, TX
This grand Victorian home was raised in 1895 by shipping figure Captain Charles Clarke during Galveston's heyday as a great Gulf port. Its unusual double brick walls let it withstand the catastrophic 1900 hurricane and later storms, and neighbors sheltered inside it many times. In 1928 it passed to grain exporter Julius Jockusch, who served as a consul abroad.
A. Wilkins Miller Cottage
Galveston, TX
Built in 1895 for lumber magnate A. Wilkins Miller, this Victorian cottage reflects the Gilded Age fortunes made in Texas timber. As president of one of the state's largest lumber companies, Miller drove the growth of the southeast Texas timber industry and the rail lines that carried its product. The home's sawn brackets, stained glass, and bay windows mark the era's decorative taste.
Heidenheimer-Hunter Building
Galveston, TX
Raised in 1878 during Galveston's heyday as the great port of Texas, this Italianate commercial block passed through a parade of wholesale grocers, ship chandlers, and steamship men — including Heinrich Mosle, who opened a direct trade route between Galveston and Latin America. Its stuccoed masonry, hood molds, and pilasters, scored to mimic cut stone, reflect the confident mercantile architecture of the Gilded Age waterfront. An ornamental cornice was lost, likely to the catastrophic 1900 storm.