Strand Historic District
The Strand Historic District | |
.jpg) The Strand | |
  The Strand Historic District  The Strand Historic District | |
| Location | Roughly bounded by Ave. A, 20th St., alley between Aves. C and D, and railroad depot, Galveston, Texas |
|---|---|
| Area | 45 acres (18 ha) |
| Built | 1850 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Late Victorian, Beaux-Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000748[1] |
| Significant dates | |
| Designated NHLD | May 11, 1976 |
| Designated HD | January 26, 1970 |
The Strand Historic District, also known as the Strand District, in downtown Galveston, Texas (USA), is a National Historic Landmark District of mainly Victorian era buildings that now house restaurants, antique stores, and curio shops. The area is a major tourist attraction for the island city and also plays host to two very popular seasonal festivals. It is widely considered the island's shopping and entertainment center. The district includes properties along the south side of Harborside Drive (Avenue A) and both sides of The Strand (Avenue B) and Mechanic Street (Avenue C) from 20th Street westward to 26th Street.
The street labeled "The Strand" is actually named Avenue B, which runs parallel to Galveston Bay.[2]
The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976 for its unparalleled collection of commercial Victorian architecture in Texas, and its role as the state's major port in the 19th century.[3][4]
Today "the Strand" is generally used to refer to the entire five-block business district between 20th and 25th streets in downtown Galveston, very close to the city's wharf.
History
The original
, the word means "beach".)
The Strand's very earliest buildings were typically wooden and vulnerable to fires and storms that hit the island frequently throughout the 19th century. Eventually those structures were replaced with iron-fronted brick buildings. The two oldest buildings still standing on the Strand date to 1855 and 1858; other historic buildings date back typically to the 1870s and 1880s.
Throughout the 19th century, the port city of Galveston boomed; and the Strand, which is very close to the harbor, grew into the region's main business center. For a time, it was known as the "Wall Street of the South."[6]
Because of the
Because of the Strand's close proximity to Galveston's harbor, the area suffered some damage during several battles during the Civil War, particularly when Union forces barricaded the city. During the
The
That restoration effort sparked a revitalization project that is still ongoing. In 1973 the Galveston Historical Foundation followed suit, creating a trust fund for dramatic restorations of the Strand district that has sparked significant private investment as well.
Present day
Today, the Strand features shops, historical exhibits, museums, art galleries and many restaurants and night clubs. It is also the location of a very popular annual Mardi Gras celebration, as well as a Christmas festival known as Dickens on the Strand, which celebrates the city's Victorian heritage with participants roaming the Strand in period dress.[7]
Attractions within the area include The Galveston County Museum, the
The historic district also contains a variety of retailers, including clothing, factory outlets, souvenir shops, art galleries, antique galleries.
On the outer edges of the Strand is the Post Office district, known for its antique galleries, art galleries, the Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe, and the Grand 1894 Opera House.[9] Closer to the water is Pier 21, which has daily showings of the movies The Great Storm of 1900 and The Pirate Island of Jean Lafitte, the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum, and the Texas Seaport Museum with tall ship Elissa.
The Strand sustained significant and catastrophic damage from the storm surge of Hurricane Ike on September 13, 2008, prompting the National Trust for Historic Preservation to add the district to the 2009 list of America's Most Endangered Places.[10]
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Texas
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Galveston County, Texas
- Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Galveston County
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- ^ a b Hartman, Betty. "The Strand". Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved January 8, 2007.
- ^ "Strand Historic District". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved September 7, 2009.
- ^ Carolyn Pitts (February 11, 1976). National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: The Strand Historic District (pdf). National Park Service. and Accompanying 11 photos from 1969 (32 KB)
- ^ "Texas State Historical Society- SHAW, MICHAEL W." Retrieved December 30, 2011.
- ^ "GULF COAST REGION: GALVESTON TEXAS".
- ^ "Dickens on the Strand". Retrieved November 3, 2006.
- ISBN 9780738566849.
- ^ Chris Gray (July 31, 2020). "'It's pretty bleak right now': Galveston's historic Old Quarter venue on verge of becoming history". Houston Chronicle: Preview.
- ^ Deb Krajnak. "11 sites make new list of 'endangered historic places'" CNN. Retrieved Apr. 28, 2009.
Further reading
- Howard Barnstone, The Galveston That Was (New York: Macmillan, 1966).
- Virginia Eisenhour, The Strand of Galveston (Galveston, 1974).
- Charles Waldo Hayes, Galveston: History of the Island and the City (2 vols., Austin: Jenkins Garrett, 1974).
- David G. McComb, Galveston: A History (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1986).
External links
- The Strand's web site WaybackMachine
- Dickens on the Strand
- Texas Seaport Museum, with information on the tall ship Elissa
- Handbook of Texas Online entry for the Strand
