Discover the haunting history of this town on the Texas coast—includes photos. One of the oldest cities in Texas, Galveston has witnessed more than its share of tragedies. Devastating hurricanes, yellow fever epidemics, fires, a major Civil War battle, and more cast a dark shroud on the city’s legacy. Ghostly tales creep throughout the history of famous tourist attractions and historical homes. The altruistic spirit of a schoolteacher who heroically pulled victims from the floodwaters during the great hurricane of 1900 roams the Strand. The ghosts of Civil War soldiers march up and down the stairs at night and pace in front of the antebellum Rogers Building. The spirit of an unlucky man decapitated by an oncoming train haunts the railroad museum, moving objects and crying in the night. In this fascinating book, Kathleen Shanahan Maca explores these and other haunted tales from the Oleander City.

In 1900, the city of Galveston was flourishing. With saloons, mansions, and even an opera house, the Texan island was known as "The Queen City of the Gulf"... until heavy rains flooded the streets, putting the entire town under waster and killing a third of the inhabitants. When the tragedy was over, the island was eventually rebuilt...but many of the dead were not ready to leave the place they called 'home'. Locals, as well as visitors, still speak about the unearthly situations they've personally experienced, especially at the Walmart that replaced the St.Mary's Orphan Asylum. "Galveston Ghost Tales" is a compendium of the eeriest stories from the this haunted city. A photo of a little girl wasn't there. The spirit of a nun that roams the aisles. The sound of a child crying. With firsthand accounts from those who have seen these things and more themselves, this book will fill your mind with shadowy figures. Whether you already believe in ghost or are still a skeptic, "Galveston Ghost Tales" will haunt your dreams all night long. Grab a flashlight, snuggle under the sheets, and turn the pages! But take care, chances are... you won't be sleeping tonight.

A local historian recounts nearly seventy years of seduction and scandal along the Texas Gulf Coast in this lively chronicle of Galveston’s notorious past. Known today as a colorful resort destination featuring family entertainment and a thriving arts district, Galveston, Texas, was once notorious for its flourishing vice economy and infamous red-light district. Called simply “The Line,” the unassuming five blocks of Postoffice Street came alive every night with wild parties and generous offerings of love for sale. Beginning in the late nineteenth century, The Line was a stubborn mainstay of the island cityscape until it was finally shut down in the 1950s. But ridding Galveston of prostitution would prove much more difficult than putting a padlock on the front door. In Galveston’s Red Light District, Texas historian Kimber Fountain pursues the sequestered story of women who wanted to make their own rules and the city that wanted to let them.

"Adapted from Ghosts of Galveston by Kathleen Shanahan Maca."

Old Town Spring's historic streets may set the scene for a quaint shopping village, but they also serve as byways for one of the most haunted towns in Texas. A perfectionist past the end, Uncle Charlie still fusses around the historic Wunsche Brothers Café, the oldest commercial structure in the area. The spirit of a girl who died in a barn still plays with her group of friends in Doering Court, while a headless switchman runs after phantom trains trying to prevent a collision. Her path lit by unknown lights in the sky, author Cathy Nance leads the way through Old Town Spring's spookiest sites.

For more than a hundred years, Galveston has lured visitors with the therapeutic effects of her warm Gulf waters. Today, Galveston is much more than just a beach, and with so many appealing year-round attractions, it's hard to know where to begin your adventure. With 100 Things to Do in Galveston Before You Die as your guide, you won't miss any of the history, art, festivals, and dining that bring visitors in droves and keep locals happy. Step inside Bishop's Palace, considered one of the best examples of Victorian architecture in the United States. Visit Katie's Seafood for a fresh Gulf catch or Gaido's Seafood Restaurant, but make sure to save room for its amazing Pecan Crunch Pie. Nurture your love for history and the arts by catching a show at The Grand 1894 Opera House. Take the kids to Moody Gardens to meet a penguin. And no visit to Galveston would be complete without getting some sand between your toes at Texas' most popular beach. Local co-authors Christine Ruiz Hopkins and Heidi Lutz bring their expert insiders' perspectives to this jam-packed guide full of hidden gems and top picks. You'll get the most from an island stay in Galveston by checking their carefully curated suggestions off your list.

In 1900, just a few months after the deadly hurricane of September, W. L. Moody Jr. and his family moved into the four-story mansion at the corner of Broadway and Twenty-sixth Street in Galveston. For the next eight decades, the Moody family occupied the 28,000-square-foot home: raising a family, creating memories, building business empires, and contributing their considerable wealth and influence for the betterment of their beloved city. In 1983, Hurricane Alicia damaged the mansion, and Mary Moody Northen, eldest child of W. L. Moody Jr., moved out so a major restoration could begin. When the mansion opened to the public as a museum, education center, and location for community gatherings in 1991, it had been restored to its original grandeur. The Mary Moody Northen Endowment then commissioned award-winning author Henry Wiencek to write a history of the Moodys of Galveston and their celebrated home. Robert L. Moody Sr., grandson of W. L. Moody Jr. and nephew of Mary Moody Northen, contributes a foreword, giving a brief introduction and personal tone to the book, which also features fifteen color photographs of the Moodys and their home. An epilogue by E. Douglas McLeod summarizes the family's accomplishments and developments associated with the mansion since Northen's death in 1986. " The Moodys of Galveston and Their Mansion" is a must-read for Galvestonians, for the thousands of visitors who tour the mansion each year, and for anyone interested in the captivating tale of this influential and generous family and their magnificent house.