The Strand Historic District | |
 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 (1850) |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, LateVictorian,Beaux-Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000748[1] |
| Significant dates | |
| Designated NHLD | May 11, 1976 |
| Designated HD | January 26, 1970 |
TheStrand Historic District, also known as theStrand District, in downtownGalveston, Texas (USA), is aNational Historic Landmark District of mainlyVictorian era buildings that now house restaurants, antique stores, and curio shops. The area is a majortourist attraction for the island city and also plays host to two very popular seasonalfestivals. 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 toGalveston Bay.[2]
The district was listed on theNational 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'swharf.
The originalplat of Galveston, drawn in the late 1830s, includes Avenue B. The name 'strand' for Ave. B was coined by a German immigrant named Michael William Shaw who opened a jewelry store on the corner of 23rd and Ave. B. Shaw, not liking the name "Ave. B", changed the name of the street on his stationery to "Strand", thinking that the name (named after a street in London) would have higher-class connotations for his jewelry store. He later convinced other owners on the street to change the names they used for the street as well, and the name stuck.[5] (The wordstrand comes from theOld English word for "shore" or "river bank"; inGerman,Swedish andDutch, 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 thePort of Galveston's enormous vessel traffic (between 700 and 1,400 vessels annually), the Strand became a popular place for major businesses to locate, including the state's five largest banks at the time, wholesalers, commission merchants, cotton brokers, attorneys and slave auctioneers. In 1881, businesses in the Strand district sold aboutUS$38 million worth of merchandise and services. Between 1838 and 1842, 18 newspapers were started; TheGalveston News, founded in 1842, is the lone survivor.
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 theBattle of Galveston,Confederate forces fought from every corner of the area; several buildings suffered damage from shots and shelling. The battles forced many businesses to close and move to nearbyHouston until the war's end. But most moved back into their regular quarters and enjoyed prosperity until the turn of the next century.
TheGalveston hurricane of 1900 was devastating to much of the city, and the Strand district was no exception. Many of its buildings suffered catastrophic damage — some buildings lost entire floors, others lost elaborate cornices and flourishes. Many businesses elected to move away from the wharf and, by extension, away from the Strand. The area became awarehouse district, and was not revived until the 1960s when theJunior League ofGalveston County restored two buildings.[2]
That restoration effort sparked a revitalization project that is still ongoing. In 1973 theGalveston Historical Foundation followed suit, creating a trust fund for dramatic restorations of the Strand district that has sparked significant private investment as well.
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 annualMardi Gras celebration, as well as aChristmas festival known asDickens 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, theGalveston Railroad Museum,Victorian architecture, horse-drawncarriage rides, historical markers, anold fashioned trolley for transportation, and a giantchess set in Saengerfest Park, a small squarepark located on the corner of Tremont St (23rd St) and Strand St (Avenue B). It was created in the early 1990s by George and Cynthia Mitchell.[8]
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, theOld Quarter Acoustic Cafe, and theGrand 1894 Opera House.[9] Closer to the water is Pier 21, which has daily showings of the moviesThe Great Storm of 1900 andThe Pirate Island of Jean Lafitte, theOcean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum, and the Texas Seaport Museum with tall shipElissa.
The Strand sustained significant and catastrophic damage from the storm surge ofHurricane Ike on September 13, 2008, prompting theNational Trust for Historic Preservation to add the district to the 2009 list ofAmerica's Most Endangered Places.[10]
