< Previous10 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuLY 2023 I n 2008, The Daily News launched what would become Coast Monthly magazine. What began as a glossy broadsheet has evolved into the magazine it is today, with its trademark covers tex- tured, appropriately, with sand. That launch 15 years ago changed the trajecto- ry of The Daily News and my journalistic career. But I would also argue it has changed what outsiders think of the upper Texas coast and its inhabitants who are salty, sophisticated, smart, creative, enterprising and, above all, generous and welcoming. We launched this magazine when the upper Texas coast was primed for explosive growth. And we grew up along with it, creating a publi- cation that reminds us all why we live here and inspiring others to want to join us. The magazine, which brief- ly paused after the destruction of Hurricane Ike in 2008, over the years has marked many milestones and changes, always for the better. But two days stand out for me. One was in 2010 when Dolph Tillotson, then publisher of The Daily News, asked me to be editor of the magazine. My only qualifications were that I loved writing for the magazine and my genuine affection for the coastal commu- nity it showcased. I jumped at the chance. The other stand-out day was in 2014 when newly named Publisher Leonard Woolsey asked Creative Director/Design Editor Melissa Rivera and me to reimagine the magazine. We did, adding “monthly” to the name, new features and new energy to what has grown into a publication with a loyal following and subscribers in nearly every state. So much has changed in 15 years of this adventure. But what hasn’t changed is our commitment to a quality maga- zine that has become a venue to feature the many fascinat- ing people on the upper Texas coast. No other publication celebrates the artists, writers, homes, kitchens, boats, beach- es and people in the very local way we do. Coast Monthly couldn’t have flourished as it has without the strong team of writers and photographers who’ve been with us from the beginning and those who joined us along the way. We’re lucky to have award-winning photographers Jenni- fer Reynolds and Stuart Villanueva, along with our team of correspondents. Among them is Alicia Cahill, who has been supplying recipes and entertaining ideas almost from the beginning. In 2021, Coast Monthly launched a cookbook in collaboration with Cahill. It would take an entire magazine to thank the people who have helped us, opening their homes and hearts to us. But we would be remiss if we didn’t thank our advertisers, who make it possible to do what we do, and the legions of readers I keep in mind as we put together every issue. At Coast Monthly, we aim for a combination of grit and gloss, elegant and down- home, that authentically reflect the people, aesthetic and spirit of the place. Naturally, perhaps, pursuing that each month frequently is a journey filled with frenzy, chaos and, from time to time, just blind luck — a break in the clouds and a ray of warm coastal sunlight lasting just long enough to drop the shutter. And perhaps that’s the point of a glossy magazine — a vessel to catch and hold the bright spots. At any rate, it’s a labor of love and we love taking you along for the ride. This milestone is as much your celebration as ours. Happy Birthday to us and many more. LAURA ELDER Coast Monthly Editor FROM THE EDITOR HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO COAST MONTHLYIS YOUR HOME MISBEHAVING? Perform a Forensic Review Mold | Moisture | Warped flooring | High humidity | HVAC failures | Odd smells Indoor health concerns | Contaminates | Staining | Water damage | Comfort issues Swollen trim | Building defects | Bad workmanship | Poor design | Mysteries "We had moisture and construction issues that NO one could solve or address - but Toner Home Matters DID. After diagnosing our issue, we followed the "prescription" we needed. We would venture to say that Toner Home Matters SAVED our home." SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WWW.TONERHOMEMATTERS.COM Actual Google Review Find out what's wrong, why it happens, and what to do about it12 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuLY 2023 SHORELINES WE ASKED ON FACEBOOK: “The Wager” by David Grann. Colleen Elizabeth Anything written by the many local authors! Erin Ceccacci “The First Kennedys.” Very fascinating. Chriss Sendejas Oh, the Coast Magazine! Stacey Gottlob “A Song & A Prayer” by Loretta Lynn and Kim McLean. Denise Sowell Shead “Hell of a Book” by Jason Mott. Addie Wakao “Exiled: The Last Days of Sam Houston” by Ron Rozelle. Forest Riggs “The Collected Works of Jim Morrison: Poetry, Journals, Transcripts, and Lyrics.” Katrina Lassberg Lauren Denton books about life on the coastal lowlands. Cindy-Kelly Seaton “Heat 2” and “Spare.” Julie Ghidoni “Spare.” Wanda Buttner “The Winds of War” and “War and Remembrance,” epic historical fiction leading up to and during WWII by Herman Wouk. Keisha May Heck “The Wager: A Tale of Shipwrecks, Mutiny and Murder,” by David Grann. Jim Patterson Sara Lynn Richard’s detective series. Lorraine Grubbs “Swamp Story” by Dave Barry. Paul Ray Heinrich “The Covenant of Water.” Ginny McDonald Just finished James Patterson’s “The 23rd Midnight” and ready to start “Run, Rose, Run” by Patterson and Dolly Parton. Fred Koperski I’m reading “Lost Horizon” by James Hilton. Written in 1933. Shangri-la! Found it at the Friends’ book shop at Rosenberg Library. Margaret Canavan Just finished “Horse” by Geraldine Brooks. Heidi Hansel Seigel “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus. It’s up next for a book club read. Although some people don’t like the mandate of having to read a particular book, I appreciate the opportunity to enjoy a title I would otherwise never embrace. Karen Stanley “A House in the Sky” by Amanda Lindhout. Jeanette Connolly “Seven Husbands” by Evelyn Hugo. Great for a book club read. Leona Pleasant “unnatural History” by Jonathan Kellerman, currently. Glynda Parker Oglesby “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt. Lindsey White “Demon Copperhead,” “The Wager” and “The Covenant of Water.” Barbara Crews Just finished “The Covenant of Water.” On the back end of “Mad Honey” by Jodi Picoult. Both are amazing books. Andrew McCarthy’s book “Walking with Sam” is also a must-read. Rosie Ortiz “The Covenant of Water.” Fredell Pollak Rosen “The Covenant of Water” by (Abraham) Verghese and “Age of Vice” by (Deepti) Kapoor. Jeri Kinnear Finally, my turn to read “Oleanders in June” by Whitney Vandiver. Wydell Dixon “The Ether War” series by John Walker — space opera sci-fi for the fun of it. Stephen F. Duncan “The Boy from Block 66.” Kathy Whatley “Beware of Chicken: A Xianxia Cultivation Novel” by Casualfarmer. I’m on a Wuxia Xianxia kick and this is the latest rage. Neige Cahier I am currently reading Tom Hanks’ first novel, “The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece.” Jim Boone (James) Boswell’s bio of Samuel Johnson. Mark Burke “Then She Was Gone,” “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” and “Benjamin Franklin.” Susan Marie Edmonson “The untethered Soul” by Michael A. Singer. DeLynne Collins Just finished reading “Hang the Moon” by Jeannette Walls. I couldn’t put it down. Susanne Sullivan “Blue Mars” in the trilogy “Red Mars,” “Green Mars” and “Blue Mars” by Kim Stanley Robinson. Kay Sandor “The It Girl” by Ruth Ware. Jessica Carr What’s on your summer reading list? 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Clear Lake14 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuLY 2023 Jesse Balderas holds out a u.S. flag as fireworks explode over the beach near 37th Street in Galveston on July 4, 2017. After a year hiatus, fireworks will return for the island’s 2023 Independence Day Celebration. FILE PHOTO: ST u ART VILLAN u EVA COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuLY 2023 15 FEATURE O SAY, CAN YOU SEE Fireworks long have been a part of our Fourth of July history story by B. SCOTT MCLENDON T he rockets’ red glare and bombs bursting in air have been a part of our indepen- dence story since before the United States was a nation. Today, much like when Francis Scott Key penned that line, controlled chromat- ic explosions give proof every Fourth of July that our flag is still there. Fourth of July fireworks shows have been a part of upper Texas coast celebrations for more than 100 years, with gatherings planned specifically to watch the pyrotechnics dating back at least to the 1880s, according to The Daily News’ archives. The colorful history of the use of fireworks for commemorating the Fourth of July goes all the way back to the nation’s beginning. John Adams, sign- er of the Declaration of Independence and second president of the United States, in a letter to his wife in 1776 predicted the Fourth of July would be celebrated for generations to come. “It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shews, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forev- er more,” Adams wrote. His words have proved prophetic. And while Fourth of July beachside fireworks dis- plays on Galveston Island now attract large crowds, the event hasn’t always held the same luster through- out the city’s history. There was no mention in The Daily News of Fourth of July celebrations in 1865, the year when every Confederate army had surrendered in the Civil War, nor in 1866. Galvestonians in January 1867, however, feared their fireworks shows would be a thing of the past when a Maine senator attempted to forbid the import of “Chinese crackers” after a firecracker-sparked blaze nearly destroyed his hometown.Articles from The Daily News archives report the city as “dull and quiet” on July 5, 1867, two years after the Civil War ended. There was no mention of celebrations in the pages of the paper the day after Indepen- dence Day that year. The only mention of the day on July 5, 1868, informed readers that The Daily News’ telegraphic wires “threw themselves out of order to show their independence, and remained in that patriotic condition all day.” There were few mentions of celebra- tions in the late 1860s and early 1870s. In 1876, on the United States’ centen- nial celebration, when cities and towns throughout the nation held opulent ob- servances, the Galveston City Council elected not to make an “appropriation to assist in doing honor to the day.” The thirst for pyrotechnics might have been sated, however, by morn- ing, noon and evening rounds of gunfire from the Galveston Artillery Club, which fired 37 rounds at sunrise to commemorate the number of states at the time, 100 at noon and an un- known number at sunset. On July 5, 1876, the newspaper de- scribed Galvestonians as honoring the centennial anniversary “not by grand concentration, but by remitting the daily routine of business and seeking their pleasure at some of the centers of amusement.” Another article from the same day reported, “One good feeling bache- lor man sat near the window of his room in the Hendley Building, reading history of the past, while an Ameri- can flag protruded from the window and flattened out gaily to the south- er. There he sat an example of how, Crusoe like, all alone he responded to the sentiment throbbing in the hearts of nearly forty million folks.” The usual displays seemed to have resumed in the 1880s, although there are no mentions of any Fourth of July celebrations on the upper Texas coast until the latter half of the decade. In 1880, Richmond, Virginia, once the capital of the Confederacy, resumed its Fourth of July celebra- tions after a 20-year hiatus following the Civil War, according to pages of The Daily News. An article from 1890 references The Minerva Association hosting an island firework show from a vessel. Articles from this time also refer to counts of how many people died from careless- ly firing pistols and fireworks each Fourth of July. An article from 1891 refers to a “grand display of fireworks” for guests in front of the Beach Hotel lawn, which was on Seawall Boulevard between 23rd and 25th streets. From then on, “gigantic,” “delightful” and “massive” fireworks displays have all taken place during Fourth of July cele- brations on the island and region. For the 2023 edition, Galveston officials plan what they touted as the longest and most magnificent fire- works display in island history, with 25 minutes of fireworks painting the sky patriotic colors in honor of the nation’s birthday. 16 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuLY 2023 FEATURE COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuLY 2023 17 The city of Galveston’s 2003 fireworks display viewed from the top of the San Luis Condominiums. (Opposite) Lifeguards watch the fireworks over the Gulf of Mexico during a Fourth of July Celebration in 2002 in Galveston.Homemade Crab Cakes... Made by hand Made by us 408 25th Street Open Monday-Saturday, 11 am - 4 pm Join us for LUNCH EATcetera is a Local Family Eatery serving fresh, healthy lunch and light brunch fare. Dine inside or enjoy the dog-friendly sidewalk cafe under our signature red umbrellas. 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