Miss Ruby

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When I bought The Bungalow, there was a female mannequin waiting to greet me. She was dressed up in Mardi Gras garb (beads and all) and leaning strategically against the northwest corner wall in the dining room. I found out later that a previous owner had found her stowed away in the attic; he believed she had been there for decades.

He liked her. Thought she would add visual interest to the decor and be a great conversation starter. I thought so too, so I’ve kept her and, now, she’s part of the family.

I named her Miss Ruby, after my mother. She does, in fact, resemble her - if you squint your eyes just so. Like my mother did, Miss Ruby keeps an eye on everything but keeps her opinions to herself. Yep, she’s a keeper!

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Miss Ruby has acquired quite a wardrobe in recent years. In the photo here, she’s wearing the purple skirt she had on when I first met her, but she also owns beachwear, a Mardi Gras dress and cap, an Astros t-shirt and a long black velvet skirt and Victorian bonnet to wear for Dickens on The Strand weekend.

Dressing her is difficult, though. She weighs a ton (well, not literally), but a lot. So, wardrobe changes are fun but not as frequent as you she might like.

Railroad Museum

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The Galveston Railroad Museum opened in 1983 at the site of the 1932 Santa Fe depot and railyard. The museum quickly started collecting dining car china, a model railroad layout and acting as the terminal for the Texas Limited excursion train. After the Texas Limited ceased operations in 1996, the museum acquired its passenger cars and two locomotives.

Hurricane Ike flooded the museum with 10 feet of salt water in 2008. Much of the museum's collection was destroyed or severely damaged, forcing the museum to close, rebuild and restore its collection. Eventually, it acquiried two F-7A diesel locomotives in Santa Fe colors to replace the Texas Limited locomotives. After three years of cleanup, the museum reopened in 2011.

At present, the Galveston Railroad Museum has 40 pieces of rolling stock, the largest collection of dining car china in the Southwest and two incredible model railroad layouts. The museum also owns a mile of track, and runs caboose rides on Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Sitting down next to one of the awaiting “passengers” in the depot is a favorite pastime for locals and tourists alike. Here, I am “reading” the Galveston Daily News along with a new friend.

Sitting down next to one of the awaiting “passengers” in the depot is a favorite pastime for locals and tourists alike. Here, I am “reading” the Galveston Daily News along with a new friend.

Tall Ship Elissa

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This afternoon, I had the pleasure of escorting my children and grandchildren over to Pier 22 to tour the Texas Seaport Museum and see its star attraction, the tall ship Elissa, a three-mast barque and one of the oldest ships sailing today.

Andrew, age 8

Andrew, age 8

Alexandra, age 10

Alexandra, age 10

As eager as we were to see all the offerings of the museum, we were - admittedly - distracted by the gift shop right inside the entrance. As gift shops go, this one rates high! We saw lot of unique souvenirs for the kids (of all ages), but also many high-end, maritime-related books and maps, etc. We all found things we wanted to purchase and take home, and on our way out today, we stopped back in to present the plastic.

Once inside the museum, we took a self-guided tour and watched an engaging 20-minute video documentary that tells the story of Elissa’s rescue from the scrap yard and her detailed restoration.

We learned Elissa started out as a British cargo ship, taking several voyages to smaller ports in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, and she twice loaded cotton at Galveston. This local connection prompted the Galveston Historical Foundation to purchase the ship in 1982 and undertake a dramatic restoration.

The Texas Seaport Museum also showcases the legacy of maritime commerce and immigration. One of its popular attractions is its database exhibit, where visitors can search the names of more than 133,000 immigrants who entered the country through Galveston, once known as the Ellis Island of the West.

In this area of the museum, one wall featured a mural that depicted 19th century Galveston. And, placed nearly were a variety of coats and hats of the same vintage for visitors to put on and pose for the cameras. This offering proved to be a hit with my crew. Before we left, most of us had “stepped back in time” for fun. (Included here are photos I took of m own beloved grandkids, Alexandra and Andrew.)

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Elissa’s Story
Elissa was built in Aberdeen, Scotland as a merchant vessel, named for the niece of Henry Fowler Watt, her first owner. She was fist launched on October 27, 1877.

Elissa also sailed under Norwegian and Swedish flags. In 1918, she was converted into a two-masted brigantine, and an engine was installed. She was sold to Finland in 1930 and reconverted into a schooner. In 1959, she was sold to Greece, and successively sailed under the names Christophoros, in 1967 as Achaeos, and in 1969 as Pioneer.

In 1970, she was rescued from destruction in Piraeus after being purchased for the San Francisco Maritime Museum. However, she languished in a salvage yard in Piraeus until she was purchased for $40,000, in 1975, by the Galveston Historical Foundation. In 1979, after a year in Greece having repairs done to her hull, Elissa was first towed to Gibraltar. There, she was prepared for an ocean tow by Captain Jim Currie of the New Orleans surveyors J.K. Tynan International. The restoration process continued until she was ready for tow on June 7, 1979.

Elissa has an iron hull, and the pin rail and bright work is made of teak. Her masts are Douglas fir from Oregon, and her 19 sails were made in Maine. She has survived numerous modifications, including installation of an engine, and the incremental removal of all her rigging and masts.

Elissa made her first voyage as a restored sailing ship in 1985, traveling to Corpus Christi, Texas. A year later, she sailed to New York City to take part in the Statue of Liberty’s centennial celebrations.

In July 2011, the U.S. Coast Guard declared Elissa  "not seaworthy." An inspection revealed a corroded hull.

After getting the bad news, the Texas Seaport Museum raised the $3 million needed for hull replacement and other long-overdue maintenance projects. All was finished in January 2013, and Elissa returned to sailing once again in March 2014.

Star Drug Store

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Dropping in at the historic Star Drug Store for a hearty breakfast or, at mid-day, for a juicy burger and chocolate malt is one of my favorite things to do in Galveston. The Star Drug Store, with its old-fashioned soda fountain, stirs early 20th century nostalgia like no place else on the island.

Recognized as the oldest drug store in Texas, the original structure, located at 510 23rd Street, was built in 1886. It was constructed in wood but this changed when Charles J. Michaelis, a local druggist, bought the building in 1906. Michaelis hired contractor J.W. Zempter to convert the building to brick. This $15,000 renovation was completed in 1909.

By 1915, the Star Drug Store was fully operational, and a horseshoe shaped soda fountain counter was added to the pharmacy.

George Clampitt and Grady Dickinson purchased the store in the early 1920s nd operated the store until 1982. They maintained the integrity of the drug store, as well as altered history when the Star became the first desegregated lunch counter in Galveston.

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The ownership of the Star Drug Store changed hands several times before a severe fire on Friday, March 13, 1998, closed the store until November 2001, when the Tilts family purchased and began restorations to the building.

This five-year project included rebuilding and restoring the facade, two apartments upstairs, the historical Coca-Cola neon porcelain sign and the drug store. The original horseshoe counter, complete with the embedded red tile star in its prominent facade, still reigns as the Star Drug Store's most recognized emblem.

On September 12, 2008, Galveston was hit hard by Hurricane Ike. The Star Drug Store was flooded with more than six and half feet of water, damaging most of the downstairs furniture, equipment and retail items. With the dedication and help of family, friends and co-workers, The Star Drug Store reopened three months later on December 17, to once again serve its beloved patrons.

Original soda fountain still takes centerstage at the Star Drug Store in Galveston.

Original soda fountain still takes centerstage at the Star Drug Store in Galveston.

1900 Storm Statue

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Today, September 8, is the anniversary of the Great Storm of 1900 -the perfect day to re-visit the 1900 Great Storm Statue on The Seawall.

The 1900 Storm Memorial Statue was created by Galveston sculptor David W. Moore in memory of the more than 6000 men, women and children who died in the Great Storm of 1900.

The bronze statue, 10 feet in height, was installed at 4800 Seawall Boulevard on the storm’s 100th anniversary in 2000.

On any given day, those walking along The Seawall will stop to take a closer look at this statue and, perhaps, to offer a silent prayer for the thousands who lost their lives on that fateful night in 1900. At times, flowers are left at the base of the statue. When I see them there, I always wonder if they were left by descendants of those who died in the storm or by people, like me, who always become incredibly mournful when thinking about the many, many victims.

Storm of 1900
The Category 4 hurricane is recorded as the deadliest natural disaster the history of the United States.

The hurricane came ashore on Galveston Island on September 8, 1900 with 134 mile-per-hour winds and 15-feet storm surges. In addition to the enormous loss of life, it leveled took the 7,000 buildings and left 10,000 people homeless.

The disaster ended the Golden Era of Galveston. Potential investors in the city, so alarmed by the ravages of the hurricane, turned to Houston for new opportunities. .