Galveston Cruises

Nothing resembling the Galveston cruise port that exists today harbored ships coming to Galveston in the year 1900. Much of that old port washed away during the unnamed hurricane that blew ashore in early September of that year. Motivation for creation of a new port (and an entire new city) became evident on September 9, 1900, the day following that storm.

The bells of the Ursuline Convent sounded on that day. Travelers on present day cruises from Galveston, Texas might want to listen for sounds similar to the sounds made by those tolling bells. Then perhaps they could imagine the sounds of those bells being carried over a part of Galveston harbor. The travelers would, of course, need to realize that the Galveston Cruise Terminal did not exist back in September of 1900.

In fact, only a fraction of the buildings in Galveston remained standing after that September storm had pounded on the Galveston shores. At least 1600 homes had to be rebuilt by the residents who stayed in Galveston after September 9, 1900. Yet the challenge of rebuilding did not drive people out of Galveston, To the contrary, volunteers from Houston came to Galveston in order to aid the...