Free State of Galveston
Date | 1920 | –1957
---|---|
Location | Galveston, Texas, United States |
Also known as | Republic of Galveston Island / Open Era of Galveston |
The Free State of Galveston (sometimes referred to as the Republic of Galveston Island) was a satirical name given to the coastal city of Galveston in the U.S. state of Texas during the early-to-mid-20th century. Today, the term is sometimes used to describe the culture and history of that era.
During the
Much of this period represented a high point in Galveston's economy.
Background
The island of Galveston, which lies on the
The 1900 Galveston hurricane was an unparalleled disaster. Estimates of the death toll range from 6,000 to 12,000 people, in addition to many more on the Gulf Coast and along the shores of the bay.[12] Immediately after the hurricane, Galveston worked to revive itself as a port and an entertainment center, including the construction of tourist destinations such as the Hotel Galvez, which opened in 1911. In the same year, the Galveston–Houston Electric Railway opened and became recognized as the fastest interurban rail system in the country.[13] Galveston's port was also rebuilt quickly, and by 1912, had become the second-leading exporter in the nation, behind New York.[14] Nevertheless, after the 1900 storm and another in 1915, many avoided investing in the island.[2]
Galveston had been a major port of entry for Texas and the
The opening of the
As Galveston's traditional economy declined, Texas'
Prohibition and the Maceos
During the early 20th century, reform movements in the U.S. (the so-called Progressive movement) made most forms of gambling illegal in most communities.[20] Gambling continued illegally in many places, though, creating new opportunities for criminal enterprises. The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1919, outlawed the manufacture, transportation, importation, and sale of alcoholic beverages and initiated the Prohibition era. The new law was widely unpopular, and rum-running and bootlegging became rampant. Galveston's already lax social attitudes allowed this, as well as brothels and other illegal businesses, to blossom in the city. These institutions were so accepted that at one point, the city required health inspections for prostitutes to ensure the safety of their clients.[21]
At the beginning of Prohibition, two main gangs divided the city: the Beach Gang led by
About this time, the Maceo family became important to Galveston's history. The family had immigrated from
Eventually the Maceos, with Quinn, opened the Hollywood Dinner Club, at the time the most elegant night club on the Gulf Coast.[27][28] The club featured crystal chandeliers, a large dance floor, and air conditioning (a new technology at the time; the Hollywood was the first club in the nation to use it). Because of Sam's smooth personality, he became the "face" of the nightclub. Guy Lombardo performed for the club's opening, and Sam attracted a steady stream of celebrity performers thereafter. The club hosted one of the nation's first remote radio broadcasts, and featured Ben Bernie's orchestra (one of the nation's most famous performing groups), which was introduced by a young Walter Cronkite.[29][30] The club, the first venue in the nation to offer high-class gaming, dining, entertainment, and air conditioning under one roof, was unique at the time.[28]
A crackdown by federal law enforcement led to the arrests of the leaders of the city's gangs, which allowed the Maceo brothers to gain control of the island's underworld.
The
Economy
Like much of the country, and particularly Texas, Galveston boomed in the 1920s, but even the Great Depression did not stop Galveston's run of prosperity. Despite the financial ruin that faced much of the country during the Depression, not a single Galveston bank failed and unemployment was almost unheard of.[35] Key business sectors in Galveston during the Free State era were casinos and prostitution, in addition to many legitimate businesses.[4][33] During much of the period, the vice industries provided the majority of employment.[42] Two families held particular prominence on the island during this era; the Moodys controlled the largest legitimate interests, and the Maceos controlled the largest criminal enterprises.[43] Both families were wealthy, with business empires that extended beyond the island.[2][44]
Legitimate businesses
As the island rebuilt from the 1900 storm, legitimate business interests attempted to expand the economy by rebuilding tourism and further diversifying from shipping. Important nonentertainment businesses included insurance, hotels, banks, shipping, and commercial fishing.[45] The medical and nursing schools, as well as the hospitals of the University of Texas Medical Branch, were a stable sector on the island throughout the 20th century.[46] The Moody family built one of the largest hotel empires in the U.S., and their American National Insurance Company was so successful that it actually grew—tremendously—during the Depression.[47]
In the entertainment sector, various ploys were used to attract tourists. In 1920, an annual beauty contest, named the Pageant of Pulchritude (also known as the Miss Universe contest) in 1926, was started in Galveston by C.E. Barfield, manager of a local amusement park owned by the Maceos.[48][49][50] The contest was part of Splash Day, the kick-off of the summer tourist season each year, and became the first international beauty contest, attracting participants from England, Russia, Turkey, and many other nations until its demise in 1932.[49] This contest is said to have served as a model for the modern Miss America pageant and others.[50][51] At its height, the pageant tripled the island's population the weekend it ran. Even after the international contest's closing, Splash Day was revived in various forms and continued to attract tourists.[52] Other annual events included an extravagant Mardi Gras celebration in spring.[19][53] The grand Buccaneer Hotel was constructed in 1929 creating an additional hotel landmark to compete with the Galvez (in addition to many other smaller hotel venues).[54]
Much of Galveston's success as a tourist destination was the result of E. Sid Holliday, who became the publicity and convention director of the Galveston Chamber of Commerce in 1925, and later became its head.[50] The chamber helped promote the legitimate face of Galveston's tourism and business community (though it cooperated heavily with the criminal enterprises). Legitimate amusements such as an amusement park that included a Ferris wheel and a roller coaster (the Mountain Speedway), in addition to the beaches and upscale shopping districts (notably the Strand) drew visitors, including those less interested in the city's illegal attractions.[55] One of the most spectacular efforts by the chamber, though not one of the city's greatest successes, was the Pleasure Pier (originally known as the Brantly Harris Recreational Pier). This huge pier (later converted to the Flagship Hotel), built in the 1940s and used by the military until the end of the war, featured restaurants, rides, and an amphitheater.[56]
A significant contributor to the economy through the 1940s was the
Vice businesses
Casinos offering illegal gambling and drinking were the largest tourist draws on the island. Though the Maceos operated the island's biggest casinos, they generally were very tolerant of competing clubs and casinos, provided their owners understood and respected the Maceos' authority.[27] By the 1930s, Seawall Boulevard was filled with lavish casinos; other areas of town also had pockets of gambling. As late as 1950, about 300 businesses, ranging from grocery stores to barber shops, operated slot machines.[2] Bars were even more ubiquitous; according to one report in 1927, 489 drinking establishments were in the city, more than any other city on the Gulf Coast and among the highest concentrations in the nation.[60] The red-light district, centered on Postoffice Street, was kept entirely separate from the nightclubs and other entertainment venues. It was so successful that the island for a time had the highest concentration of prostitutes in the world (one of every 62 residents), working in more than 50 bordellos in addition to other smaller establishments.[27][61][62][60] The financial success of these vice industries attracted mobsters such as New York's Albert Anastasia and Chicago's Al Capone, who tried to enter Galveston's market without success. Capone's enforcer Frank Nitti, in fact, had been a former partner of Galveston Downtown Gang leader Jack Nounes before the Maceo era.[22][25]
Galveston became a major port of entry for illegal liquor from Mexico and Canada,
The major legitimate businesses on the island, such as banking and hotels, were able to thrive in large part because of the illegal activities. Though many of these business leaders steered clear of direct involvement in the business affairs of the Maceos and the gangs, their relationships were hardly antagonistic. Some, such as financier, hotelier, and insurance executive
Galveston wasn't the only place in Texas where you could gamble, but it was the only place you didn't have to know where to look.
—Gary Cartwright, Galveston: A History of the Island
The Free State economy was not confined simply to the island, but extended through much of Galveston County. Throughout the county, substantial casino operations were developed by the Fertitta, Salvato, and Maceo families, including the casino districts in
The vice activities on the island and in the county were not unique in Texas. San Antonio had perhaps the second-most infamous red-light district in the early 20th century and most major cities in the state had significant vice activities at least until midcentury, though most went into decline before Galveston's did. During the open era, Galveston's vice industries dominated, while most other areas of the state were at times forced to crack down on vice due to public pressure.[10]
Culture
Society
The city's permissive attitude was not confined to gangs, politicians, and elite businessmen. The citizenry in general took pride in the traditional Galveston approach to freedom. A notable example of this occurred at a political rally where one candidate openly blasted the "hoodlums" running illegal activities. His opponent then addressed the crowd as "my fellow hoodlums", which helped guarantee his victory in the election.[69] Even decades later in 1993, when Vic C. Maceo, cousin of Sam and Rose, opened fire on a local who he believed owed him money, the incident was viewed by many in the community with nostalgia, recalling the Free State era.[27]
Though other parts of Texas and the United States sometimes tolerated prostitution, gambling, and violations of liquor laws (e.g. Dallas is said to have had 27 casinos and numerous brothels during World War II), these communities usually at least made a pretense of trying to enforce vice laws.[27][70] In Galveston, vice was conducted openly; according to a 1993 Texas Monthly article by author Gary Cartwright, "Galveston's red-light district may have been the only one in the country that thrived with the blessings of both city hall and the Catholic church."[27] So lax were attitudes toward vice that football betting cards were openly sold in the high schools.[2]
High society in the city regularly attracted some of the biggest names in the entertainment business, including Frank Sinatra, Jayne Mansfield, Duke Ellington, and Bob Hope.[2][27][71] The clubs were regularly visited by famous Houstonians such as Howard Hughes, Diamond Jim West, and Glenn McCarthy.[71][72]
Galveston's red-light district may have been the only one in the country that thrived with the blessings of both city hall and the Catholic church.
—Gary Cartwright, Texas Monthly (June 1993)
Galveston's attitudes toward race were at times unique in the region. The strict
Arts
The city had numerous venues for the arts, including the State Theater (today the
Sports
The
The city created the Oleander Bowl football tournament in 1948, which evolved into the Shrimp Bowl and lasted until the late 1950s. Originally a tournament between colleges in the region, it eventually became a contest between local military units. The tournament was never especially successful, only bringing in modest crowds at its peak.[78][34]
Government and law enforcement
Following the 1900 hurricane, Galveston adopted a
Law enforcement at the county level, and to some degree at the state level, became notoriously tolerant of the illegal activities in Galveston, in no small part because of the prosperity they generated, and the bribery and influence peddled by the Maceos.[82] The city police very early on became entirely complicit.[27]
Galveston County Sheriff Frank Biaggne served from 1933 to 1957 and was known for largely disregarding the mainstream illegal activities on the island. When a state committee investigating illegal activities on the island asked the sheriff about his reluctance to raid the Balinese Room, he replied only that it was a "private club" and he was not a "member".
Law enforcement's corrupt attitude generally was not at the expense of the people. Apart from the economic benefits provided by the Maceos, these bosses provided a high degree of protection to the island's citizens.[83] When serious crimes were committed the local police would sometimes contact the Maceos to have the matter dealt with. However, the island was not completely peaceful; threats at the point of a gun were a common means for the Maceo gang to ensure control.[27] Though the average citizen was relatively safe, gangland slayings of potential rivals did take place on occasion.[84]
End of an era
Maceos move on
Income of the Maceo operations*
(1948–1950)[85]Year Real income Today's dollars 1948 $3.24 million $41.1 million 1949 $3.43 million $44 million 1950 $3.84 million $48.6 million * According to the syndicate's records, though
there was testimony of additional hidden profits.[86]
The heyday of the Free State was over by the 1940s. Because of conflicts with the
By the late 1940s, corruption in Texas at the state and county levels was in decline,
Free State ends
During the 1950s, more dangerous criminal elements took advantage of Galveston's lax law enforcement and the absence of the Maceo brothers' influence. Non-vice crime increased in the city. The New Orleans crime syndicate, headed by Carlos Marcello, ran guns to Cuba through the island. Fugitives such as suspected JFK plotter David Ferrie used Galveston as a safe haven.[95]
By the 1950s, gambling and prostitution were being actively repressed in most parts of Texas.[10] In 1953, the police commissioner, Walter L. Johnston, under pressure from local citizens groups concerned about moral decline and high rates of venereal disease, shut down the red-light district. However, the mayoral victory of George Roy Clough, a supporter of regulated vice, led to the district's being re-established in 1955.[96] That year, Galveston was labeled by national anti-prostitution groups as the "worst spot in the nation as far as prostitution is concerned".[10]
Paul Hopkins won the 1956 election for sheriff and set about shutting down the island's illegal activities once and for all.
Aftermath
As the vice industries crashed, so did tourism, and the rest of the Galveston economy declined with it. The economy stagnated during the 1950s, and after 1957, the Free State was effectively gone.
The economy continued in muted form. The three main establishment families on the island, the Moodys, the Sealys, and Kempners, had essentially unrivalled control of the island.[34] The Splash Day celebrations restarted, drawing tourists to the coast.[104] Many hotels, banks, and some insurance companies remained, as did the medical and nursing schools, and the hospitals.[83] Efforts at historical preservation (notably including those of George P. Mitchell) gradually helped to re-establish the island's tourism industry, though in a very different form from the past. Nonbinding referendums were put forward in the 1980s regarding legalization of casinos in the city, but were defeated by the voters each time, demonstrating the changes in the city since the bygone era.[61][80] Informal polls in 2008 and 2010 indicate this sentiment may be changing. Indeed, gambling aboard cruise ships leaving from Galveston is now commonplace.[105][106]
In popular culture
Though this era in Galveston's history has not received a great deal of attention in popular culture (compared, for example, to Al Capone's Chicago), some popular fiction and true crime story-telling have centered on the era. Some notable examples include the novels Under the Skin by James Carlos Blake,[107] Last Dance on the Starlight Pier by Sarah Bird,[108] No Greater Deception: A True Texas Story by Sydney Dotson,[109] Galveston by Suzanne Morris,[110] and Overlords by Matt Braun,[111] as well as the anthology Lone Star Sleuths: An Anthology of Texas Crime Fiction by Bill Davis, et al.[112] Galveston's Balinese Room was also the subject of a 1975 song by rock band ZZ Top.
Galveston, The Musical! opened in 2003 at Galveston's Strand Theatre and in 2011 at the
See also
- American Mafia
- Gambling in the United States
- History of the Galveston Bay Area
- History of vice in Texas
- Other illegal gambling empires of the 1920s–1950s:[114]
Notes
- ^ Gooding (2001), p. 107.
Kearney (2005), p. 230. - ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Burka (1983), pp. 167–8.
- ^ Cartwright (1998), p. 243.
- ^ a b Utley (2007), p. 217.
- ^ Melosi (2007), p. 201.
- ^ a b Melosi (2007), p. 202.
- ^ Baird (2007), p. 208.
- ^ Voss (2009), p. 8.
- ^ Haley (2006), p. 438.
- ^ a b c d e Humphrey, David C.: Prostitution from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved October 30, 2009. Texas State Historical Association
McCombs (1986), p. 151. - ^ a b c "Wide-Open Galveston Mocks Texas Laws". Life. Vol. 39, no. 7. Time Inc. August 1955. p. 26.
- ^ McComb (1986), p. 137.
- ^ Rieder, Robert A.: Electric interurban railways from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved October 13, 2009., Texas State Historical Association.
- ^ Cartwright (1998), p. 193.
- ^ McComb (1986), p. 105.
- ^ a b Hardwick (2002), p. 13.
- ^ Haley (2006), p. 393.
- ^ McComb (1986), p. 151.
- ^ a b "Galveston, Tex. March 2". Stone & Webster Journal. 30. Boston: 254. March 1922.
- ^ Wiesenberg (1997), Ch. 2.
- ^ McComb (1986), p. 157.
- ^ a b c d e f g Cartwright (1998), pp. 209–210.
- ^ Cartwright (1998), pp. 211–212
McComb (1989), p. 135. - ^ Haley (2006), p. 475.
- ^ a b c d e f Nieman, Robert (Fall 2008). "Galveston's Balinese Room" (PDF). The Ranger Dispatch (27): 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 10, 2011.
- ^ a b McComb (1986), p. 161.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Cartwright (1993)
- ^ a b Cartwright (1998), pp. 213–214.
- ^ Cartwright (1998), p. 213.
- ^ Carleton, Don. "Cronkite's Texas (In his own words)". Alcalde. Texas Exes. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved October 30, 2009.
- ^ McComb (1989), p. 135
McComb (1986), p. 161. - ^ Miller (1993), p. 6.
- ^ a b c Sitton (2006), p. 145.
- ^ a b c Burka (1983)
- ^ a b c Cartwright (1998), p. 329.
- ^ Boatman (2014), p. 68
- ^ Boatman (2014), p. 64.
- ^ Kleiner, Diana J.: Mitchell Energy and Development Corporation from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved October 13, 2009., Texas State Historical Association.
- ^ a b c Newton (2009), pp. 40–41.
- ^ McComb (1986), p. 163.
- ^ Boatman (2014), pp. 75-76
- ^ Gooding (2001), p. 107.
- ^ a b "Corporations: Executive Suite". Time. September 6, 1954. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012.
- ^ Sullivan, Sandia; Boydston, Philip: American National Insurance Company from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved November 4, 2009. Texas State Historical Association.
- ^ Cartwright (1998), p. 208.
Obadele-Starks (2000), p. 4. - ^ Kearney (2005), p. 230.
- ^ Cartwright (1998), p. 201.
- ^ Stein (2006), p. 37.
- ^ a b "Miss United States Began In Galveston". The Islander Magazine. 2006. Archived from the original on October 19, 2009. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
- ^ a b c Cherry, Bill (October 25, 2004). "Miss America was once Pageant of Pulchritude". Galveston Daily News. Archived from the original on October 21, 2009.
- ^ Brown, Bridget (May 17, 2009). "Isle bathing beauty tradition reborn". Galveston Daily News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011.
- ^ "50,000 Texans Hail Queen of the Car". Life. May 1931. p. 36.
In Galveston on 'Splash Day' (which annually opens the Gulfside bathing season), 50,000 Texans gathered to honor the newest and most modern of American institutions: the car-hop girl.
- ISBN 0-403-02192-8.
- ^ Wiencek (2010), p. 52.
- ^ a b Cartwright, Gary (October 2002). "Fantasy Island". Texas Monthly. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
The beach was a year-round carnival, with roller coasters and Ferris wheels and countless bathing girl revues.
- ^ Anders, Helen (February 12, 2008). "Galveston piers weather history's tides". Austin American Statesman.
- ^ Cherry, Bill (October 25, 2004). "Miss America was once Pageant of Pulchritude". Galveston County Daily News. Archived from the original on October 21, 2009.
- ^ McComb (1986), pp. 154–155.
- ^ Cartwright (1998), p. 241.
McComb (1986), p. 156. - ^ a b Boatman (Island Empire, 2014), p. 24.
- ^ a b Rice, Harvey (December 22, 2008). "Casinos answer to isle's woes? / City that was 'wide open' in a past era weighs gambling as path to Ike recovery". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2009.
- ^ McComb (1989), p. 136.
- ^ Salvant (1999), p. 26.
- ^ Lee, Lori (Fall 2008). "Galveston: a closer look" (PDF). Texas Planning Review. Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association. pp. 3–7. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 8, 2009.
So in a spirit of independence, so to speak, Galveston became a safe harbor to illegal gambling, prostitution and smuggling. Schooners brought in rum from Cuba, Jamaica, and the Bahamas, supplying customers from Houston to St. Louis. From 1919 to 1933, prohibition led to changes in the city's power structure.
- ^ Boatman (2014), p. 83
- ^ Abbott (2003), p. 24.
- ^ Draper, Robert (May 1997). "Big Fish". Texas Monthly.
- ^ Cartwright (1998), p. 215.
- ^ Burka (1983). "Once, at a large political rally on the Island, an antivice candidate made a speech attacking what he called the gambling hoodlums. His opponent then began his own speech with 'My fellow hoodlums' and won in a landslide."
- ^ Cartwright, Gary (October 1991). "Benny and the Boys". Texas Monthly: 137.
- ^ a b Burnett, John (September 28, 2009). "In Galveston, Texas, Ike Hits Historic Buildings". National Public Radio.
- ^ a b Cartwright (1998), p. 241.
- ^ Farrington (2007)
- ^ Cartwright (1998), p. 199
"History of Mardi Gras in Galveston". The Islander Magazine. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2009. - ^ Cartwright (1998), pp. 220–221.
- ^ Sitton (2006), p. 146.
Carmack (2007), p. 169. - ^ Willett (2013), pp.179-180.
- ^ "Boosterism That Went Bust". Texas Monthly. October 1981. p. 158.
- ^ Rice, Bradley R.: Commission form of city government from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved October 13, 2009. Texas State Historical Association.
- ^ a b McComb, David G.: Galveston, Texas from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved October 13, 2009. Texas State Historical Association.
- ^ Cartwright (1998), p. 217.
- ^ Sitton (2006), pp. 145–146.
- ^ a b c d Burka (1983), p. 216.
- ^ McCombs (1986), p. 163.
- ^ a b McComb (1986), p. 185.
- ^ Cartwright (1998), p. 250.
- ^ IBP (2013), p. 7.
- ^ Utley (2007), p. 218.
- ^ Morgan, Lael (Fall 2007). "The San Antonio Blue Book: Proof of a Secret Era" (PDF). The Compass Rose. XXI (2). University of Texas at Arlington Library: 1–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 4, 2011.
- ^ Boatman (2014), p. 84
- ^ Rothman (2003), p. 16.
- ^ Cartwright (1998), p. 273.
Cartwright, Gary (August 1987). "The Sleaziest Man In Texas". Texas Monthly. 8 (8): 162. - ^ Denton (2002), p. 239.
- ^ Miller (1993), p. 14.
"Milestones, Mar. 29, 1954". Time. March 29, 1954. Archived from the original on November 16, 2010.
"The Final Curtain". The Billboard. Nielsen Business Media: 43. March 27, 1954. - ^ Waldron (2006), p. 313.
- ^ McComb (1986), p. 158.
- ^ a b Sitton (2006), p. 146.
- ^ "The Balinese Room: Farewell to an Icon". Humanities Texas. 2007. Archived from the original on December 5, 2009.
With this evidence, Wilson, brandishing injunctions, swooped onto the island in June 1957 and closed forty-seven clubs, bingo parlors, and brothels as public nuisances. ... They found some two thousand slot machines, illegal since 1951, that they smashed and dumped into Galveston Bay.
- ^ Thompson, Carter (May 9, 2004). "Gambling advocates not cashing out". Galveston County Daily News. Archived from the original on March 16, 2005.
- ^ McComb (1986), p. 154.
- ^ Darst, Maury: Fort Crockett from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 18, 2010. Texas State Historical Association.
- ^ Communications, Emmis (October 1981). "Failure: Boosterism That Went Bust". Texas Monthly: 158.
- ^ Miller (1993), p. 148.
- ^ Davis, Peter (May 2, 2008). "Beaches bring out island's diversity". Galveston Daily News. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011.
- ^ Taylor, Heber (December 3, 2008). "Wanna bet? Readers vote for gambling". Galveston County Daily News. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012.
- ^ Connelly, Richard (September 1, 2010). "Galveston Begins Latest Push For Casinos With Poll". Houston Press.
- ISBN 978-0-06-054243-6.
- ISBN 9781250265548.
- ISBN 978-1-4140-0977-3.
- ISBN 978-0-553-10606-0.
- ISBN 978-0-312-98172-3.
- ISBN 978-0-292-71737-4.
- ^ Gillogly-Torres, Carla (June 29, 2003). "'Galveston, The Musical' to open July 11". Galveston County Daily News. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011.
- ^
Dombrink, John; Thompson, William Norman (1990). The last resort: success and failure in campaigns for casinos. University of Nevada Press. p. 178. ISBN 978-0-87417-140-2.
- ^ Beall, Joel M. (April 27, 2015). "Before Las Vegas, there was Newport". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
References
- Abbott, Mary Lu (2003). Romantic Weekends Texas. Edison, NJ: Hunter Publishing. ISBN 1-55650-834-4.
- Baird, David; Peterson, Eric; Schlecht, Neil E. (2007). Frommer's Texas. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. ISBN 978-0-470-08298-0.
- Boatman, T. Nicole; Belshaw, Scott H.; McCaslin, Richard B. (2014). Galveston's Maceo Family Empire: Bootlegging & the Balinese Room. The History Press. ISBN 9781626197534.
- Boatman, Tabitha Nicole (2014). Island Empire: The Influence of the Maceo Family in Galveston (PDF). University of North Texas.
- Burka, Paul (December 1983). "Grande Dame of the Gulf". ISSN 0148-7736.
- Carmack, Liz (2007). Historic Hotels of Texas: A Traveler's Guide. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press. ISBN 978-1-58544-608-7.
- Cartwright, Gary (June 1993). "One Last Shot". Texas Monthly. Austin, TX.
- Cartwright, Gary (1998). Galveston: A History of the Island. Issue 18 of Chisholm Trail. New York: Macmillan/ISBN 978-0-87565-190-3.
- Denton, Sally; Morris, Roger (2002). The Money and the Power: The Making of Las Vegas and Its Hold on America. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 9780375414442.
- Farrington, Clifford (2007). Biracial Unions on Galveston's Waterfront, 1865–1925. Austin, Texas: Texas State Historical Association. ISBN 978-0-87611-217-5.
- Gooding, Ed; Nieman, Robert (2001). Ed Gooding: Soldier, Texas Ranger. Longview, TX: Ranger Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9673319-1-1.
- Haley, James L. (2006). Passionate nation: the epic history of Texas. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-86291-0.
- Hardwick, Susan Wiley (2002). ISBN 0-8018-6887-4. - Read online, registration required
- US Anti Gaming Laws and Regulations Handbook: Federal Anti Gaming Laws, Gaming Laws of Selected States - Alabama-Montana. Vol. 1. International Business Publications, Inc. 2013. pp. 6–7. ISBN 9781577515524.
- Kearney, Syd (2005). A Marmac Guide to Houston and Galveston (5th ed.). Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing. ISBN 978-1-58980-322-0.
- McComb, David G. (1986). Galveston: a history. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-72053-4.
- McComb, David G. (1989). Texas, a modern history. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-74665-7.
- ISBN 978-0-8229-4335-8.
- Miller, Ray (1993). Ray Miller's Galveston. Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing. ISBN 0-89123-032-7.
- Newton, Michael (2009). Mr. Mob: The Life and Crimes of Moe Dalitz. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3516-6.
- Obadele-Starks, Ernest (2000). Black unionism in the industrial South. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press. ISBN 978-0-89096-912-0.
- Rothman, Hal (2003). Neon metropolis: how Las Vegas started the twenty-first century. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-92612-2.
- Salvant, Joan Usner; McComb, David G. (1999). The historic seacoast of Texas. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-77741-5.
- Sitton, Thad (2006). The Texas Sheriff: Lord of the County Line. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-3471-0.
- Stein, Elissa (2006). Beauty Queen: Here She Comes ... San Francisco: Chronicle Books. ISBN 0-8118-4864-7.
- Utley, Robert Marshall (2007). Lone Star Lawmen. New York: Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-515444-3.
- Waldron, Lamar; Hartmann, Thom (2006). Ultimate sacrifice: John and Robert Kennedy, the plan for a coup in Cuba. New York: Basic Books. ISBN 978-0-7867-1441-4.
- Voss, Kurt D. (2009). Galveston's the Elissa: The Tall Ship of Texas. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0738578552.
- Wiencek, Henry (2010). The Moodys of Galveston and Their Mansion. Texas A&M University Press. ISBN 978-1-60344-182-7.
- Wiesenberg, Michael (March 1997). "History of Gambling in the United States". Gambling in California. Sacramento, CA: California State Library. ISBN 0-89746-027-8.
- Willett, Donald (2013). Galveston Chronicles: The Queen City of the Gulf. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781626191822.
External links
- Visit Galveston's Historic Balinese Room
- The Balinese Room, Galveston, Texas (Texas Explorer)
- The Grand 1894 Opera House
29°16′52″N 94°49′33″W / 29.28111°N 94.82583°W