ZIP Code 77550

Galveston is a coastal resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of 209.3 square miles (542 km²), with a population of 47,743 in 2010, is the county seat of surrounding Galvesto County. It is also within the HoustonThe WoodlandsSugar Land metropolitan area at its southern end on the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The city was the main port for the fledgling Texas Navy during the Texas Revolution of 1836, and later served temporarily as the new national capital of the Republic of Texas in 1865. It was, for a time, Texas' largest city, known as the "Queen City of the gulf" It was devastated by the unexpected Galvestan Hurricane of 1900, whose effects included massive flooding and a storm surge which nearly wiped out the town. The City is home to six historic districts containing one of the largest historically significant collections of 19th-century buildings. Over 60 structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, maintained by the National Park Service in the United States Department of the Interior. In 1865, General Gordon Granger arrived at Ashton Villa and announced to some of the last enslaved African Americans that slavery was no longer legal. This event is commemorated annually on June 19, the federal holiday of Juneteenth. During the 19th century, the city became a major U.S. commercial center and one of its largest ports.

History

Galveston is the primary city name, but also Jamaica Beach, Tiki Island are acceptable city names or spellings, West Galveston on the other hand no longer accepted or obsolete and are no longer used as a designation. The official name is City of Galveston. Galveston is a city in Texas, United States. The city was founded in 1836 by French-Canadian Michel Branamour Menard. In 1839, the City of Galveston adopted a charter and was incorporated by the Congress of the Republic of Texas. During the American Civil War, Confederate forces under Major General John B. Magruder attacked and expelled occupying Union troops from the city in January 1863. In the 19th century, the city had many "firsts" in the state, with the founding of institutions and adoption of inventions: post office, naval base, Masonic order, Catholic parochial school, insurance company, and gas lights. In 1870 the city attracted a black population that totaled 3,000, made up of former slaves but also by free persons who were educated of color and educated before the war. About 1800 people died in the city during the yellow fever epidemic of 1867-1878, as did cholera epidemics in river cities and river towns in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The first opera house was built in 1868. The current opera house dates back to the 1930s, when it was built on the site of a former cotton gin. The opera house is one of the oldest in the United States, having been built in the early 20th century. It is located in the heart of the city, on the west side of the Texas Gulf Coast, near the Texas-Louisiana state line. It has a population of more than 2,000.

Geography

Galveston is situated on Galveston Island, a barrier island off the Texas Gulf coast near the mainland coast. The island is unstable, affected by water and weather, and can shift its boundaries through erosion. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 209.3 square miles (542.2 km²) The city is home to six historic districts with over 60 structures listed representing architectural significance in the National Register of Historic Places. The Strand is a National Historic Landmark District of mainly Victorian era buildings that have been adapted for use as restaurants, antique stores, historical exhibits, museums and art galleries. The city has been popularly known as the 'Oleander City' because of a long history of cultivating Nerium oleander, a subtropical evergreen shrub which thrives on the island. Thousands were planted in the recovery following the Hurricane of 1900. In 2005, May was declared "leander Month" by the city and the month of May was named the prominent Galvestan Oleander Month. Since 1967, the International Oleander Society has operated in the city, which maintains a commemorative Oleander garden and organizes an Oleander festival in the spring. The Grand Opera District, located in the Grand Strand District, contains a large and historically significant collection of 19th-century buildings in the U.S. and abroad. It is the center for two very popular seasonal festivals, and is widely considered the island's shopping and entertainment center.

Demographics

As of the 2020 U.S. census, there were 53,695 people, 21,683 households, and 11,368 families residing in the city. Galveston had an estimated 20,920 households in 2018 with an average of 2.20 persons per household. The racial makeup of the city was 46.8% non-Hispanic white, 18.3% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian or Alaska Native, 3.2% Asian, 2.5%. The city had a median household income of $44,902 and per capita income of £29,733 from 2014-2018. Roughly 20.8%. of the population lived at or below the poverty line. The median income for a household in theCity was $28,895, and the median income. for a family was $35,049. The per capita. income for the city is $18,275. The city has a median gross rent of $936. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 3.02. The population was 23.4% under the age of 13, 11.3%. from 13 to 24, 29. 8% from 25 to 44, 21.8! from 45 to 88, and 13.7% who were 89 years of age or older in 2010. For every 100 females age 13 and over, there. were 90.4 males. The. median age was 36 years.

Economy

Port of Galveston began as a trading post in 1825. The port also serves as a passenger cruise ship terminal for cruise ships operating in the Caribbean. The city is the home port to Royal Caribbean International's, MS Liberty of the Seas, which is the largest cruise ship ever based here and one of the largest ships in the world. In 2007 the city brought $808 million to the local economy and attracted 5.4 million visitors. American National Insurance Company and United Fire & Casualty Company are located in the city. Galvestan is home to several historic ships: the tall ship Elissa (the official Tall Ship of Texas) and USS Cavalla and the USS Stewart, berthed at Seawolf Park on nearby Pelican Island. The town is also home to a waterpark, Moody Gardens botanical park, the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum, the Lone Star Flight Museum, and many historical museums and mansions, and miles of beach front from the East End's Porretto Beach to the West End pocket parks. In the late 1800s the city was known as the "Playground of the South" Today, it still retains a shared claim to the title among major cities along the Gulf Coast states. It is ranked as the number one cruise port on the nearby Gulf Coast and the fourth in the United States in the U.S. and nearby Gulf states. The Port ofGalveston has facilities to handle all types of cargo including containers, dry and liquid bulk, breakbulk and refrigerated cargo.

Arts and culture

Galveston Arts Center is located in the historic 1878 First National Bank Building on the Strand. Galveston ArtWalk takes place approximately every six weeks on Saturday evenings throughout the year. Musicians perform outdoors and at venues such as the Proletariat Gallery & Public House or Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe. The National Hotel Artist Lofts (NHAL) is an Artspace-developed property featuring twenty-seven live/work units designated as affordable housing for artists. The company presents one full-length classical ballet in the spring of each year and one mixed repertory program in the fall, both presented at the Grand 1894 Opera House. In May 2015, the newly renovated space reopened as the proletariat gallery & public house. The city is home to the Galvestan Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble of amateur and professional musicians formed in 1979 under the direction of Richard W. Pickar, Musical Director-Conductor. The Galvest on Ballet is a regional pre-professional ballet company and academy serving GalvestON county. The town is also home to a number of notable statues and sculptures, including: 1900 Storm Memorial, by David W. Moore, by Arthur Williams Amateis, and the Texas Heroes Monument, by Doug Joe McLean. With his back turned to the US flag while carrying a Confederate flag, it is the only memorial in Texas to feature a Confederate sailor. It is also the only one in the United States to have a statue of a Confederate soldier.

Government

After the hurricane of 1900, the city originated the city commission form of city government (which became known as the "Galveston Plan"). The city has since adopted the council-manager form of government. Galveston's city council serves as the city's legislative branch, while the city manager works as the chief executive officer. The city's Tax Collector is determined by the city council and is outsourced to Galvest on County. Galesten is in Texas's 14th congressional district and is represented by Republican Randy Weber as of 2012. Galestsen is within the County Precinct 1; as of 2008 Patrick Doyle serves as Commissioner of Precinct1. The Galvestan County Justice Center houses all the county's judicial functions as well as jail, and is located on 59th street. The county's Department of Parks and Senior Services operates the GalvestOn Community Center. The City Council consists of six elected positions, each derived from a specified electoral district. Each city council member is elected to a two-year term. The mayor is elected for a two year term, and Craig Brown is the current mayor of the city of Galeston. Galestedon is in the Texas House of Representatives, represented by Mayes Middleton as of 2021. The Texas Senate is in District 11, represented as of 2011 by Larry Taylor. Galestingon is the seat and second-largest city (after League City, Texas) of Galvesten County in population. The County Sheriff's Office operates its law enforcement headquarters and jail from the Justice Center.

Education

Galveston is home to two post-secondary institutions offering traditional degrees in higher education. The city is served by Galveston Independent School District, which includes six elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school, Ball High School. Several state-funded charter schools not affiliated with local school districts exist in the city. KIPP: the Knowledge Is Power Program opened KIPP Coastal Village under the auspices of GISD. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese operates two Roman Catholic private schools, including Holy Family Catholic School (K through 8th) and O'Connell College Preparatory School (9-12). Other private schools include Satori Elementary School, Trinity Episcopal School, Seaside Christian Academy, and Heritage Christian Academy. The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) was established in 1891 with one building and fewer than 50 students. The 84-acre (340,000 m2) campus includes schools of medicine, nursing, allied health professions, and a graduate school of biomedical sciences, as well as three institutes for advanced studies & medical humanities, a major medical library, seven hospitals, a network of clinics that provide a full range of primary and specialized medical care, and numerous research facilities. There is also one magnet middle school, Austin Middle School, serving grades 5 through 8, and one magnet elementary school, which was founded in the 1970s. The Galvestan High School is a private high school that opened in the 1980s and serves grades 9-12.

Infrastructure

Galveston is home to several of the largest teaching hospitals in the state. The city is ranked the number one cruise port on the Gulf Coast and fourth in the United States. The Galveston Police Department has provided the city's police protection for more than 165 years. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the first federal court in Texas, is based in the city. The railway operates 32 miles (51 km) of track at Galvest on the Union Pacific Railroad Company and BNSF Railway Company. The City is served by the Rosenberg Library, which was founded in 1871, and is the oldest public library in the State of Texas. The United States Postal Service operates several post offices, including the Galvestan Main Post Office and the Bob Lyons Post Office Station. The nearest commercial airline is operated out of Houston through William P. Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The University of Texas Medical Branch has two heliports, for Ewing Hall and one for its emergency room for its patients. The airport is primarily used for general aviation, offshore energy transportation, and some limited military operations. It is also home to a 50-acre (200,000 m2) facility, over a half-mile (400 km) long by two-mile wide, that is used as a training facility for air ambulance pilots and air ambulance crews. The hospital is one of only four in the chain of 22 non-profit Shriners hospitals, that provides acute burns care.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Galveston, Galveston County, Texas = 14.9. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 40. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 20. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Galveston = 6.2 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 53,695 individuals with a median age of 35.6 age the population dropped by -4.53% in Galveston, Galveston County, Texas population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,307.9 residents per square mile of area (505.0/km²). There are average 2.25 people per household in the 23,140 households with an average household income of $34,367 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 7.90% of the available work force and has dropped -2.52% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 27.06%. The number of physicians in Galveston per 100,000 population = 236.5.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Galveston = 41.7 inches and the annual snowfall = 0.1 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 89. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 203. 88 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 48.1 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 28, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Galveston, Galveston County, Texas which are owned by the occupant = 31.49%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 39 years with median home cost = $144,640 and home appreciation of -18.14%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $18.40 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,370 per student. There are 15.4 students for each teacher in the school, 703 students for each Librarian and 444 students for each Counselor. 5.39% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 13.16% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 10.77% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).