A lot has happened since the Great Galveston Storm of 1900. For one thing, on September 18, 1901 the City of Galveston dropped the mayor-alderman style of government and adopted the first commission formof government in the country. Under this type of government he governor of the state appointed a mayor and four commissioners. Each commissioner controled a specific function of government -finance, police and fire control, water and sewage, street and public improvemnets. Later the form of government allowed for the elections of officers.
In January 1902 a commission appointed engineering board consisting of Henry M Robert, Alfred Noble and Henry Clay Ripley recommended the county construct a 17 foot seawall and elevate the land behind the seawall.
In March 1902 Galveston County voters approved the issuance of $1.5 Million in bonds for funding the project. Construction of the seawall began in October 1902 and the initial part was completed in July 1903. The seawall began at 6th Street and extended to 39th Street. An addition to the seawall was authorized and funded by the United States Congress to protect Fort Crockett. This extension of the seawall was to run from 39th Street to 53rd Street. Construction on the extension of the seawall began in December 1902 and was completed in October 1903.
According to the engineering board’s recommendation the City’s elevation was to be raised to 17 feet, the height of the seawall and slope downward toward the Bay side of the island. To fund the project the Texas Legislature in January 1903 approved a grade-raising bill that allowed the state to donate state taxes collected in Galveston County to the City of Galveston for a period of 15 years.
To elevate the land buildings for a 40 block long area had to be raised in the air to the desired height and the space filled in below them. Once the buildings made of brick, stone or wood were raised dredges removed a slurry of sand and water from Galveston Bay and pumped it beneath the buildings. While the dreging and filling-in was being conducted elevated plank walkways were constructed for people to walk around town. Once the land was filled in streets were paved and trees were planted. The work began in July 1904 and was the initial phase was completed in July 1910 at a cost of over $2 Million. The contractor of the project was a German company named Goedhart and Bates.
An exhibit of photographs depicting this truly awsome island and city elevating feat can be seen in the lobby just outside the Galveston City Archives located in the Rosenburg Library in Galveston. I will check the links I have for this and other websites and see if any of the photgraphs contain pictures of the island raising process. Should I locate some pictures of this on the web I will make a link from this page.
There have been many tropical depressions and Storms that have hit Galveston since the Great Gaveston Storm of 1900. Most notable and devastating were the following:
August 16-17, 1915.
This storm was a category 4 storm with winds of 93 mph gussting to 120 mph. It brought 15.11″ of rain and 12′ waves. There were damages of $5-8 Million in Galveston and $56 Million in Texas. There were 50-52 people killed in Galveston and 275 in Texas on the mainland or in vessels.
While not as devastating to Galveston as the 1900 Strom this one showed the value of having the seawall. Had there not been a seawall Galveston would again have been covered with water and the death and damage totals would have been astronomical.
July 26-28, 1943
This storm was small in comparison to others. It was a category 2 hurricane with winds measured at 68 mph gusting to 90 mph. There was approximately 13.16″ of rain and $16,600,000 in damages and 19 people lost their life along the Texas Coast.
September 9-12, 1961-Hurricane Carla
This was a category 4 hurricane and one of the first to be reported on television by the young and upcoming Dan Rather reporting from the seawall. Winds were reported at 80 mph with gusts to 170 mph. Rainfall was reported at 15.32 in downtown Galveston and 16.93″ at Scoles Field. Damages was estimated at $18 million on Galveston Island and $400,000,000 for the storm. Over 50,000 people evacuated the island and 6 people were killed in Galveston and 46 storm wide. In addition there were 294 injuries reported in Galveston.
Auguust 17-1, 1983 Hurricane Alicia
This category 3 hurricane ranks 59th. It had winds reported at 77 mph with gusts to 127 mph. There was a total of 7.76″ of rain, damages estimated at $510,000,000 in Galveston and $2 billion for the storm. No one was killed in Galveston but there were 21 deaths reported in the storm.
A List of Storms and Hurricanes Affecting Galveston Since 1900
Below is a list of hurricanes and storms as reported in Stan Blazyk’s book A Century of Galveston Weather that have hit Galveston in the years 1900-1998. They are listed with their Saffir-Simpson scale storm status and their reported damage.
1900, July 13 Disturbance Minor
1900, September 8 Hurricane (4) Catastrophic
1910, July 10 Tropical Storm Light
1902, June 27 Hurricane (1) Minor
1906, October 14 Depression Minor
1908, September 18 Tropical Storm Light
1909, July 21 Hurricane (3) Moderate
1915, August 17 Hurricane (4) Catastrophic
1916, August 18 Hurricane (3) Light
1919, September 11 Hurricane (4) Minor
1921, June 22 Hurricane (2) Minor
1929, June 28 Hurricane (1) Light
1932, August 14 Hurricane (4) Minor
1933, July 23 Tropical Storm Light
1933, September 5 Hurricane (4) Minor
1934, July 25 Hurricane (2) Light
1934, August 27 Hurricane (1) Light
1938, August 14 Hurricane (1) Light
1938, September 11 Disturbance Light
1938, October 17 Tropical Storm Light
1940, August 7 Hurricane (2) Light
1941, September 23 Hurricane (3) Minor
1942, August 21 Hurricane (1) Minor
1942, August 30 Hurricane (3) Minor
1943, September 17 Hurricane (1) Light
1943, July 27 Hurricane (2) Major
1944, September 27 Tropical Storm Light
1945, August 27 Hurricane (2) Minor
1947, August 24 Hurricane (1) Moderate
1949, October 3 Hurricane (2) Moderate
1952, July 17 Disturbance Light
1956, September 30 Disturbance Light
1957, June 27 H-Audrey (4) Moderate
1958, September 5 TS-Ella Minor
1959, June 26 Disturbance Light
1959, July 24 H-Debra (1) Moderate
1961, September 10 H-Carla (4) Major
1963, September 17 H-Cindy (1) Minor
1964, August 7 TS-Abby Light
1967, September 19 H-Beulah (3) Light
1968, June 24 TS-Candy Light
1970, August 3 H-Celia (3) Light
1970, September 15 TS-Felice Light
1971, September 10 H-Fern (1) Minor
1973, September 5 TS-Delia Minor
1977, September 2 H-Anita (3) Light
1979, July 25 TS-Claudette Minor
1979, September 1 TS-Elena Light
1980, August 7 H-Allen (3) Light
1980, September 5 TS-Danielle Light
1981, June 5 Depression Moderate
1983, August 18 H-Alicia (3) Major
1986, June 26 H-Bonnie (1) Light
1988, September 16 H-Gilbert (4) Light
1989, June 26 TS-Allison Minor
1989, August 1 H-Chantal (1) Minor
1989, October 15 H-Jerry (1) Moderate
1993, June 19 TS-Arlene Minor
1995, July 30 TS-Dean Light
1998, August 22 TS-Charley Light
1998, September 11 TS-Frances Moderate