Geographist

The focus of this week's stop during our tour of Galveston County is a place where I've spent plenty of time, because in addition to being a great place to visit, eat, and play, it's also where my parents used to live for a number of years.  And while they lived there we had our first kid, so it was important to visit the grandparents often, right?  This city by the bay, right next to the very first town we visited on this rambling adventure through the county, is Kemah, TX.  According to the US Census Bureau the community boasts a 2020 population of 1,807, and nestled at the far northeastern extent of the county where Clear Lake empties into Galveston Bay it has a total elevation of just 7 feet above sea level.  Of the city's 1.91 square miles, the vast majority is land with just 0.07 sq. mi. covered by water. For being such a small city, Kemah has a big impact on Galveston County and beyond, including being ranked as the #1 tourist destination in the Houston area j...

This week's stop along our tour of Galveston County is another town with a history nearly as old as Texas itself that owes its existence in large degree to railroads and industry.  And it's yet another town with a unique cultural history that has changed its name over time.  La Marque stretches through the central portion of the county's mainland portion, including more frontage along I-45 than any other city (a total of 14.3 miles), and is home to 18,030 residents as of the 2020 US Census.  The city is a low-lying area with an elevation of 16' above sea level, although it does have a system of levees for hurricane protection, and barely half a square mile of the total 14.28 sq. mi. area is covered by water.   In 1838 a settlement was formed near the northern banks of Highland Bayou and initially adopted the name of Highlands.  The Houston, Henderson, and Galveston Railroad laid their tracks through the community, which supported the agricultural businesses...

A quick thank-you once again to everyone who takes a moment to read this blog (whether it's just once, once in a while, or every week).  Blowing past 40,000 viewers is a bit mind-boggling for me, and the regular traffic is a big reason I have kept making sure there's something new to look at each week.  This week's stop is a small community on the edge of Galveston Bay - the town of Bacliff.  Of the 2.7 square miles that make up the city limits, only 0.2 is water and 2.5 is land.  The 2020 population stood at 9,677 according to the US Census Bureau, and the town's elevation rises just 16 feet above sea level.  That height, however, is slightly higher than other points around the bay and has actually prevented some of the flooding damage seen by nearby cities. Shortly after the dawn of the 20th century, the Great Hurricane of 1900 had wreaked havoc on the development of communities stretching from Galveston to Houston, and by 1910 a pair of local landowners decid...

Sitting in the heart of Galveston County we find this week's stop along our virtual tour - Dickinson is a city with a long history and a proud population that I've gotten to know in recent years.  In fact, this community that boasts 20,427 citizens as of the 2020 US Census will be celebrating their annual Little Italy Festival soon at the end of Spring Break.  For information, including location and timing, please click here:  https://www.dickinsonlittleitalyfestivalofgalvestoncounty.com/  - I've been fortunate enough to work alongside several of the event planners to build maps and even do a little historical digging along the way.  They're great folks, and I'd highly recommend visiting if you're in the area. Stretching along a bayou that shares its name, Dickinson is a town that encompasses 10.33 square miles, of which 9.89 is land.  The elevation is low, which you likely realize is a common trait within the county, and sits at just 10 feet above sea leve...