Double L Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 I've been exploring the geography of Texas on Google maps and have become intrigued by Texas City. It was on the gulf coast and could have served as an effective port. It also was built with an effective grid system that fronted the water. I think that would have made for a very nice big city. We could have had a big city shaped like Chicago right on the gulf coast. Unfortunately, instead of growing as a city based on commerce it has grown into a city based on industry.Here is a link to the Google maps for Texas Cityhttp://maps.google.com/maps?q=texas+city&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Texas+City,+TX&gl=us&ei=jlNYTbSnCtH0gAeLg_maDQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCcQ8gEwAAWhat do you think, could it have been a nice big city and why did it never become a big city? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Galveston could've been the largest city in SE Texas. 1900 storm (and other hurricanes) changed that. I can't ever picture Texas City as the largest city in SE Texas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Well, an NFL team named the Stingarees would be a damned sight better than what Houston ended up with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Houston and Harrisburg had occupied the furthest consistently-navigable upstream position from since a time when flatwater rivers were the superhighways of commerce. Ancestors such as mine--farmers and proprietors of a general store in present-day Grimes County--would travel by wagon to Houston to sell their crops and to purchase supplies for the general store. Their crops and store merchandise would almost always require another trip by shallow-draft vessels to or from Galveston, which served as another transshipment point, but they would conduct their business in Houston.By the time that railroads came to Texas, Houston was already a thriving market; the railroads were situated to bring the goods to that market. That's how "fifteen railroads met the sea." Texas City, in contrast, was developed and positioned as a cost-effective deepwater alternative to Galveston...but even then, only just prior to the completion of the Houston Ship Channel. Texas City also was at a disadvantage where elevation was concerned. It was hit hard by numerous hurricanes and its system of levies wasn't even completed until sometime during the 1980's. If Galveston businesses were fleeing to Houston because they didn't want to deal with Hurricanes (even though Galveston was building a seawall), then Texas City certainly wasn't going to be worthy of consideration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Galveston could've been the largest city in SE Texas. 1900 storm (and other hurricanes) changed that. I can't ever picture Texas City as the largest city in SE Texas.I suspect that even if the hurricanes hadn't been a problem, a Galveston-anchored metropolitan area would've looked a lot more like Dallas-Fort Worth, but with much more prominent mid-cities. Galveston just lacks the square miles to be a population juggernaut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double L Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful posts Niche! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I imagine the considerable number of major industrial disasters have helped to keep Texas City's growth in check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I suspect that even if the hurricanes hadn't been a problem, a Galveston-anchored metropolitan area would've looked a lot more like Dallas-Fort Worth, but with much more prominent mid-cities. Galveston just lacks the square miles to be a population juggernaut.Would it have been possible for Galveston to annex land on the mainland? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Would it have been possible for Galveston to annex land on the mainland?I think so. But then it'd have to provide services to the mainland. Why would it want to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I think in Final Fantasy or Judge Dredd the Houston metro is labeled/called Texas City. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I could see a twin city scenario with Galveston/Texas City. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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