How did Galveston get its name?

Galveston got its name from the Spanish Colonial governor, Bernardo de Galvez, who ordered the first survey of the Texas Gulf Coast in 1786. Oddly, de Galvez never stepped foot on the island; it was the surveyor, Jose de Evia, who named Galveston Bay in his honor, which later led to the name of the island.



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During the 19th century, Galveston became a major U.S. commercial center and one of the largest ports in the United States. It was, for a time, Texas' largest city, known as the Queen City of the Gulf.

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Using pioneering materials and methods, civil engineers designed and built a concrete seawall on Galveston Island and raised the island's elevation to prevent future natural disasters such as the 1900 hurricane in which 6,000 people were lost. Galveston Island is a barrier island located two miles off the Texas coast.

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Is it safe to swim in Galveston beaches? Yes, the water is safe to swim in.

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The brown comes from the large amount of silt in Galveston's water. When dry, silt has a texture similar to flour, but becomes smooth like mud when wet. When the region has lots of swells coming out of the Gulf, they wash up on the beach and mix with the water causing its brown discoloration.

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Priority Homeless Needs: The City of Galveston places a high priority on serving all homeless individuals and families. Currently, it is estimated that there are 367 individuals and 68 families who are homeless and unsheltered.

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Galveston Only Allows Beach Camping In Designated Areas To overnight beach camp in Galveston, you would need to be in one of the designated beachfront campsites located in Galveston Island State Park and on the Bolivar Peninsula.

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