Postcards

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This afternoon, like many other island history buffs, I watched “Galveston in the Rage of Postcards, 1898-1918,” a live lecture by local native son and collector Richard Eisenhour. The presentation was hosted by the Galveston Historical Foundation and accessible via Facebook and the GHF website. (I understand the presentation will now be archived and accessible via #GalvestonHistory.com).

The presentation started at 2 p.m. and lasted for about 90 minutes and, due to the talents of the presenter, the time flew by far too quickly.

One by one, dozens of historic postcards appeared on screen as the enthusiastic and highly knowledgeable Eisenhour educated us about their origins and significance.

Admittedly, I came to the presentation with high interest, as I too am (and have been) an avid postcard collector. Now, I don't claim to possess any museum-quality postcards, but I do have a personal collection that dates back to my childhood.

Long before I bought The Bungalow, I was visiting Galveston and picking up local postcards to send to friends - and to keep. Thanks to Eisenhour, I’m now looking through all of them again to see exactly what I have.

The Flagship Hotel

Eisenhour suggested looking for postcards with pictures of landmarks that no longer dot the landscape of the island, indicating those would be considered significant now.

And, guess what? I found a few postcards just like that.

Old Galveston Causeway

• One of the Flagship Hotel
• One of the Balinese Room
• One of Murdoch’s before Hurricane Ike
* One of the Old Galveston Causeway

What fun it’s been to find these old postcards and how nostalgic it is to look at them again; it’s as though I’m looking at photographs of long-lost friends.

I will always fondly remember The Flagship Hotel and The Balinese Room and Murdoch’s the way it used to be.

As for the original causeway…? Well, I don’t remember it as depicted in this old postcard. And, that’s probably good. I would not have enjoyed driving across Galveston Bay on a low bridge with such low side rails. In this case, it’s far better for me to simply hold on to this postcard — evidence of the island’s uniquely historic past.



Saengerfest Park

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Saengerfest Park might be the most visited park in Galveston; it’s located on the corner of 23rd Street and Strand in Galveston’s Historic Strand District. Literally, thousands of tourists to the island walk by while shopping or gather here when attending one of the city’s many festivals.

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Saengerfest Park is a charming spot, smack-dab in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the district. It features a large, playable chess set, a large compass which can be used as seating, wooden benches, an old-fashioned London-style phone booth and a stage used for movie and music nights throughout the year.

It also features a large “Greetings from Galveston” mural, perfect for standing in front of and posing for selfies or group photos.

The small square park was created in 1994 by George and Cynthia Mitchell. It takes its name from Saengerfest, a biennial singing contest sponsored by German immigrant choral societies around the State of Texas in the 19th century. The word, “Saengerfest,” literally means “singer festival” in German.

A choral group from Galveston, “The Salamanders,” took top honors in the 1879 competition in New Braunfels, Texas, thereby receiving the honor of hosting the next Saengerfest in April 1881. That year, a torch-lit parade was held to welcome 400 singers to Galveston and the competition.

The Strand Clock

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Recently, I was shopping downtown and, for the first time, took note of a very tall, Victorian-era clock standing at the southeast corner of Strand and 22nd streets, in front of the First National Bank Building.

“Wow,” I thought. “How long has that clock been there? Where did it come from? Who put it up?”

So, naturally, when I returned to The Bungalow, I got online and did some research.

I learned the clock is 17-feet tall, and the timepiece measures four feet in diameter and sits atop the fluted metal stand. As I noticed, the base, stand and frame are all painted green.

I learned too that the clock dates to roughly 1900, a significant date in the history of Galveston.

As the story goes, John and Gerald Sullivan located the clock in a San Antonio warehouse in 1989 and hired Bill Young of Dallas to restore it. Later, the Sullivans donated the operational clock to the Galveston Historical Foundation for permanent display at its present location.

There is a plaque at the base of the clock that reads: Dedicated to the Galveston Historical Foundation and the Citizens of Galveston by the families of John L. and Cynthia L. Sullivan and Gerald A. and Susanne H. Sullivan. December 19, 1989

I liked seeing the clock, and I liked too learning about its history. No doubt, I will now notice it every time I walk down The Strand. And, I will look up at its face - with pride and much appreciation for those who brought it here.