Galveston

BONUS EPISODE: The Juneteenth Legacy Project with Sam Collins III

Galveston native Sam Collins III had a vision to bring Texas history and the Juneteenth story to its home in a grand way. Enlisting the help of a team of artists, technology experts, and the Galveston community, the Juneteenth Legacy Project came to life at the very site where General Granger issued General Order No….

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Ep. 102: Juneteenth and the Celebration of Freedom

On June 19, 1865, union general Gordon Granger landed in Galveston and issued some general orders. His General Order No. 3 informed the people of Texas that all the slaves in Texas were now free. Since then, “Juneteenth” has been celebrated in Texas as the anniversary of emancipation. Juneteenth became an official Texas state holiday…

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Ep 48: Texans You Should Know-Crazy Ben Dolliver the Pirate

Crazy Ben Dolliver was said to be touched.  Sporting a 6 inch scar from an old sword fight, Crazy Ben circulated around Galveston in the 19th century barefoot, shirtless, and mostly drunk.  He camped on the beach and fished for his sustenance.  But Crazy Ben always paid for his drinks with Spanish Doubloons.  Every now…

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EP. 40 Raising Galveston and Walling Off the Sea

One of the greatest example of resilience in Texas, indeed United States, history was the building of the Galveston seawall and the raising of the city.  After the Great Hurricane of 1900, the easiest thing to do would have been to abandon Galveston Island.  But that wouldn’t be the Texan thing to do.  Instead, the…

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Ep. 32, Napoleon’s General Comes to Texas: The Story of Champ D’Asile

In 1818, one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s top generals, and many of his former officers, tried to establish a French colony in Texas. They said it was for agriculture, but they brought a ship full of weapons and built a fort on the Trinity River. Were they going to incite revolution in Mexico, or did they have their…

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