Follow the Galveston Hurricane Tour
Site #1
Ashton Villa
- Constructed in 1859
- One of the oldest brick buildings in Texas
- Basement filled during grade raising
- Before-and-after pics of the fence
Before the grade raising
During the grade raising
After the grade raising
Site #2
Federal Building
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The Geisha - 1717 Ball St.
Site #1.5
Site #2
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17th St. between K and L
Saving topsoil
South side of M between 25th and 26th?
Grade raising from 1904-1911
Around 2,000 buildings and 500 city blocks were raised
Around 2,000 buildings and 500 city blocks were raised
Site #3
1600 block of Ave O
Site #4
Galveston Seawall
Galveston Daily News, January 1, 1905
- Seawall extends more than 10 miles
-Started as 3-mile was that extended to 39th St.
-Started as 3-mile was that extended to 39th St.
Site #5
Grade Raising Canal
- Canal was 20 feet deep, 200 feet wide and ran for 2.5 miles
- Four self-loading hopper dredges used canal to raise grade of Galveston
- Four self-loading hopper dredges used canal to raise grade of Galveston
1906-1907 Galveston City Directory
Jens Jensen, Fireman, rooming over 1828 Market St.
Jens Jensen, Fireman, rooming over 1828 Market St.
Site #6
Site #7
Ursuline Academy
- Established in 1847 by Ursuline Sisters from New Orleans
- Galveston's first parochial school (it was all-girls school)
- Used as hospital by both sides in Civil War
- Nicholas J. Clayton constructed the main Victorian Gothic building
- Sheltered more than 1,000 refugees during 1900 Storm
- Hurricane Carla (1961) damaged the building severely and it was demolished
- Galveston's first parochial school (it was all-girls school)
- Used as hospital by both sides in Civil War
- Nicholas J. Clayton constructed the main Victorian Gothic building
- Sheltered more than 1,000 refugees during 1900 Storm
- Hurricane Carla (1961) damaged the building severely and it was demolished
Site #8
Isaac Cline - Chief Meteorologist, Galveston, Texas, during the 1900 Storm
”Isaac’s house stood at 2511 Avenue Q, just three blocks north of the Gulf. It was four years old and replaced a previous house that had burned in a fire in November 1896. Isaac had ordered this house built atop a forest of stilts with the explicit goal of making it impervious to the worst storms the Gulf could deliver. It had two stories, with porches or “galleries” off each floor in the front and rear, and a small building in the backyard that served as a stable.” (Page 7)
What Joseph Saw
”As the house capsized, I seized the hand of each of my brother’s two children, turned my back toward the window, and, lunging from my heels, smashed through the glass and the wooden storm shutters, still gripping the hands of the two youngsters.”
”Joseph and the two girls found themselves on top of an outside wall. They saw no one else. ’All the other occupants of that room, nearly fifty men, women and children, it appeared, were still trapped inside, for the house had not yet broken up.” (Page 204)
What Joseph Saw
”As the house capsized, I seized the hand of each of my brother’s two children, turned my back toward the window, and, lunging from my heels, smashed through the glass and the wooden storm shutters, still gripping the hands of the two youngsters.”
”Joseph and the two girls found themselves on top of an outside wall. They saw no one else. ’All the other occupants of that room, nearly fifty men, women and children, it appeared, were still trapped inside, for the house had not yet broken up.” (Page 204)
Fire hydrant dug up at 25th & Q 1/2
Site #9
Powhatan House
—Built in 1847 as a 24-room hotel and located between 21st and 22nd St. on M 1/2
—Architect from the state of Maine
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—1857: Charles L. Bolten purchased it and turned it into a school for boys and girls
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—Civil War: Military school for young men
—1881-1894: It was an orphanage
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—1893: Henry Rosenberg willed finances for a new orphanage
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—1894-1897: Caroline Willis Ladd purchased it and moved it to 35th & O
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—1927: Second piece moved to 35th & R
—Architect from the state of Maine
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—1857: Charles L. Bolten purchased it and turned it into a school for boys and girls
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—Civil War: Military school for young men
—1881-1894: It was an orphanage
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—1893: Henry Rosenberg willed finances for a new orphanage
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—1894-1897: Caroline Willis Ladd purchased it and moved it to 35th & O
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—1927: Second piece moved to 35th & R
Site #10
Grace Episcopal Church
Date: July 1907
Site #11
St. Patrick's Catholic Church
- Largest building raised
- Building raised five feet
- 700 jack screws used to raise church by hand
- No church services missed
- Building raised five feet
- 700 jack screws used to raise church by hand
- No church services missed
Site #12
Federal Building
- Constructed in 1937
- Art deco style with a Spanish-barrell tile roof
- Art deco style with a Spanish-barrell tile roof
Site #13
Levy Building
Housed Weather Bureau during the 1900 Storm
Maximum 5-min wind: 84 mph
Maximum 2-min wind: 100 mph
Maximum estimated wind: 120 mph, but anemometer blew off roof
Maximum 5-min wind: 84 mph
Maximum 2-min wind: 100 mph
Maximum estimated wind: 120 mph, but anemometer blew off roof
Northwest corner of Levy Bldg- circa 1920
"When built, this structure was the "first real office building in Galveston," according to the Tribune. The building was equipped with an elevator. The Levy store was on the first floor and there were 84 professional offices above."
Text and photos: http://mgaia.com/images/artspace/default.htm
Text and photos: http://mgaia.com/images/artspace/default.htm
Site #14
Hurricane Ike's size was massive, enabling it to push a lot of water around "back side" of Galveston Island
Hurricane Carla (1961) flooding in downtown Galveston
