24/7 Biohazard and Crime Scene Cleanup in Galveston, TX

Galveston is a resort city and port on Galveston Island, a barrier island roughly 27 miles long off the Texas Gulf Coast, and it serves as the county seat of Galveston County.

The Port of Galveston was established in 1825 by the Congress of Mexico, before Texas independence, and the town was incorporated in 1839.

Before 1900, Galveston was one of the largest cities in Texas and one of the nation's leading cotton ports - more than two million bales were shipped through it in 1900.

The hurricane that struck Galveston on September 8, 1900 remains the deadliest natural disaster in United States history, killing an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 or more people and destroying about 3,600 buildings with a storm surge over 15 feet.

To rebuild, Galveston pioneered the commission form of city government, built a massive 17-foot seawall along its Gulf shore - later extended for miles - and raised the grade of the whole city, jacking up some 2,200 structures.

The 2020 Census counted 53,695 people in Galveston, up from 47,743 in 2010 as the island continued its slow recovery-era growth.

Galveston has about 25,200 households but they are unusually small - just 1.98 people per household - and only about 46 percent of its homes are owner-occupied, reflecting its many vacation and rental properties.

The University of Texas Medical Branch, established in Galveston in 1891 with a single building and fewer than 50 students, now spans more than 70 buildings and is one of the city's largest employers.

Galveston claims a string of Texas firsts, including the state's first electric lights, first telephone and first baseball team.

St. Joseph's Church, built by German immigrants in 1859-1860, is the oldest wooden church building in Galveston and the oldest German Catholic church in Texas.