1900 Storm Harbor Tours

Step aboard SEAGULL II and trace the waterfront forever reshaped by the 1900 Storm. As we cruise the harbor, you’ll hear authentic, research-driven histories of the people and places that faced the Great Storm. Each story connects today’s view to eyewitness accounts and meticulously researched records. Part remembrance, part revelation, this tour invites you to see Galveston’s harbor the way survivors did, and to feel the resilience that still rides on the tide.

ABOUT THE 1900 STORM | On September 8, 1900, Galveston, Texas, was devastated by the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history when a massive hurricane made landfall on the island. With winds estimated at over 140 miles per hour and a storm surge that swallowed much of the city, the hurricane claimed the lives of more than 6,000 residents and destroyed thousands of homes. At the time, Galveston was a thriving port city and one of the most important commercial hubs on the Gulf Coast. The storm not only reshaped the island physically—with the construction of a seawall and the raising of the city’s elevation—but also altered its trajectory, as economic dominance shifted inland to Houston. The 1900 Storm remains a defining chapter in Galveston’s history, a somber reminder of nature’s power and the islanders’ enduring resilience.

ABOUT GALVESTON HISTORICAL FOUNDATION | Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) was formed as the Galveston Historical Society in 1871 and merged with a new organization formed in 1954 as a non-profit entity devoted to historic preservation and history in Galveston County. Over the last sixty years, GHF has expanded its mission to encompass community redevelopment, historic preservation advocacy, maritime preservation, coastal resiliency and stewardship of historic properties. GHF embraces a broader vision of history and architecture that encompasses advancements in environmental and natural sciences and their intersection with historic buildings and coastal life and conceives of history as an engaging story of individual lives and experiences on Galveston Island from the 19th century to the present day.

Host or Publisher Galveston Historical Foundation