Introduction to Galveston and the Williams-Borden Neighborhood Exhibit
Thank you for visiting this exhibit. PLEASE NOTE that if you click on an individual photo, you will leave the exhibit. In order to return, click on the Browse Exhibits Tab at the top of the page and then click on the Williams-Borden Exhibit. To continue through the exhibit use the tabs on the right side or at the bottom of the page.
This exhibit is a living document. Contributions are encouraged. Contact the Williams- Borden Neighborhood Association for comments.
Williams-Borden Neighborhood Association
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Galveston, TX is located on an island just off the Gulf Coast south of Houston. The island is 27 miles long and never more than 3 miles wide.
The city of Galveston, on the eastern end of the island, was settled in the early 19th century and by 1870 it was the largest city in Texas, a very important port, and a major point of immigration. Galveston owes its unique character to the diversity and wealth of this period. Many European immigrants settled and flourished here. Others came from established cities on the east coast and built thriving businesses, financial institutions and grand homes.
After the Great Storm of 1900 – still considered the deadliest natural disaster in US history – Galveston, under a new and innovative commission form of government, rebuilt, added a seawall, raised the island and continued to grow as a tourist destination. Galveston’s fortunes ebbed and flowed throughout the twentieth century but as national interest in historic preservation grew in the 1960's, historians took notice of Galveston and its architectural treasures. Galveston's rehabilitation was well underway when, in 2008, Hurricane Ike devasted the island but the storm also showcased the resilience and character of the residents as they recovered, rebuilt and reimagined the city once again.
Today, Galveston’s approximately 50,000 residents play host to cruise ships, beachgoers, history buffs, naturalists, conventions and special events. They are employed in the hospitality, medical, financial, retail, and education fields as well as a variety of other occupations. The fulltime population lives in neighborhoods where residents are racially and socioeconomically diverse.
This exhibit visits Williams-Borden, a neighborhood in midtown Galveston. The aim of the project is to celebrate the character of Williams-Borden and to encourage conversation about ways to enhance and protect that character in the future.
Click on this US Census Bureau link for more information on Galveston's demographics.
US Census Bureau, City of Galveston, TX - Quick Facts
Photos were taken by Nancy Flint-Budde unless otherwise credited and a complete list of sources is provided at the end of the exhibit.