Boston Article About Galveston Rebuilding After Hurricane Ike

[editor]

The Boston Globe published an article over the weekend about Galveston, and its rebuilding after Ike.

http://www.boston.com/travel/getaways/us/articles/2011/06/05/after_ike_a_deluge_of_reinvention/

The third-costliest storm in American history caused $3.2 billion in damage to Galveston alone, as storm surge up to 15 feet inundated 75 percent of the city. While it spared most of the historic district from destruction, Ike left a macabre calling card, discovered several months after 4 1/2 feet of water receded from Leibbert’s house. A cocktail of seawater, oil, and chemicals killed her tree and nearly 40,000 others throughout the 32-mile-long barrier island.

While waiting for contractors to cut down the decay — mostly century-old oaks — Leibbert campaigned to transform stumps into chain-saw art. City leaders were skeptical. So she enlisted Houston artist James Phillips, who, for free, carved a Dalmatian and fire hydrant at City Hall near the central fire station.