Beach Houses For Sale in Galveston

Galveston, Texas is a beach town that has been overshadowed by much larger cities like Houston. Yet it is much more affordable than other Gulf Coast cities. Galveston is know as one of Texas' top tourist destinations. It is a coastal resort city with sandy beaches and a rich cultural heritage.

Tourism

The Galveston tourism sector is a major contributor to the local local economy bringing in millions of dollars every year. The city of Galveston is home to less than a hundred thousand people. However, the Houston metro area has expanded so that its suburbs like Sugarland are part of the larger metro area. Today, Galveston Bay is encompassed by Greater Houston.

History

Galveston Island has a lengthy and interesting history. Established as a Mexican port immediately after gaining independence from Spain, the port would change hands four times over the next four decades. It was the main port for the Texan Navy during its own revolution, and even briefly served as the capital of Texas.

Galveston boomed in the late 19th century and became one of the largest cotton ports in the country, and at one point rivaled New Orleans in its importance to trade. What's more, the infamous pirate Jean LaFitte headquartered his smuggling operation on Galveston Island from 1817-1820, and rumors of buried treasure still bring eager metal-detector waving visitors today.

Population

In fact, ear the end of the 19th century, the population of the island reached about 37,000, and today is just over 53,000.

Climate

Galveston has a mild island climate. Its hottest month is August, where the average temperature is 85 degrees (F), while the coldest is 56 degrees in January. Temperatures rarely exceed 90 degrees, and rarely go below 50 degrees. The average temperature is a comfortable 71 degrees. With 203 days of sun and 101 days of precipitation (50 inches), Galveston has normal sunshine and has slightly more rain than the average US City.