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Texas Counties
Texas is divided into two hundred and fifty-four counties, more than any other state. Texas was originally divided into municipalities, a unit of local government under Spanish and Mexican rule. When the Republic of Texas gained its independence in 1836, there were 23 municipalities, which became the original Texas counties. Many of these would later be divided into new counties. The most recent county to be created was Kenedy County in 1921. The most recent county to be organized was Loving County in 1931Galveston County, Texas
Galveston County Education, Geography, and History
Galveston County is a county in the state of Texas. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 291,309. Its county seat is Galveston.
League City is the most populous city in Galveston County; between 2000 and 2005 it surpassed Galveston as the county's largest city. The
county was founded in 1838.
Galveston County is part of the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Etymology - Origin of Galveston County Name
Bernardo de G?vez, a Spanish governor of the Louisiana Territory and an ally of the United States during the American Revolution
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Galveston County History
Galveston County is a county located in the US state of Texas. Its county seat is Galveston. After Hurricane Ike extensively damaged the courthouse and jail in September 2008, the decision was made to temporarily move the county seat and county offices to the mainland communities of Texas City and League City, while repairs were being made. League City is the largest city in Galveston County in terms of population.
Handbook of Texas Online
Galveston County was formed in 1838 under the republic from Harrisburg, Liberty, and Brazoria counties and
organized in 1839. The county was organized in 1839. The first county courthouse, at Saccarappa, a community named
for a river in Maine by settlers from that state, was located at the eastern end of Galveston Island. Before the
Civil War, goods flowed into Galveston from across the county and the region. By
1839 steamers that furnished supplies to much of Texas plied the distance between the port and New Orleans, and
construction of the Galveston wharves began in that year. The antebellum port
shipped cotton and cottonseed oil, with less important quantities of sugar, molasses, cattle, hides, and pecans,
while Galveston finance and commission businesses supported the region's agriculture and commerce. Exports to
foreign countries exceeded a million dollars in 1839, and in 1856 included 4,590 hogsheads of sugar and 7,878
barrels of molasses. The city's development and importance is measured by the fact that Galveston had the only
legitimate labor unions active in Texas before the Civil War. Galveston itself soon developed a sophisticated and
cosmopolitan society. Fleeing the revolutions in Europe, large numbers of immigrants began to arrive at the port in
the 1840s and 1850s. Copies of the early Texas Almanac, printed at
Galveston, served as Bibles for the new citizens. Since the city was usually the first Texas port of entry and
received United States and foreign news before other places, it had two newspapers by 1838. The Galveston News,
the earliest Texas newspaper still published in 1995, also had a considerable circulation on the mainland. Major
construction in the city occurred in the 1850s, and German immigrants skilled in trades helped to construct many of
the city's architectural landmarks. Growth declined, however, with the first yellow fever epidemic in 1839, a second
wave in 1844, and six outbreaks from 1847 to 1867. A girls' school, Galveston University, the Female Collegiate
Institution (Galveston Seminary), and the University of St. Mary's opened at
Galveston between 1838 and 1854, and early efforts to educate the poor began in 1855. County participants in the
Mexican War included the Galveston Riflemen in the first Regiment of Texas
Infantry, the Guards, Fusiliers, Artillery, and Coast Guards. The Wigfall Guards were Irish,
the Turner Rifles Germans. The inauguration of a ferry service from Virginia
Point to Eagle Grove on Galveston Island improved transportation in 1838, but rail transportation soon replaced
water transport. The Galveston, Houston and Henderson Railroad was chartered in 1853 and completed to Houston in
1859. A fourteen-mile canal constructed in 1857 connected Oyster Creek, West Bay, and the Brazos River, and
ultimately became part of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The first bridge from
Galveston Island to the mainland was completed in 1859. More at
Diana J. Kleiner, "GALVESTON COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcg02),
accessed January 23, 2016. Uploaded on September 19, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
Geography: Land and Water
Galveston County is located on the plains of the Texas Gulf Coast in the southeastern part of the state. The
county is bounded on the northeast by Galveston Bay and on the northwest by Clear Creek and Clear Lake. Much of the
county covers Galveston Bay, and is bounded to the south by the Galveston Seawall and beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 873 square miles (2,261 km2), of which, 398
square miles (1,032 km2) of it is land and 474 square miles (1,229 km2) of it (54.35%) is water.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Harris County (north)
- Chambers County (northeast)
- Brazoria County (west)
Education
School districts serving Galveston County communities are:
Clear Creek ISD
Dickinson ISD
Friendswood ISD
Galveston ISD
High Island ISD
Hitchcock ISD
La Marque ISD
Santa Fe ISD
Texas City ISD
Higher education
Galveston County is home to Texas A&M University at Galveston and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
Three community colleges also serve the area: College of the Mainland, Galveston College and San Jacinto College.
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