Page 44 - Let´s Make Waves - November 2018

Did You Know?

G a l v e s t o n H i s t o r y

Union Depot | Railroad Museummm

City of entered the state in Galveston in 1852. was cast, Galveston’s future was that of a
A Firsts, Two years later, the Galveston, Houston seaside resort. The last passenger train
Galveston has and Henderson Railroad was chartered, departed Galveston on April 10, 1967.
a rich history the state’s oldest living rail line. The city
steeped in used several makeshift railroad stations
transportation. beginning in the 1860s to welcome visi-
Throughout tors, until construction began on Galves-
much of the ton’s first Union Station in 1874, near
19th century, 25th Street and the Strand, where the cur-
Original Union Depot the Queen City rent station still stands.
of the Gulf, as The original four-story red brick station
it was known, was a thriving port welcom- served as a symbol of the city’s prosperity.
it was known, was a thriving port welcom-
ing goods and people from around the
ing goods and people from around the That prosperity ended suddenly for Gal-
world. Originally chartered in 1839, the
world. Originally chartered in 1839, the veston on September 8, 1900 when the
area’s geography made it a natural site for famous 1900 Storm came ashore destroy-
area’s geography made it a natural site for
a city, and a booming one at that. Prior to
a city, and a booming one at that. Prior to ing a third of the city.
1900, the city was one of Texas’s most The future of the Union Depot was im-
1900, the city was one of Texas’s most
The future of the Union Depot was im-
populous and its growth centered around Soon afterward, the seawall was built and mediately threatened as a decade of ne-
populous and its growth centered around
mediately threatened as a decade of ne-
the banks, cotton traders, hotels, mills and buildings throughout the city were raised. glect and vacancy put it on a short list for
glect and vacancy put it on a short list for
demolition. The structure was saved by a
railroads that populated the Strand Dis- In 1913, a new rail station, the current demolition. The structure was saved by a
eight-story structure, was completed.
local philanthropic group — The Moody
trict. local philanthropic group — The Moody
Eighteen years later an 11-story north Foundation — in 1978. Mary Moody
Foundation — in 1978. Mary Moody
Among the many firsts for Texas that oc- tower was added to the station complex. Northern felt that Galveston should rec-
Northern felt that Galveston should rec-
curred in Galveston are several transporta- Galveston rebuilt itself for years after the ognize the historic significance of the
ognize the historic significance of the
building and the city’s contribution to
tion-related events, including the state’s storm, but it never regained the promi- building and the city’s contribution to
first public streetcar service begun in 1868 nence it held prior to the great hurricane. Texas’s rich transportation history. The
Texas’s rich transportation history. The
renovation of the art-deco treasure also
with horses and mules, later electrified in In 1914 Houston’s ship channel was deep- renovation of the art-deco treasure also
ened, diverting much of the lucrative ship-
served to jump start Galveston’s revitali-
1893. Texas’s first railroad locomotive ping trade away from Galveston. The die served to jump start Galveston’s revitali-
zation of the Historic
zation of the Historic
44 | Waves Magazine | November 2018 Issue