< Previous30 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2022 of 10.3 miles in 1963, the wall has protected the most-populated parts of Galveston from the ravages of Atlantic hurricanes. “It’s one of the iconic undertakings of coastal engineering in the United States,” said Lars Zetterstrom, the former command- er of the Galveston District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which helped build parts of the original seawall. “It was just a massive undertaking. It’s an example of why we do public infrastructure. We do it to solve problems.” The seawall is more than just a guardian. It’s an artery that pumps life into the city: the site for its largest Mardi Gras parades, and the perch from which thousands watch fireworks on the Fourth of July. It’s a canvas for muralists, a date destination for couples and a haven for runners and bicyclists alike. A traffic-jammed Seawall Boulevard, while an annoyance to locals, is a sign of a boom- ing tourist season. The wall might also not be in its final form. A proposed coastal barrier project official- ly sent to Congress in 2021 now imagines turning the seawall into part of a ring that surrounds the east end of Galveston, and po- tentially raising the wall higher to protect the island from what future threats might come. – John Wayne Ferguson MENARD HOUSE Galveston’s oldest home still plays open house to island residents. The Menard House, built in 1838, is perhaps best known as the home of Michel Menard, a founder of Galveston. The Galveston Historical Foundation, which owns the 1605 33rd St. property, still uses the historic home for events and private parties, said Jami Durham, property research and cultural history historian. It’s a use that continues the building’s legacy, she said. “One of the first Mardi Gras masquerade balls in Galveston was held there in the 1850s,” Durham said. Although the house is considered Gal- veston’s first, it actually was constructed in Maine, Durham said. The constructed pieces were shipped down to Galveston and reas- sembled, she said. “Although there’s no documentation, it was FEATURE Built in 1838, the Menard House, with its iconic Greek revival columns, is considered the city’s oldest home still standing. The Galveston Historical Foundation owns the property and uses it for events and private parties. mostly reassembled by the enslaved people that Mr. Menard owned,” Durham said. The entire complex used to be about four city blocks and included a corn field, she said. By the time of the 1900 Storm, Edwin Ketchum had purchased the home, she said. The family rode out the storm in the house and went downstairs to a sur- prise after the wind and rain had passed, Durham said. “He found the beautiful parlor full of the photos by ST u A r T VILLAN u EVA COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2022 31 go extensive training — still sails, said Mark Scibinico, port captain and director of the Galveston Historic Seaport. “The art of a sailor, it’s a technical skill for sure, but it’s a highly refined technical skill,” Scibinico said. “It’s the ability to work in a large group of people not as a leader, but a team member. You can’t cut any corners.” Galveston Historical Foundation acquired the Elissa in 1978 from a scrapyard in Greece. The foundation worked on resto- rations until about 1982. The Elissa sailed under the flags of several nations and was a cargo vessel. Elissa is a special ship to sail on, Scibinico said. “I’ve worked on a lot of traditional sail vessels all over the country,” he said. “There’s something about the fact that the keel is original. Sailing Elissa has a feeling that’s hard to approach.” Preserving the Elissa also is critical to fostering an appreciation of the maritime industry, which has played a foundational role in shaping the world, he said. “In the United States, the maritime history often takes a backseat to the landmarks and historic houses and other forms of preserva- tion, much as modern maritime activities are hidden from plain view,” Scibinico said. “Our civilization is quite literally built on the back of it. Nothing exists without the maritime trade.” – Keri Heath Visitors walk the deck of the 1877 tall ship Elissa at the Galveston Historic Seaport. Known as the official tall ship of Texas, the Elissa is one of only three ships of its age that still sails. family’s livestock,” Durham said. “They came in to seek shelter.” Fred and Pat Burns restored the house in the late 20th century and later gave the home to the foundation. – Keri Heath THE TALL SHIP ELISSA Not only is the 1877 tall ship Elissa one of only three ships of its age that still sails, it also is the official tall ship of Texas. It’s significant the historic ship — manned by a crew of staff and volunteers who under- file photos by ST u A r T VILLAN u EVA32 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2022 THE GALVESTON COUNTY DAILY NEWS Longtime subscribers to The Galveston County Daily News — Texas’ oldest newspaper — might not offer specific reasons why they’ve sub- scribed for 30, 40, 50 or even more years. It’s more of a habit, they’ll say. A good one. A deeply rooted part of their everyday lives. Laura Selman, of Texas City, has been a subscriber since the early 1980s. “The paper means a lot to me,” she said. “I enjoy the comics and the puzzles and sitting down in the morning to catch up on what’s going on.” Daily News Publisher Leonard Woolsey does have specifics. “The secret to the longevity of The Daily News, now approaching its 180th year, is that the newspaper and its team have never lost sight of what it means to be a local newspaper and highly engaged with the community,” Woolsey said. The Daily News was founded in 1842. A lot has changed over those years — even its name, going from The Daily News, to The News, to The Galveston News, to The Galveston Daily News and, finally, to today’s The Galveston County Daily News. But two things haven’t changed: the paper’s local flair and focus on Galveston County and its commitment to being an independent voice, offering content readers can rely on to be thorough and fair, Woolsey said. And it has no intention of changing those essential elements or los- ing its grip as the newspaper of record for Galveston County. FEATURE A teletype operator works in the old Galveston News building downtown. “As we look forward to our 180th anniversary, we also in the same conversation are looking forward to our next 180 years,” Woolsey said. – Margaret Battistelli Gardner THE DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTO JENNIFE r r EYNOLDS The Galveston County Daily News is Texas’ oldest newspaper.Get ready to rock AT THE GRAND! NEIL BERG'S 50 YEARS OF ROCK & ROLL 2 January 30 | 3 PM With a cast consisting of stars from Broadway’s greatest rock musicals, as well as amazing rock and roll singers, Neil Berg tells the exciting and incredible 50-year history of the music that changed the world forever! THE DOO WOP PROJECT February 5 | 8 PM Featuring stars of Broadway’s smash hits Jersey Boys and Motown: The Musical , The Doo Wop Project brings unparalleled authenticity of sound and vocal excellence to recreate—and in some cases entirely reimagine —some of the greatest music in American pop and rock history! GET TICKETS! TheGrand.com | 409.765.189434 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2022 CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL/ OLD CENTRAL/CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL Galveston is known for a lot of firsts, and one of those includes the first high school for African Americans in the state of Texas by the name of Central High School. FEATURE Central was established in 1885 in rent- ed quarters on 16th Street and Avenue L in Galveston. In 1890, the school moved to 15th Street and Avenue N, and then in 1894, Cen- tral moved to its new “grand” building at 26th Street and Avenue M, which was designed and built by famed architect Nicholas Clayton. In 1905, the building on Avenue M, now known as the Old Central Cultural Center, also was established as the “colored branch” of Rosenberg Library, which was the first of its kind in the entire South in addition to serving the many Black students who attended the school. Established in 1885, Central High School in Galveston was the first high school for African Americans in the state of Texas. It first was located in rented quarters on 16th Street and Avenue L (top left). Renowned architect Nicholas Clayton designed the school’s new building in 1894 on land purchased by the Galveston School Board between 26th and 27th streets in Galveston (middle left). The original building has been demolished, but a wing erected and attached to that building in 1924 still stands and houses the Old Central Cultural Center today (right). In 1954, students moved into the school’s building at 3014 Sealy Ave., and attended there until 1968 (bottom left). photos by JENNIFE r r EYNOLDS, ST u A r T VILLAN u EVA ; courtesy of r OSENBE r G LIB r A r Y COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2022 35 In 1924, a two-story building with additional classrooms, laboratories and the gymnasium were added; however, that building was de- molished during Hurricane Carla in 1961. The razed site is now Jack Johnson Park, which honors the nation’s first Black heavyweight boxing champion, who was an island native. “The building on Avenue M was Central’s longest tenure of service as it existed for over 61 years,” said David O’Neal, a 1966 graduate of the school. “So many great firsts at Central were established in that building, and that’s why the building itself is so revered today.” In 1954, students moved into the school’s new building at 3014 Sealy Ave., and attend- ed there until 1968. In 1969, Central merged with Ball High School at the end of segrega- tion. That building on Sealy is now Central Middle School in the Galveston Independent School District, which still carries on Bearcat pride for island students in the Galveston Independent School District. – Angela Wilson GEORGE BALL HIGH SCHOOL The much-revered George Ball High School — set to turn 138 years old this year — opened its doors to 200 students on Oct. 1, 1884, at 21st and Winnie streets in Galveston. Named after philanthropist George Ball, who contributed $50,000 for the public school, which was governed by the city of Galveston through 1949, Ball High School as it’s known today, has been the ongoing flagship of educa- tion for high school students on the island. The original building, small and only hav- ing 12 classrooms, was remodeled in 1890 to make it larger and featured a rotunda and dome in front of the building, which is now one of the symbols featured on many of the high school’s official documents today. Its motto, “Best school south of St. Louis and west of the Mississippi,” still holds true to the many thousands of students who graduat- ed from Ball High School, which was moved in 1954 to its present site at 4115 Ave. O. “Ball High is one of the few things on this island that most of us have in common,” said Katherine Becker, a 1991 graduate of the school. “It provided the foundation for our academic and social endeavors. “Many of the relationships that were creat- ed there over 30, 40 and even 50 years ago, are still going strong.” Now governed by the Galveston Inde- pendent School District, Ball High School’s current building boasts 406,000 square feet on 5.7 acres, and has 120 classrooms for its more than 2,000 students. — Angela Wilson (From top) Now Central Middle School, the school building on Sealy Avenue was once the final location of Central High School. It then became a junior high school after integration; established in 1884, Ball High School in Galveston is named after local dry goods merchant George Ball. photos by ST u A r T VILLAN u EVA “Ball High is one of the few things on this island that most of us have in common. It provided the foundation for our academic and social endeavors.” KATHERINE BECKER36 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2022 THE DAVISON HOME Tucked away on the east side of Texas City sits the Davison Home, one of four his- toric homes in Heritage Square Park. Built of cypress wood from Louisiana and containing railroad ties, the mustard-yellow Victorian house with a purple-roofed turret was once home to the Davisons, one of the city’s earliest families, said Texas City Muse- um Curator Amanda Vance, who manages the properties on Heritage Square. Frank and Florence Davison moved to the city from Michigan in the early 1890s for Frank Davison’s job, and the family quickly made its mark. Frank Davison would go on to become the city’s first postmaster and later a city commissioner. Construction on the three-story house, 109 Third Ave. N., began in 1895, and the family moved in after completion in 1897. Three generations of Davisons would call the house home. But it provided more than just a place for the family to eat and sleep. The third floor housed Frank Davison’s workshop, and five of the Davison daughters were married there, Billie Powers, Vance’s assistant, said. And at least once, it became a temporary home to the neighbors. “During the storm of 1900, Frank and Flor- ence went around to their neighbors to ask them if they wanted to stay in their house during the storm,” Vance said. Today, the house is owned by the city and is open for tours the first Sunday of the month from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Powers said. Visitors can admire the Davisons’ original fur- niture, some of which was brought with them when they moved to Texas City, she said. How many visitors pass through the front door depends on the season, Powers said. But for anyone who passes by the house, it is a re- minder of the family that once called it home. “People would talk about how they could remember when it got cold, Florence would be out there with blankets giving them to homeless people or whoever needed it,” Vance said. — Emma Collins FEATURE photos by ST u A r T VILLAN u EVA COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2022 37 The Davison Home, a Victorian-style house, was built in Texas City between 1895 and 1897 by Frank B. Davison. Still standing in Heritage Square Park, it functions as a museum.38 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2022 FEATURE A historical marker stands beside a long oak-lined drive at Stringfellow Orchards in Hitchcock. The late- Victorian house is one of the oldest in Hitchcock and used to be home to world-renowned horticulturalist and Civil War veteran Henry Martyn Stringfellow. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2022 39 The historic Ghirardi Compton Oak was moved to Ghirardi WaterSmart Park in League City in 2012 to protect it from an impending road construction project. The century-old tree bears the name of one of the city’s original families that settled in the area in the late 1800s. STRINGFELLOW ORCHARDS Just off state Highway 6, surrounded by a mix of houses and stores, sits one of Hitchcock’s oldest buildings — Stringfellow Orchards. Now owned by Samuel Collins III, the late-Victorian house, 7902 state Highway 6 in Hitchcock, used to be home to world-re- nowned horticulturalist and Civil War veter- an Henry Martyn Stringfellow. Completed in 1884, the house sat on a 30-acre orchard where Stringfellow made a name for himself conducting horticulture experiments. He became famous for his abil- ity to grow pears and oranges in the coastal environment. But Stringfellow was more than just a sci- entist. He also was a businessman who cared about his employees, many of them former slaves, and one of the few people in the area to pay workers $1 a day, compared with the usual 50 cents. After Stringfellow sold the property in 1894, it passed through several families before being bought by Albert and Myrtle Kipfer in 1920. During their 85-year ownership, the orchard transformed into a farm with a flower shop. Today, just more than 9 acres of the original property remain, and Collins uses the property for his family’s residence and his home office. – Emma Collins GHIRARDI COMPTON OAK More than a century old, the Ghirardi live oak hasn’t always called its spot at 1902 Louisiana Ave. in League City home. The tree once was at the corner of FM 518 and Loui- siana Avenue, but its future was questioned in 2011 when it stood in the way of the expansion of Louisiana Avenue. In an effort that took months, residents and environmental groups rallied together to save the tree by having it moved 1,500 feet to its current home near the Ghirardi Family WaterSmart Park. Also known as the Compton oak, the more than 100-year-old tree was named after the Ghirardi family, one of the 12 Italian families who immigrated to the area and settled in League City in the late 1800s. The Ghirardi home was located near the tree, and the family farmed the surrounding land. Since its move nearly a decade ago, the tree has continued to thrive, a giant among the city’s other oak trees. – Emma Collins ST u A r T VILLAN u EVANext >