About GHT
Galveston Hurricane Tour shares true stories related to Galveston's hurricane history, amazing tales of survival and resiliency, as well as the latest insights on hurricane science and preparedness. Here are examples of the major topics covered:
The Storms
We talk about hurricanes that have impacted Galveston in 1900, 1915, 1961 (Carla), 1983 (Alicia) and 2008 (Ike). Regional mega-rainmakers like Harvey (2017) and others are also discussed.
Death and Destruction
We are now giving a more prominent place for catastrophic stories about death and destruction at the beginning of the tour. Without an accurate depiction of these truths, Galveston's survival stories and unrivaled resiliency loses context.
Survival Stories
It's hard to beat Daisy Thorn's survival story from the 1900 Storm. The 23-year old teacher survived the storm in Lucas Terrace, where 63 of 64 rooms were obliterated. The only room that survived was the one in which her family took refuge. You'll see before and after pics.
Evacuation vs. Shelter-in-Place
Galvestonians sheltered-in-place in large, strong buildings during many historic hurricanes. The Ursuline Nuns saved 1500 lives in the 1900 Storm, as they brought people into the Ursuline Academy. We discuss evacuations and shelter-in-place options for coastal residents.
Seawall and Grade Raising
Galveston went to extreme lengths to make itself resilient from future hurricanes, by building the Seawall from 1902-1904, and then raising an inhabited island as high as 17 feet during The Grade Raising (1904-1910), one of the greatest civil engineering feats in history.
Innovations
Galveston is an ideal location for buoyant foundations, which enable buildings to float when it floods. Innovations in our past include the first televised radar of a hurricane eye (Carla - 1961) and the first flight into a hurricane eye during the Surprise Hurricane of 1943.
Forecasting Hurricanes
Now and Then
Galveston Chief Meteorologist Isaac Cline found himself in a race against time to warn the population of the impending 1900 Storm on September 8, 1900. Hours later he was fighting for his life and the life of his family, as their home capsized in the flood waters.
Discuss these and other topics in an interactive setting on our weekly walking tour. Every tour is unique, but we always leave with profound insights and a better understanding of Galveston.