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Discovering Galveston History Together
Here’s a quick list of books related to the history of Galveston, Texas, covering a wide range of topics from the city’s founding and pirate days to its significant historical events, culture, and resilience.
Which ones are on your list? What titles would you add? Let us know!
This is, by no means, a comprehensive list. These are the titles that come to mind, some we’ve read and others we have on the shelf for a rare, rainy day.
These books are books related to the history of Galveston, Texas. They cover a wide range of topics from the city’s founding and pirate days to its significant historical events, culture, and resilience.
Available on Amazon
by Brian M Davis
Lost Galveston explores the architectural history of Galveston, showcasing the city’s rich heritage as a gateway to America through photographs and stories of historic buildings, some still standing and others lost to time, that reflect the city’s unique character and cultural significance.
Available on Amazon
by Brian M Davis
Lost Galveston – Postcards of America showcases Galveston’s history through a curated collection of vintage photograph postcards, revealing glimpses of the city’s past.
by Kathleen Shanahan Maca
Galveston’s Broadway Cemeteries delves into the rich history of Galveston’s burial grounds, highlighting the notable figures and layered burials within these historic cemeteries that reflect the city’s colorful past and diverse heritage.
by Bonnie Highsmith Taylor
Tragedy From The Sea: The Galveston Hurricane Of 1900 recounts the devastating impact of the 1900 hurricane that ravaged Galveston, exploring the tragedy and resilience of the city in the face of one of America’s deadliest natural disasters.
by Bill Cherry
Beyond its beaches, Galveston is steeped in rich history, from Spanish conquistadors and buried pirate treasure to the resilience shown after wars, fires, floods, and the Great Storm of 1900, with Bill Cherry recounting the lives of both famous and everyday people who shaped the island’s extraordinary past.
by Christie “The Beachcomber” Mitchell
Christie “The Beachcomber” Mitchell, Galveston’s official public relations man during its Sin City era, chronicled the island’s vibrant nightlife through his nightly visits to its many bars and clubs, with Bill Cherry compiling his columns to provide readers a firsthand glimpse into the characters and events of that colorful period.
by Casey Edward Greene & Shelly Henley Kelly
Through firsthand survivor accounts, some recorded shortly after the 1900 hurricane and others decades later, this work captures the devastating impact of the storm on Galveston, providing a deeply personal and dramatic look at the worst natural disaster in U.S. history, supported by over seventy photographs from the event.
by Charles River Editors
This account examines the 1900 Galveston hurricane, the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history, detailing its catastrophic impact on the city and the surrounding areas, with a focus on the devastation, the aftermath, and the ongoing legacy of the event.
by Al Roker
Storm of the Century by Al Roker vividly recounts the devastating 1900 hurricane that destroyed Galveston, Texas, exploring the tragedy, heroism, and resilience of its survivors, while offering a fresh perspective on the disaster’s impact and lessons for modern society’s struggle with extreme weather events.
by Paul Lester
A vivid and harrowing account of the 1900 hurricane, highlighting the resilience, courage, and compassion of survivors amidst the devastating destruction, while providing valuable insight into the lasting impact of the catastrophe on both Galveston and the United States.
by Kurt D Voss
This book tells the story of The Elissa, the 1877 tall ship that survived a century of commercial service and was miraculously saved from a Greek scrapyard, later restored by the Galveston Historical Foundation as one of the world’s finest examples of maritime preservation.
by Suzanne Morris
This novel captures the compelling stories of three women whose lives both molded and mirrored the rise and decline of Galveston, Texas, reflecting the island’s rich, complex history and its legacy of ambition and faded dreams.
Available on Amazon
by P.G. Nagle
After becoming a Confederate hero, Jamie Russell escorts his grief-stricken sister Emma to Galveston, where he soon fears for her safety as Union forces threaten the poorly defended city, leading him to return in a daring Confederate operation to reclaim Galveston and rescue his family.
by Alvin L Sallee & Michael J Leahy Jr
This engaging narrative combines seafaring adventures and Galveston port life, detailing the challenges, humor, and drama of maritime work while offering a refreshing escape from contemporary concerns.
by T Neill Anderson
This gripping historical novel weaves together the harrowing personal stories of Galveston residents caught in the deadly hurricane of 1900, capturing the storm’s devastating impact and the tragic losses endured.
by Lauren Tarshis
This story follows a young boy’s harrowing survival journey through the catastrophic Galveston Hurricane of 1900, as he navigates devastating floods and fights to help his neighbors in the midst of America’s deadliest natural disaster.
By Ellen Beasley
This guidebook provides a comprehensive look at Galveston’s extensive collection of 19th-century architecture, covering everything from grand business blocks to modest homes, while also exploring modern developments like the medical center and beachfront evolution, complete with photos, maps, and historical insights for architecture enthusiasts and visitors alike.
Available on Amazon
By Edward T. Cotham Jr.
This book analyzes twenty-one key decisions made by Union and Confederate commanders during the Galveston Campaigns, illustrating how each choice shaped the outcomes of the naval and land battles that ultimately kept Galveston as a Confederate stronghold through the Civil War’s end.
by Mary Claire Haver M.D.
Dr. Mary Claire Haver introduces a science-backed nutrition program combining anti-inflammatory foods, intermittent fasting, and balanced macronutrients to help women in midlife lose weight, reduce menopausal symptoms, and improve overall health.
by Kimberly Garza
As Hurricane Ike approaches, the lives of Galveston residents, including Carly Castillo, who embraces her grandmother’s proud claim of Karankawa Indian ancestry, and Jess, her loyal boyfriend tied to the island’s familiar waters, unfold in a lyrical exploration of heritage, resilience, and the legacies we create and inherit.
A detailed account of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane, focusing on Isaac Cline, a meteorologist who underestimated the storm’s potential, leading to the greatest natural disaster in U.S. history.
This book offers a comprehensive history of Galveston, from its early settlement days to its status as a major port city, covering social, economic, and cultural developments.
A photographic and narrative journey through Galveston’s architectural heritage, this book documents the city’s historic buildings, many of which have been lost or restored.
This book covers Galveston’s transformation from a pirate stronghold and Confederate port to its rebirth as a major Texas city, exploring its seedy underworld and vibrant cultural life.
This book delves into the ghost stories and haunted places of Galveston, exploring the city’s paranormal side, particularly in the wake of the 1900 Hurricane and its tragic past.
This book explores the many shipwrecks that have occurred around Galveston Island, offering a look at maritime disasters and the lives affected by these tragedies.
A classic text that examines Galveston’s importance in the development of the American West, focusing on its role as a commercial and immigrant gateway during the 19th century.
A gripping, narrative history of the 1900 Hurricane, this book focuses on the personal stories of those who survived the catastrophe and how the storm changed Galveston forever.
Part of the “Images of America” series, this book uses historical photographs and narratives to tell the story of Galveston’s recovery and elevation after the 1900 Hurricane.
A biographical exploration of Jean Lafitte, the famous pirate who used Galveston Island as his base of operations. The book delves into his exploits and influence on the region’s history.
Though not strictly a history book, Ellison’s novel touches on the significance of Juneteenth, the day when enslaved people in Texas, including those in Galveston, learned of their freedom in 1865. The novel explores themes of history, race, and freedom.
A comprehensive biography of brothers Jean and Pierre Lafitte, detailing their time as pirates and privateers on Galveston Island and their impact on Gulf Coast history.
A fictional work, but steeped in the atmosphere of Galveston’s dark history, focusing on themes of redemption and survival in a gritty, historically rich setting.
This book focuses on Galveston’s lost architectural treasures, chronicling buildings destroyed by hurricanes, fires, or neglect, and highlighting efforts to preserve what remains.
This book provides a historical look at Galveston’s downtown, especially the Strand, which was once known as the “Wall Street of the South,” detailing its development and eventual preservation.
A historical account written shortly after the 1900 Hurricane, providing firsthand reports and descriptions of the devastation and the city’s efforts to rebuild.
A personal diary kept by J.T. King during the 1900 Hurricane, offering a firsthand look at the storm’s immediate impact and its aftermath on the citizens of Galveston.
This book focuses on Galveston’s role as a major immigration hub in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often referred to as the “Ellis Island of the West,” and its importance in the settlement of the American West.
A detailed account of Galveston’s strategic importance during the Civil War, focusing on the battles fought over control of the island and its port.
This book explores the history of steamboats that connected Galveston with Houston along Buffalo Bayou, focusing on their impact on commerce and trade in the 19th century.
This book tells the story of the Galveston Buccaneers baseball team, which brought excitement and fame to the island during the Great Depression, under the ownership of Shearn Moody.
This book provides a detailed history of Galveston’s role during the Civil War, including the famous Battle of Galveston and its importance as a Confederate port.
While focused on the devastating hurricane of 1935 that struck the Florida Keys, this book references Galveston’s earlier 1900 Hurricane, comparing the storms and their impacts on Gulf Coast cities.
This book provides an in-depth look at the cultural evolution of Galveston, from its early days as a pirate haven to its time as a wealthy, cosmopolitan port city, covering its contributions to Texas culture.
A book that explores Galveston’s musical history, focusing on its role as a center for jazz, blues, and other musical movements in Texas, as well as its vibrant theater and performance culture.
This list offers a wide variety of books that touch on different aspects of Galveston’s history, from pirate legends and natural disasters to cultural and social developments. Whether you’re looking for in-depth historical analysis, personal narratives, or ghost stories, these books cover many facets of Galveston’s fascinating past.
