“Seven miles of stone against the rage of the sea,” a grizzled fisherman once told me, right here by the Galveston Seawall. He pointed a gnarled finger at the imposing structure. The Galveston Seawall. It’s more than just concrete and steel. It’s a testament to a city’s resilience. A city reborn from the ashes of disaster. On September 8, 1900, Galveston was a thriving metropolis, the largest in Texas. Then, a monstrous hurricane struck. A terrifying eight-foot wave surged over the island, claiming between 6,000 and 8,000 lives. It was the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history. The devastation was unimaginable. The city was in ruins. But the people of Galveston refused to give up. They resolved to rebuild, and this time, they would protect their city. Enter Henry Robert, a retired Army engineer. He was tasked with designing a seawall that could withstand the fury of the Gulf. The Galveston Seawall began to rise in 1902. Seventeen feet high and stretching for over three miles initially, this massive barrier was a marvel of engineering. The city itself was raised, too, buildings jacked up and sand pumped beneath them. The Galveston Seawall wasn’t just a wall. It was a symbol of hope. It was a promise to the future. And it worked. In 1915, another powerful hurricane, considered even stronger than the 1900 storm, slammed into Galveston. The Galveston Seawall held. This time, only eight lives were lost. The seawall had done its job. Over the years, the Galveston Seawall has been extended, now reaching nearly ten miles. It continues to protect Galveston, standing as a silent guardian against the relentless power of the sea. It’s a reminder that even in the face of unimaginable tragedy, human ingenuity and determination can prevail. The Galveston Seawall stands as a monument to the spirit of this city, a beacon of hope against the horizon.
Harrisburg-Jackson Cemetery Plaque
Here stands the Harrisburg-Jackson Cemetery Plaque. A simple marker yet it speaks volumes. It commemorates two intertwined cemeteries Harrisburg and