By the way ... it is Galveston, named after Galvez
Before the 1900 storm era, there were bunches of small coastal towns with docks. Velasco, Indianola, these were wiped out by recurring hurricanes and are old abandoned sites now. Also Galveston Island is a creation out of three older sandbar sections 1800 era. maps. Most of that came out of raising the island 5 feet after the 1900 storm, and building the Seawall.
There are bunches of shipwrecks along the coast (detailed in some of the books) and things do wash up into the tide line. Another famous story, three Spanish Gallions aground at Deer Island Area (Protected Pelican Habitat on Island - They will arrest you) over to railroad bridge (causeway). Cannon areas have been identified in the past, but story goes most everything was cleaned out. Could be some serious coin left there; worth looking into.
Kemah, old Indian shell reef (Means Where The Wind Blows); there have been some coins dug up in that area. the whole area has been changed up a couple of times.... check old maps, and newer structures, railroad bridge, Hwy overpass, Flood control levee and pump station, rerouting water channels out of Clear Lake (which is basically a 3 foot deep mud pond).
Old crew members of Lafitte's crew were Taylor (Taylor Lake, Clear Lake area), Campbell (Campbell Bayou Texas City), Kipp (Kipp st Kemah and Watergate Marina area), Middle Brook Settlement (Subdivision on Bay Area Blvd. over to oil company property, north of Armand Bayou Park)
Jean Lafitte's old pirate hangout is over in strand area but fenced off now. There are rumors of 70 buried treasure chests all over the place. Seems American warship pulled up on doorstep and told Lafitte, GET OUT OF TOWN, OR WE OPEN FIRE. He left town for Mexico coast and long strange tale begins there; check it out. Couple treasure chests have been found, one in 1950's when someone was digging around where they built fire station out on west end. Get books: Texas Treasure Tales, and Treasures of Galveston Bay.
Rebuilding now, after the storm, but take ferry over to Bolivar and hunt Crystal Beach area (Gulf of Mexico Side) (nothing beyond that area -- Hurricane Ike put 20 foot wall of water over that area -- almost everything destroyed for 15 miles up to town of High Island.
hopeing for a low tide cycle......
