The Ghosts of Galveston
Every town has its fables and ghost stories...
but Galveston Island seems to have more than its share
By Logan Hawkes
It's a community of pioneering history, born when our nation was young, when immigrants and refugees flocked to her shores in search of freedom and fame and fortune. A popular port of entry in the 1800s, Old Galveston rivaled New Orleans as a gleaming, prominant city of the Gulf coast.
But the hurricane of 1900 claimed well over 6,000 lives in a single day - the worse natural disaster ever recorded in the U.S. - and changed the course of regional history forever. Where once there were great theaters and art and fortune and social gaiety, after the storm's destructive force, there only remained a city of great tragedy and unimaginable loss.
Could this be why there are so many rampant reports of restless spirits - ghosts - in modern day Galveston? Could this be why the island has a reputation as a haunted city?
Regardless the reason, Galveston indeed is a hot bed of ghostly stories and local fable. And the city embraces its reputation as one of America's most haunted communities. Each year in October, residents and visitors alike take to the streets of the old historic district to celebrate the coexistence of its past and present as evidenced in the annual Ghosts of Galveston festival. Year round you'll find tour companies who offer walking ghost tours to haunted landmarks all along the city's famous and historic Strand District.
Each Halloween season brings its share of strange and unusual celebrations and festivals in the city; haunted houses are opened to the public, local landmarks - like Moody Gardens - decorate for the holidays and often stage special seasonal programs designed to entertain and haunt visitors and locals alike.
Most Galvestonians accept and even embrace the idea that the community is haunted. Even the average man on the street will point to Galveston's diverse and often violent history as the reason so many of its residents accept the presence of the unliving. As one resident puts it, "they were here before we were. They just haven't left yet."
Regardless whether you travel to Galveston to enjoy the usual great amenities like sun and surf and beautiful and playful beaches, or whether you visit with a little 'scary travel' in mind, you won't be disappointed to find Galveston offers many great attractions - of this world and, perhaps, of other worlds as well.
Follow the links below and disover more about the annual hauntings of Galveston Island.
