k5jri radio

Several members have identified the significantly higher costs of residential construction, maintenance, and insurance in areas of Galveston Island beyond the western end for the seawall.

The original 3.3 mile segment of the seawall cost almost $1.6 million in 1904 dollars. Given the inflation rate ($1 in 1904 is equivalent to $35.35 in 2024) adding another 3.3 mile segment would cost roughly $56.5 million. This does not include the cost of compensation to property owners displaced by eminent domain, or the construction of the sidewalk, road, and parking areas adjacent to the extended seawall.

The City of Galveston population peaked in 1960 at 67,175. Its current population (estimated 2022) is 53,089. This decline of approximately 14,000 has been attributed to various causal factors including, but not limited to, the shift in housing construction/utilization from structures intended to be primary residences to structures intended to be vacation rentals.  

Houston's average elevation of 50 feet is high enough to resist tropical storm surges (wind driven surface water augmented in height by low barometric pressure), but it's very flat topography causes rainwater during storms to accumulate faster than it can drain off.

The recently opened Gordon's Food Service store is a welcome upgrade of what was a long-time blighted area into a modern wholesale grocery which not only serves restaurant and institutional customers, but unlike typical wholesale grocers, is also open to retail customers.

Galveston Primetime movie theater (11 screens) is another welcome upgrade of what was a somewhat run-down theater (particularly the seating which had seen better days).

Although Gordon's Food Service and Galveston Primetime are upgraded existing locations, Island Bowling is located in a new location, on Seawall Boulevard near the movie theater. The original (before Hurricane Ike) bowling alley building is currently abandoned and derelict. 

Avoiding destruction of vegetation on Broadway/Avenue J also required the trolley tracks to be installed on the inner lanes of the paved road surfaces adjacent to the median strip. Because the top surface of the track is roughly the same height as the paved road surfaces, ordinary rubber tired cars and trucks can pass over the trolley tracks without damage. The inside track surfaces have a narrow gap between the track and the pavement to allow the trolley wheel flanges to seat properly, yet allow safe passage for rubber tired cars, buses, and trucks over the trolley tracks. 

The original Galveston trolley system was powered by overhead electric wires. The trolley "trolled" for power by means of trolley poles that made sliding contact with the overhead electric wires (approximately 600 volts DC potential) and completed the circuit through the metal wheels contacting the metal track (0 volts DC potential). When this trolley system was discontinued in 1938, the overhead wires and their supporting structures were removed. When a new trolley system was in its planning stages (circa 1980s) it was decided that because reinstalling overhead trolley wires and their supporting structures would require the destruction of most of the trees and vegetation now present along the median strip of Broadway/Avenue J., a self-contained electric power system was required. Each of the 4 trolley cars now in service has it own, self-contained power source (diesel engine driving an electric generator).

As stated in a recent issue of the Galveston Daily News, only the three trolleys that were in working condition when Hurricane Ike made landfall on Galveston Island were eligible for federal disaster relief funding. The fourth trolley, not being in working condition when Hurricane Ike made landfall, was not eligible for federal disaster relief funding. Fortunately, other sources of funding became available to repair and restore the fourth trolley. As of the date of this posting, all four trolleys are currently in working condition.

addendum to USS Battleship posting:

Gulf Shores, Alabama is the nearest (approx 51 miles) full service beach resort to the USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile AL.

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina is the nearest (approx 13 miles) full service beach resort to the USS NORTH CAROLINA 1 Battleship Row, Wilmington NC.  

USS TEXAS Battleship: If all the financial details can be worked out, the USS TEXAS (BB-35) will likely have a new home in Galveston Harbor. Unlike the USS ALABAMA (BB-60) and the USS NORTH CAROLINA (BB-55) which are steam turbine powered, the USS TEXAS (BB-35) is powered by triple-expansion steam reciprocating engines.

The USS ALABAMA is on display at USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile AL and the USS NORTH CAROLINA is on display at 1 Battleship Road, Wilmington, NC.

If my information is correct, the primary residence (first or primary home location) is where the homeowner is eligible for homeowner's exemption of a portion of the assessed property tax, and eligible to vote. The second or secondary residence (second or secondary home location) is where the same homeowner is not eligible for homeowner's exemption of a portion of the assessed property tax, and not eligible to vote.

A message, posted in 2004, speculates on the possibility of the City of Galveston, TX reaching a year-round population of 100,000 within 20 years (the year 2024). The year-round population of the City of Galveston peaked at approximately 60,000, but later declined to approximately 50,000.

However, Galveston County, TX as a whole has had steady population growth in the areas adjacent to Houston. TX. As a result, League City and other Galveston County cities near or adjacent to metro Houston (Harris County) are examples of that steady population growth. League City is currently the most populous city in Galveston County. As of 2024, Galveston County has a total population of more than 360,000.  

When walking along the beach area of Galveston, the various rock jetties (aka groins) are readily visible. Their purpose seemed to be the mitigation of the effects of beach erosion. According to a recent article in Galveston Monthly, my conjecture was correct. The rock jetties slow down the wave action, causing the incoming and outgoing waves to lose velocity. Slower incoming wave velocity inhibits the water's ability to carry the sand, causing the sand to drop off at a greater rate. Slower outgoing wave velocity likewise inhibits the water's ability to pick up stationary sand. The net effects of the reduced incoming and outgoing wave velocity results in a lower net rate of beach erosion.   

A new and/or well-maintained building creates an impression in my mind (and likely those of other potential customers) that the helicopters and ancillary equipment are operated properly by highly qualified pilots and similarly maintained by high quality, A&P (air frame & power plant) certified mechanics. 

As other HAIF members have stated, The Port Holiday Mall was next to a Holiday Inn Motel. Both were about a mile inland from Stewart Beach. During my visits to this Holiday Inn Motel location, the motel was reasonably priced, clean, quiet, and well-maintained.         

As previously stated, the South Park Mall in Shreveport, LA benefited from its proximity to the Western Electric and General Motors manufacturing facilities. When these facilities closed, most of their former employees had to move elsewhere to find employment.

"The Life and Death of the American Mall" by Matthew Christopher (January 10, 2024) offers insights about the demise of enclosed shopping malls: "The loss of larger anchor stores (and the inability to replace them with comparable stores) created "dead ends, darkened store fronts, and vacant corridors created eerie, lifeless pockets-- and a death spiral. Fewer tenants, fewer shoppers, decreased income, more unkempt areas. Where an outdoor strip mall could simply tear down an under performing area and build something else, (enclosed) malls were static islands surrounded by seas of asphalt.When online shopping grew, it stabbed a victim that was already bleeding out. In the 1980s, there were roughly 2500 malls in the United States. Today, there are approximately 700--a number most analysts expect to continue to decline."    

As an aside, actress Valerie Bertinelli (Barbara on One Day At A Time sitcom, 1975-1984) met her future husband, rock musician Eddie Van Halen, while visiting her family in Shreveport, Louisiana. At the time, Bertinelli's father was an executive at the aforementioned General Motors assembly plant in Shreveport. Bertinelli and Van Halen were married from 1981 to 2007 and had one son, Wolfgang Van Halen.

After The Treaty of Ghent was ratified by Congress and signed by President James Madison, the ratified and signed treaty documents were presented to the British Ambassador on February 17, 1815.

The Battle of New Orleans (circa 1815), was the final battle of the War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom (aka the British Empire). Although the United Kingdom Parliament had signed the Treaty of Ghent, the treaty would not take effect until the United States Congress ratified the treaty. One clause in the treaty stated that the border between the respective United States and United Kingdom territory in North America would be based on areas controlled by the each country as of the date of ratification by Congress. This delay provided a "window of opportunity" for the naval and ground forces of the United Kingdom to attack and gain military control of not only New Orleans, but access to the Gulf of Mexico. General Andrew Jackson, who led the United State land forces, was assisted by Jean Lafitte, a privateer who led a group of armed ships and boats. The British attacked but their naval and ground forces were unable to gain military control. As a result, the war ended with New Orleans still under military control when the Treaty of Ghent was ratified by the United States Congress. Jean Lafitte later (circa 1817) relocated his operations to Galveston Island and adjacent areas in coastal Texas. According to online sources, many details of Lafitte's life and deeds tend to be "obscure and contradictory".

In 1959, "The Battle of New Orleans", by Johnny Horton, was released and became a major "top-40" hit record. As would be expected, it received frequent play on the New Orleans area "Top-40" radio stations, including WNOE (1060 kHz), at that time, the top-rated (in terms of audience) radio station. According to "urban legend" one of WNOE's disk jockeys had an apparent mental breakdown and began playing "The Battle of New Orleans" over and over and claimed to have a bomb he would set off is anyone tried to interfere. Stories vary regarding whether or not this incident actually happened, particularly regarding the alleged explosive device brought into the radio station.

Sadly, Johnny Horton was killed in a traffic accident (November 5, 1960) while traveling from Austin TX to Shreveport LA. He was only 35 years of age.  

Looks like the new bowling alley adjacent to the movie theater complex at 8902 Seawall Blvd is about 4 miles WSW from the now derelict building at 3424 Seawall Blvd. that once housed the Island Bowl prior to Hurricane Ike. From the intersection of 61st St. and Seawall Blvd. (6100 Seawall Blvd.), its about 2.1 miles WSW.  

Just finished watching the HOU Explorer video showing sights and sounds one would experience during a ride on the restored Galveston Trolleys. Great video!   

Per additional research regarding Galveston, trolley service:

On November 10, 2017, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Federal Transit Authority (FTA) approved a contract to fund repairs for three trolley cars at a cost of $3.8 million. Gomaco Trolley Company was the prime contractor for the repairs.

 Galveston's trolley line reopened for passenger service on October 1, 2021, approximately 13 years after Hurricane Ike made landfall on Galveston Island (September 12, 2008). Per online sources, there are four operational trolley cars currently in service on Galveston Island's trolley system.  

If the "steel wheel trolleys" were back in service ("and look great!") on Galveston Island on or before August 14, 2023, the time between when they were damaged and subsequently restored to original mechanical and cosmetic condition was somewhat less than 15 years. Glad to know the "steel wheel trolleys" are back in revenue service.

According to online sources, the cost for mechanical and cosmetic restoration of a "steel wheel trolley" is approximately $200,000 to $250,000 per vehicle. State and/or federal funding may have been available to defray at least some of the costs to restore and transport the "steel wheel trolleys to and from the restoration facility. As stated previously, the trolleys operating in Galveston are driven by electric motors geared to the axles; power for the electric motors is supplied by an onboard diesel engine driving an electrical generator. This setup is, albeit on a smaller scale, similar to that of diesel-electric railway locomotives.          

The official ending of the Mardi Gras holiday is midnight on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent which, in turn, lasts until Easter Sunday.

The French Quarter is a small area (approximately 0.6 sq. miles) located between downtown New Orleans and the Mississippi River. 

Once the city of New Orleans declares Mardi Gras and other holiday events to be officially ended, their police order the people to clear the streets and sidewalks, then their fire department hoses down the streets and sidewalk to clear the litter and related filth that accumulate on Bourbon and other streets in the French Quarter.

Several other members posted more graphic terms to describe the contents of the litter and related filth.