Galveston Motels Circa Mid 1970s

[k5jri radio]

During my first trip to Galveston TX (circa July 1975), my then girlfriend and I stayed for 6 days at a motel located within walking distance of Stewart Beach Park, but I didn't recall its name. Thanks to recent information from another member, I am reasonably certain it was the Islander Beach Motel. Most of the motel's rooms (including the one we stayed in) were in a building elevated on concrete piers above the parking area. There were also three or four "cabana" rooms located in an adjacent building (or buildings) at ground level. The restaurant building was vacant. As this motel was not part of a chain with a toll-free reservation number, I had to contact the motel directly to reserve a room. Other than give my name, address, and home phone number, I don't remember anything else that was needed to reserve the room. Presumably the motel would have billed me had we been a "no-show".

The following year (mid-August 1976), I telephoned the Holiday Inn toll-free reservation number, but was told "Galveston is not available." With the likelihood of most, possibly all of the Galveston motels not having vacancies during peak season, it seemed interesting to try a day trip. As documented in another posting, my day trip to Galveston worked out very well.

The following month (mid-September 1976), my call to the Holiday Inn toll-free reservation number was successful. Because this was off-season, there was no problem getting a motel reservation in Galveston. After checking in and getting unpacked, my main activity that evening was taking a road trip to the western end of Galveston Island. Once out of the tourist area, it was mostly beachfront residential areas until the vicinity of San Luis Pass. Because the bridge across San Luis Pass required a toll payment, I opted to turn around and head back to the motel instead of crossing the bridge. According to my car's odometer, the trip was about 27 miles each way (54 miles round trip). The Holiday Inn I stayed at was probably the one located (at that time) near the Port Holiday Mall.

After checking out of the motel the next morning, I spent most of the day at or near Stewart Beach Park, followed by an hour or so at the Galvez Mall. After topping off my car's tank at either the Hudson Oil gas station or another station in the same area, I headed home to my apartment in Shreveport, LA.

Addendum: According to online maps, the road distance from Fort San Jacinto Lookout Point to San Luis Pass is 28.8 miles.

 

          

 

Edited September 11, 2022 by k5jri radio
more complete information

[plumber2]

That hotel that you stayed at on your first trip to Galveston in 1975 was probably the former Jack Tar Hotel. It was known as the Islander Beach by then and for several years before it closed. When new it was once the swankiest place on the Gulf Coast, built by William Moody III as a protest of sorts to his family, which owned the Buccaneer, and Jean Lafitte hotels. His father and his brother's widow were at odds with him back then. His sister in-law then built the Sea Horse motel down the street on the seawall, to compete with him. The Sea Horse was a huge two story semi circular affair with Gulf facing rooms, that attracted guests from all over and competed directly with the Jack Tar. Galveston benefited greatly from this family feud back in those days. Both places started to wane in popularity however, and then the Moody's sold off most of their hotel properties in the 1960's and later on, but still hang on to a few noteworthy examples like the Menger Hotel in San Antonio, and the Driscoll in Austin.

[k5jri radio]

Based on information posted by plumber2 on April 23, the hotel I stayed at during my first trip to Galveston in 1975 was probably the former Jack Tar Hotel, then known as the Islander Beach (Hotel). I remember its appearance (at the time I stayed there) being that of a once high quality hotel/motel that had seen better days. After all this time, I finally have a probable name for the hotel/motel I stayed at during my first trip to Galveston in 1975. Although I did not stay at what I now know to be the Islander Beach during subsequent trips to Galveston, it appeared to be still in business at least through the late 1970s tourist seasons. 

I never stayed there, but remember passing by several times a hotel building resembling the description of the Sea Horse motel. The most prominent Moody property I remember seeing was not a hotel, but an office building, One Moody Plaza, at that time, the tallest building in Galveston. Had I known the building had (at that time) an observation deck on the 20th floor, open to the public, it's likely I would have visited it on at least one of my trips. Due to liability and security concerns, the observation deck has been closed to the public since the 1990s.   

According to his obituary information, William Moody III (1894-1992), who built the Jack Tar Hotel, is interred in San Antonio TX.

Edited September 11, 2022 by k5jri radio
more complete information