59-466: The Galveston County Courthouse is the county government's courthouse building in Galveston County , Texas . Several buildings have been constructed for and used as the courthouse over the years. Galveston County was established in 1838. A courthouse building was erected in 1898. Another was built in 1966. Tibor Beerman was the primary architect. The current courthouse building is known as
118-697: A county treasurer , and every judge in the county except municipal judges , who are appointed by the officials of their respective cities. In September 2023, Galveston County was sued in what was the first Voting Rights Act case since Section 2 of the Act was upheld in Allen v Milligan in June. Under the map adopted by the Republican county commissioners in 2021, all four precincts of Galveston County are majority White, despite Black and Latino people making up 45% of
177-618: A center of culture , economy , and nightlife, all due to the free availability of gambling and alcohol. The city's entertainment business spread throughout the county with major casino districts in Kemah and Dickinson enabled by a lax attitude among law enforcement in the county (Houstonians often humorously referred to the Galveston County line as the "Maceo-Dickinson line"). The county prospered as oil fueled Texas City's industrial growth, and wealthy tourists flocked to Galveston and
236-566: A complete listing, see list of cities and towns in Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land MSA 29°23′N 94°52′W / 29.38°N 94.86°W / 29.38; -94.86 Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway ( GC&SF ) was chartered in Texas in 1873 to build a railroad from Galveston, Texas , to Santa Fe, New Mexico . By 1886, it had built from Galveston to
295-608: A dipper of liquor at the end of the day to each member of the crew in an effort to keep morale high. As early as 1881, GC&SF attracted the attention of several large railroad magnates. Jay Gould , who held a monopoly in North Texas, presented a threat to the other Texas lines, including the GC&;SF. William Barstow Strong , president of AT&SF, actively pursued a way to break Gould's stronghold on Texas railroad commerce. Plagued by additional financial problems, Sealy and
354-653: A distance of 226 miles upon reaching Belton in March 1881. The company had also constructed a telegraph line along the line of the railroad, and they began seeing a return on that investment that year, as well. In 1882, the main line reached Lampasas, and another branch opened from Alvin to Houston. The company received support from many counties and communities along the line. Donations ranged in size from $ 70 given by Nickleville to $ 85,000 contributed by Fort Worth . Other small towns, such as Weatherford , Paris , Ladonia , Honey Grove, and Farmersville, also provided funds. Along
413-579: A junction in Temple, Texas , which was founded by the company. From Temple, one line went north to Dallas and Fort Worth via a junction in Cleburne , while a second line extended northwest and terminated near Coleman, Texas . That year, the GC&SF was purchased by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe (ATSF), which would use the GC&SF for decades as an operating subsidiary pursuant to Article X of
472-499: A median income of $ 41,406 versus $ 28,703 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 21,568. About 10.10% of families and 13.20% of the population were below the poverty line , including 17.60% of those under age 18 and 10.20% of those age 65 or over. The head of a Texas county, as set up in the Texas Constitution , is the county judge , who sits as the chair of the county's commissioners' court. The county
531-571: A new causeway from Galveston to the mainland. Construction of a 98-mile branch line from Lometa through San Saba and Brady to Eden was commenced in 1910 and completed by the end of the following year. By 1912, AT&SF announced plans to build a new union depot in Galveston that would also house the offices of GC&SF. Their plans were for an eight-story fireproof building made of steel-reinforced concrete and faced with white enameled brick. The waiting room would be 104 feet by 63 feet, and
590-537: A two-runway airport located on Galveston Island in Galveston. The airport is primarily used for general aviation, offshore energy transportation, and some limited military operations. Privately owned airports for private use include Creasy Airport and Kami-Kazi Airport, both inn unincorporated areas. The closest airport with regularly scheduled commercial service is William P. Hobby Airport , located in Houston. The Houston Airport System stated that Galveston County
649-499: A valuable acquisition. An interesting transaction occurred in 1897, which is proof of the line's continuing growth. The GC&SF company and Fred Harvey , a famous railroad restaurateur, made an agreement. Harvey Restaurants and Harvey Houses , a hotel chain, soon dotted the AT&;SF, providing inexpensive, comfortable dining for the patrons of the line. Both the restaurants and the railway have been celebrated in song, literature, and
SECTION 10
#1732793523656708-516: Is a county in the U.S. state of Texas , located along the Gulf Coast adjacent to Galveston Bay . As of the 2020 census , its population was 350,682. The county was founded in 1838. The county seat is the City of Galveston , founded the following year, and located on Galveston Island . The most-populous municipality in the county is League City , a suburb of Houston at the northern end of
767-481: Is also within the primary service area of George Bush Intercontinental Airport , an international airport near Houston in Harris County. Private heliports for private use include: All rail traffic is currently industry-related. Regularly scheduled passenger rail service in Galveston County ceased on April 11, 1967. The City of Galveston is served by Island Transit , a public transportation agency. For
826-640: Is certified as a level I trauma center and serves as the lead trauma facility for the nine-county region in southeast Texas, including the Greater Houston area. The Mainland Medical Center, a 233-bed, private, for-profit hospital, operates in Texas City. The Galveston County Jail is located at 5700 Avenue H in Galveston. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice and University of Texas Medical Branch manage health care facilities for prisoners in Galveston, Galveston County. The facilities include
885-423: Is split into four geographical divisions called precincts. Each precinct elects a commissioner to sit as a representative of their precinct on the commissioners court and also for the oversight of county functions in their area. Other elected positions in Galveston County include a county clerk , a district attorney , a district clerk , a county clerk , a sheriff , nine constables , a tax assessor-collector,
944-554: Is the oldest in Texas. Port Bolivar on the Bolivar Peninsula was a port of secondary importance. Other development in the area was initially mostly ranching interests and small farming communities. Texas soon joined the United States, and Galveston's importance continued to grow as it came to dominate the worldwide cotton trade. As railroads between Galveston, Harrisburg , Houston, and other towns were built during
1003-533: The Fort Worth & Rio Grande Railway from SLSF and immediately leased it to GC&SF, thus gaining a valuable and shorter route to Fort Worth from the west and from the livestock-raising areas of the Edwards Plateau than the previous routing via Temple . After World War II , AT&SF worked to expand its freight lines. The company used special trains to haul specific cargo. One of these trains
1062-564: The Texas panhandle . Acquisitions and extensions of the GC&SF into East Texas would reach Beaumont , Longview , Port Bolivar , and Oakdale, Louisiana . Article X was subsequently nullified and in 1965 the GC&SF was absorbed by the ATSF. Today, extant segments of the GC&SF are part of the BNSF Railway system. In 1873, competition between the cities of Houston and Galveston
1121-422: The "Bayshore" area: Bacliff , San Leon , and Bayview . Alta Loma , previously unincorporated, became a part of Santa Fe in 1978. According to the census of 2000, 250,158 people, 94,782 households, and 66,157 families resided in the county. The population density was 628 people per square mile (242 people/km ). The 111,733 housing units averaged 280 per square mile (110/km ). The racial makeup of
1180-468: The 19th century, small communities grew up along the rail lines. Nevertheless, Galveston continued to remain a prominent destination for the shipping and trade industries. A bridge was completed in 1859, when the Galveston, Houston, and Henderson Railroad built a wooden trestle that was used by all other railway lines to the island until 1875, when the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway built its own bridge. At
1239-400: The 94,782 households at the 2000 census, 33.80% had children under 18 living with them, 52.40% were married couples living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were not families. Around 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.60, and the average family size
SECTION 20
#17327935236561298-485: The Brazos River, and by October, a regular train was being run over the road. In December 1878, the company began to experience financial difficulties. Directors voted to advertise for a loan of $ 250,000 for 90 days, which would enable them to pay off the debts and finish the road to Richmond. The only offer for the loan was made by a group of Galveston citizens headed by Galveston businessman George Sealy . The loan
1357-616: The Clear Lake area of the county. Texas City has become an important petrochemical center. According to the United States Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 874 square miles (2,260 km ), of which 495 square miles (1,280 km ) (57%) is covered by water. Galveston County is located on the plains of the Texas Gulf Coast in the southeastern part of the state. The county is bounded on
1416-794: The Dickinson Public Library, the Friendswood Public Library, and the Mae Bruce Library in Santa Fe. Galveston County is served by a major medical complex in Galveston and a private for-profit hospital in Texas City. The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston is a 1,200-bed, major medical complex of seven hospitals. The main general-care hospital is John Sealy Hospital , with other on-campus hospitals specializing in women, children, burn victims, geriatrics, and psychiatrics. Currently, UTMB
1475-585: The Galveston County Justice Center and was dedicated in 2006. 29°18′12″N 94°47′23″W / 29.30347°N 94.78968°W / 29.30347; -94.78968 This article about a property in Texas on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Galveston County Galveston County ( / ˈ ɡ æ l v ɪ s t ən / GAL -vis-tən )
1534-463: The Panhandle, and across the state line to Santa Fe, New Mexico . The idea was to bypass Houston. The Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad (GC&SF) was chartered, and the state agreed to grant 16 sections of land per mile of track laid. While the charter passed in 1873, the actual construction of the line did not begin until two years later. The plans to initiate construction were formulated by
1593-532: The Texas Constitution , which required railroads in Texas to be headquartered in the state. Under ATSF ownership, the GC&SF was extended northwards via Fort Worth to Purcell, Oklahoma , northeast via Dallas to Paris, Texas , southwest to San Angelo , and northwest to Sweetwater , where it connected to the Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway , the major ATSF operating subsidiary serving Lubbock and
1652-521: The area: College of the Mainland for Texas City (including former La Marque), Hitchcock, Santa Fe, Friendswood, and Dickinson school districts as well as the Galveston County portion of Clear Creek ISD (in other words, mainland Galveston County); and Galveston College for Galveston ISD and High Island ISD (the islands). The Galveston County Library System operates libraries in most of the larger towns and cities. The Rosenberg Library in Galveston has
1711-413: The building of the bridge across Galveston Bay and for the laying of track to Arcola, Texas. On April 30, 1875, Henry Rosenberg, president of the GC&SF, signed a contract with Burnett and Kilpatrick that included the construction of a bridge across the bay, complete with a lifting draw , for $ 69,000. The depot grounds were located between 37th and 38th Streets and Mechanic and Strand. The railroad line
1770-437: The building would be large enough to contain all of the departments of the GC&SF. An addition to the building was made in 1932, which included another eight-story building and an eleven-story tower. The company planned to spend $ 35,000 on remodeling the old building so that it would match the new structure. GC&SF also boasted of a new electric boiler plant, which would heat the entire building. In 1937, AT&SF purchased
1829-630: The co-gender Galveston Hospital for prisoners in Galveston and the Young Medical Facility Complex for females in Texas City . Hospital Galveston began contracting for medical treatment of prisoners in 1983. Young opened in 1996 as the Texas City Regional Medical Unit. Scholes International Airport at Galveston ( IATA : GLS , ICAO : KGLS ), the county's sole publicly owned airport, is
Galveston County Courthouse - Misplaced Pages Continue
1888-518: The county municipalities near Clear Lake and Harris County . The Clear Lake area communities in Harris and Galveston Counties soon became more tied together, while the island of Galveston languished for many years as businesses increasingly left for the mainland. Tourism has gradually resurged, both on the island and on the mainland, and today has become a major industry in the county. Aerospace and related service industries continue to be important in
1947-642: The county was 72.69% White, 15.44% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 2.10% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 7.18% from other races, and 2.08% from two or more races. About 18% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. By the publication of the 2020 census , the population grew to 350,682, with a racial and ethnic makeup at 54.57% non-Hispanic white, 12.30% non-Hispanic Black or African American, 0.30% non-Hispanic Native American, 3.48% non-Hispanic Asian, 0.06% non-Hispanic Pacific Islander, 0.41% non-Hispanic some other race, 3.61% non-Hispanic multiracial, and 25.28% Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of
2006-617: The county's population; under previous maps dating back to the 1980s, Precinct 3 was majority minority . On October 13, Judge Jeff Brown of the Southern District of Texas ordered the county commissioners to redraw the electoral map within one week to include at least one majority-minority district, finding the 2021 map to be "stark and jarring" in its gerrymandering of Galveston County. Eight independent school districts (ISDs) serve Galveston County communities: A ninth school district, La Marque Independent School District ,
2065-523: The county, which surpassed Galveston in population during the early 2000s. Galveston County is part of the nine-county Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land (Greater Houston) metropolitan statistical area . Sixteenth-century Spanish explorers knew Galveston Island as the Isla de Malhado, the "Isle of Misfortune", or Isla de Culebras, the "Isle of Snakes". In 1519, an expedition led by Alonso Álvarez de Pineda actually sailed past Galveston Island while charting
2124-948: The distinction of being the oldest public library in Texas, and serves as the headquarters for the Galveston County Library System. Its librarian also functions as the Galveston County librarian. Also, seven other libraries are in Galveston County, including the Genevieve Miller Library in Hitchcock, the La Marque Public Library, the Helen Hall Public Library in League City, the Moore Memorial Public Library in Texas City,
2183-470: The end of the 19th century, a group of investors established Texas City directly across the West Bay from Galveston, with the hope of making it a competing port city. The port began operations just before the start of the 20th century. The 1900 Galveston Hurricane devastated the county, killing an estimated 6000 people on the island alone and numerous others in the rest of the county. The Port of Galveston
2242-479: The entertainment media. GC&SF also participated in Galveston's efforts to raise the city after the 1900 Galveston hurricane . In 1904, the board granted Goedhart and Bates a five-year lease to a strip of land on the east end of the Gulf Company in Galveston, which would be used for canal purposes in connection with the grade-raising of the city. In 1908 GC&SF, along with other railroads, worked to build
2301-400: The new directors had organized a corps of engineers to locate the line to Brenham. Chief engineer, Bernard Moore Temple, sent surveyors into the interior of Texas, and as the line was located, Temple followed with construction crews. The new directors also obtained rights to build a spur into Houston. By this time, the real importance of a line into Houston had been realized, and the success of
2360-553: The northeast by Galveston Bay and on the northwest by Clear Creek and Clear Lake . Much of the county covers Galveston Bay, and is bounded to the south by the Galveston Seawall and beaches on the Gulf of Mexico . Galveston County has several unincorporated areas; most of them are on the Bolivar Peninsula . Others are outside of Hitchcock and Santa Fe along Texas State Highway 6 , and the three communities in
2419-437: The other entertainment districts. The gambling empire was destroyed in the 1950s, as state law enforcement dismantled its establishments. Galveston's economy crashed, as did the economies of some other county municipalities that were dependent on tourism. Texas City's economy weathered the storm because of its strong industry. The establishment on NASA 's Johnson Space Center in 1963 soon created new growth opportunities for
Galveston County Courthouse - Misplaced Pages Continue
2478-507: The other leaders of GC&SF realized the railway would need a connection north out of Texas if it were to survive. William Strong offered a connection between the two lines. On March 25, 1886, the stockholders authorized George Sealy to work toward an exchange of stock between the two companies. The agreement stated that the GC&SF line would be built from Fort Worth to Purcell, in Indian Territory , and would connect there with
2537-498: The railroad's first engineer, General Braxton Bragg , former commander of the Confederate Army of Tennessee . At a meeting of the board of directors on February 8, 1875, the board resolved to negotiate for land for both a depot and the location of the line from Galveston to an intersection of the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio line. At other meetings in 1875, the board of directors asked for proposals for contracting
2596-555: The road depended on it. In 1880, the GC&SF won fame by establishing the first daily newspaper train in the U.S. Because of another quarantine placed on Galveston by Houston, the Galveston News arranged for a special train to carry the newspaper from Galveston to Rosenberg. There, the newspaper was transferred to the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railroad , which distributed the news across Texas. The road reached
2655-662: The route from the Florida peninsula to the Pánuco River . The information gathered from the expedition enabled the Spanish government to establish control over the entire Gulf Coast , including Galveston Island. In 1783, José Antonio de Evia, a Spanish navigator, surveyed the area and named the bay "Galveston" to honor Bernardo de Gálvez , who supported the United States in the Revolutionary War. Galveston County
2714-548: The southbound AT&SF line. Then GC&SF was to build to Paris and connect with the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway , as well as build a branch from Cleburne to Weatherford. On April 26, 1887, Sherman reached Purcell, four hours ahead of schedule and before AT&SF crews. By June, trains began to run from Kansas City to Galveston. With the completion of the line to Purcell, AT&SF assumed control of GC&SF. The contract, signed on March 3, 1886, by Sealy and Strong, provided for
2773-460: The sulfur in a molten state from the mine to Galveston, where it would then be shipped by sea. This would make the sulfur easier to move over such a long distance. The sulfur was heated to 290 degrees and transported by tank car. This worked so well that the company bought three trains of 66 cars each, and a train moved continuously over the 930-mile run. By this time, the identity of the GC&SF had become intertwined with that of AT&SF. In 1965,
2832-515: The trains began running continuously. By March 1877, track from Galveston to Arcola was complete and arrangements were being made to put regular trains on the line. The company planned to cross the Brazos River and proceed to Richmond, where it would connect with the San Antonio line. This would make one continuous route to Galveston 11 miles shorter than any other road. By the next year, the company also completed an iron bridge 480 feet long over
2891-444: The transfer of the entire capital stock of GC&SF to AT&SF in exchange for $ 8 million in AT&SF stock. On March 23, representatives of the AT&SF were elected to the board of GC&SF and the merger was completed. While GC&SF had officially become part of AT&SF, it was still an important section of the rail line. The fact that it connected so many major Texas cities with the most important port city in Texas made it
2950-497: The way, the railroad developed towns such as Rosenberg, Sealy, and Temple, which became a division point. In the mid-1880s, chief engineer Temple was succeeded by engineer Walter Justin Sherman. Sherman encountered quite a few labor problems along the line. Especially in the hot summers, members of the construction crews would desert, and replacements were hard to find. GC&SF authorized a daily whiskey ration, and Sherman dispensed
3009-408: Was 3.12. In the county, theage distribution was 26.7% under 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 93.10 males. In 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $ 42,419, and for a family was $ 51,435. Males had
SECTION 50
#17327935236563068-811: Was closed for a time during reconstruction, but recovery was swift and profound. By 1910, the county's citizens had developed the commission form of government, constructed the seawall, and raised the merit of the whole city. Investors had worried that the Texas coast was a dangerous place to establish major commercial operations because of the threat of hurricanes, and the 1900 disaster seemed to prove that. Though Galveston rebuilt its port and other major operations quickly, major investment moved inland, largely to Houston. Soon, Houston and Texas City had outpaced Galveston as major ports. The oil boom in Texas began in 1901, and pipelines and refineries soon were built in Texas City. Industrial growth blossomed, especially during World War II . Galveston's manufacturing sector, however,
3127-515: Was formally established under the Republic of Texas on May 15, 1838. The county was formed from territory taken from Harrisburg, Liberty, and Brazoria Counties, with governmental organization taking place in 1839. The island and city of Galveston by far formed the most important population center. The city of Galveston was the republic's largest city and its center of commerce and culture. The Galveston County Bar Association , first formed in 1846,
3186-534: Was more stagnant during the 20th century. Galveston, traditionally an attractive tourist destination even before the storm, transformed itself into a major, nationally known destination. Around this time, entrepreneur , power broker , and racketeer Sam Maceo rose to power and transformed the island in what was known as the Free State of Galveston . During this time, the city was home to many casinos , whorehouses , and speakeasies , in addition to becoming
3245-403: Was secured by a deed of trust on the entire properties of the railway company. When the 90-day note matured, the company did not have the funds to pay for it. Therefore, on April 15, 1879, the entire properties of the line were sold at a public sale in front of the courthouse. The highest bid was for $ 200,000 made by George Sealy. The new company was organized, and directors were elected. By May,
3304-464: Was strong, and the Galveston, Houston & Henderson Railroad (GH&H) was the only rail link between the two cities. The competition between Houston and Galveston was fed by the quarantines , which were often imposed on Galveston traffic by Houston. These quarantines occurred almost annually and were based on yellow fever outbreaks and epidemics. So, the citizens of Galveston decided to build their own railroad line that would reach across Texas, into
3363-682: Was subsumed into Texas City ISD in 2016 after the Texas Education Agency revoked its accreditation due to poor academic and financial performance. The city of Galveston is home to Texas A&M University at Galveston , an extension of the main A&;M campus in College Station , and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston . The Texas Legislature specified that the following community colleges also serve
3422-526: Was the 1949 Cotton Special, established to move the West Texas cotton crop from Lubbock to the Galveston wharves. By the 1960s AT&SF worked with different corporations to expand. In one such instance AT&SF agreed to work with the Duval Corporation to develop a sulfur mine at Rustler Springs, Texas. AT&SF built a 30-mile branch line and conceived the ingenious idea of transporting
3481-481: Was to follow Mechanic Street to 60th, where it would be routed to the bridge. Construction began on May 1, 1875. By May 28, the line reached Arcola, with surveys made as far as the Brazos River . In September 1876, the Galveston, Houston, & Henderson Railroad completed a new passenger depot, located on the corner of Avenue A and Tremont Street. The GC&SF would share this depot for their passenger line once
#655344