Galveston, Texas

Galveston is a maritime city located on Galveston Island and Pelican Island in Texas State. The easy-going urban community of 208 squ. miles, with a population of approximately 50,000 people, is the county seat and 2nd-largest municipality of the county. It’s located within the greater Houston metropolitan market area.

Named after Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid, Count of Gálvez, Galveston’s 1st European-settled buildings on the island were constructed around 1816 by the French pirate Louis-Michel Aury to help the newly-born Republic of Mexico to resist and fight Spanish rule. The Congress of Mexico established the Port of Galveston in the year of 1825 after achieving independence from Spain. The city provided the primary port for the Texian’s Navy during the Texas Revolution, and later served as one of the capitals of the Republic of Texas.

During the 19th century, Galveston developed into a major commercial center of the United States and and was one of the largest ports in the country. Galveston is also still remembered for the terrible 1900 Hurricane that destroyed the city. That natural disaster is still counted as the deadliest in American history.

Much of Galveston’s contemporary economy is based upon tourism, healthcare, shipping, and finance. The 84-acre University of Texas Medical Branch campus with an enrollment of more than 2.5K students is a major economic influence upon Galveston. The city is also home for six significant historical districts containing one of the largest and historically significant collections of 19th-century buildings with over 60 of those structures listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

If you’re interested in having some real estate developed in the Galveston Bay Area, contact Jerry LeBlanc for estimates and advice.