The Laffite Society & Dale Olson | Jean & Pierre Laffite: Privateers or Pirates? Why Galveston Island? Treasure is what you make it!
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Historic resources for everything we discuss in the episode: https://www.galvestonunscripted.com/lafitte-society-dale-dolson
Lafitte and/or Laffite are both accepted spelling
Dale Olson is the one of the founders of the Laffite Society, a technical music writer, if you have watched a Disney production anywhere from 1970-1990, you may have heard his trumpet playing somewhere in the movie or show! Dale was recognized as "Distinguished Alumnus" of the University of North Texas in 2014 , and has given approximately 50 lectures related to early Galveston history and the Laffites. Dale and I discuss the founding of the Laffite Society, Laffite's role in the War of 1812, how Jean and Pierre Laffite ended up in Galveston, their privateering operations in Louisiana and Texas, and the eventual demise of some of the most contentious characters in Texas, and American history!
Tour with Spotify:
👂Listen: Jean Lafitte and his role in Galveston
👂Listen: The Great Fire of 1885
👂Listen: East End Historical District
👂Listen: Port of Galveston
👂Listen: The Hendley Building
👂Listen: Lost Bayou Historic District
👂Listen: Texas Heroes Monument
Key words: Jean Lafitte, Pierre Lafitte, New Orleans, war of 1812, Galveston, Texas, Mason Rouge, pirates, privateer,
The Civil War in Texas | The Battle of Galveston | Juneteenth: The story behind the celebration with Edward T Cotham Jr.
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Resources for everything we discuss in the episode:
https://www.galvestonunscripted.com/ed-cotham
Ed Cotham is the prize-winning author of many books and articles on Civil War history, emphasizing the battles and skirmishes in Texas. He is also very interested in nautical history and has served as project historian for several important Civil War shipwreck projects. A frequent lecturer on these subjects, Ed also leads occasional tours of Texas battlefields and state historic sites. Ed's research interests also include a wide variety of historical events that took place in and around Texas. One of the most important of these events was the issuance of General Orders No. 3 (the "Juneteenth Order") in Galveston on June 19, 1865. In addition to a book on Juneteenth, Ed has recently released a book relating to Ulysses S. Grant's visit to Texas in March 1880.
Book: A Busy Week in Texas: Ulysses S. Grant's 1880 Visit to the Lone Star State
Book: Juneteenth: The Story Behind the Celebration
Book: The Seventh Star of the Confederacy
Book: The Southern Journey of a Civil War Marine: Henry O. Gusley's Illustrated Note-Book
Book: Sabine Pass: The Confederacy's Thermopylae
Book: Battle on the Bay: The Civil War Struggle for Galveston
DNA Secrets with Ron Wooten | Coyote-Red Wolf Hybrids on Galveston Island
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Resources for everything we discuss in the episode: https://www.galvestonunscripted.com/ron-wooten
Ron Wooten is a Galvestonian with a passion for animals, biology, and photography. Ron is currently an outreach specialist with the Army Corps or Engineers. He coincidentally discovered a rare hybrid species after Hurricane Ike on Galveston Island, Texas . The Coyote-Red Wolf Hybrid he took a keen interest in is key to finding the missing piece in bringing the Red Wolf back from near-extinction. Ron and I discuss his story, some of the efforts to help these animals, and what we should all do if we encounter one, (basically, don’t go near them.) This conversation is enlightening and gives us a glimpse of what we have here in our own back yard!
Support Red Wolf and other ecology projects:
Gulf Coast Canine Project
Red Wolf Coalition
Artist Boat
Ron Wooten - The New York Times
Pirates left behind, Texas Revolution veterans, & Immigrants from Maine | Saccrappa: The forgotten community before the city of Galveston with Lou Macbeth
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Historic resources for everything we discuss in the episode: https://www.galvestonunscripted.com/lou-macbeth
Lou Graves Macbeth is a co-founder of the Laffite Society and has conducted decades of research into early Galveston history. She initiated her research following her genealogy to 1830s Galveston and a community called Saccrappa on the East End of Galveston. Lou has been an asset to researchers and authors across the island and Texas due to her experience and willingness to share her Knowledge and story.
The 1920 Bubonic Plague outbreak of Galveston with Dr. Paula Summerly | An infected needle mishap, rat proofing the island, and trailblazing women in the medical field.
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Historic resources for everything we discuss in the episode: https://www.galvestonunscripted.com/paula-summerly-bubonic-plague
Dr. Paula Summerly is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Her primary appointment is manager of the Old Red Medical Museum, McGovern Academy, Office of the President (UTMB). Prior to holding these positions, she completed scholarships and fellowships at the Institute for Health Humanities (UTMB) the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University and the Dittrick Medical History Center, Case Western Reserve University. She curated a permanent medical exhibition for the Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow, Scotland (2005) and has served as a curatorial consultant both nationally and internationally including Visual Pathology, Galveston Arts Center (2018), the Wellcome Collection’s Forensics: Anatomy of Crime (2015), Dirt: The Filthy Reality of Everyday Life (2011), exhibited at the Wellcome Building, London, UK. Dr. Summerly is working as part of a team to establish a new medical museum in Old Red (the 1890 Ashbel Smith Building) at the heart of the UTMB Galveston campus.
More on Dr. Summerly
https://www.utmb.edu/pathology/faculty/paula-summerly-msc-phd
Keywords: The Bubonic plague in Galveston, Texas
The Black Plague in Galveston, Texas
The bubonic plague in Galveston, Texas. Texas History, Pandemic
Bishop's Palace AKA Walter Gresham House | Galveston, Texas
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Tour with Spotify:
👂Listen: East End Historical District
👂Listen: Grade Raising of Galveston - Civil Engineering Marvel
👂Listen: Rosenberg Fountains
👂Listen: Texas Heroes Monument
👂Listen: Silk Stocking District
🎟Buy Tickets
Interested in the information covered in this episode? Dive deeper into the links below! :
Read more: Bishops Palace -TSHA
General Sam Houston | Texas History Tangent | James Anderson on Sam Houston: The Tremont Hotel Balcony, Texas Joining the Confederacy, and Yellow Fever
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Bonus episode:
James Anderson is the author of Galveston Burning: A History of the Fire Department and Major Conflagrations. During our soundcheck, I find out that James is a huge fan of Sam Houston. We discuss many aspects of his life after the battle of San Jacinto. Did you know that Sam Houston gave a speech from the balcony from the Tremont Hotel?
👂Listen to the full conversation with James on Spotify
Buy Galveston Burning: A history of the Fire Department and major conflagrations
Join James on a tour of Galveston at Lantern light tours! https://lanternlightgalveston.com/
Sam Houston
Margaret Houston
Nancy Moffette Lea
David G. Burnet
Sam Houston against Confederacy
Sam Houston kicked out of office
Steamboat House
Yellow Fever in Texas
Tour with Spotify:
👂Listen: The Great Fire of 1885
👂Listen: East End Historical District
👂Listen: Silk Stocking District
👂Listen: Port of Galveston
👂Listen: The Hendley Building
👂Listen: Lost Bayou Historic District
👂Listen: Texas Heroes Monument
Old Galveston Custom House and Courthouse - 20th and Post Office - Galveston, Texas
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📱Social and other ways to explore Texas History
Tour with Spotify:
👂Listen: Texas Heroes Monument
👂Listen: Quick History of Galveston
👂Listen: Port of Galveston
👂Listen: The Great Fire of 1885
👂Listen: The Battle of Galveston
👂Listen: Kuhn's Wharf
👂Listen: The Hendley Building
Interested in information covered in this episode? Dive deeper into the links below! :
Custom house: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/galveston-custom-house
Battle of Galveston: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/galveston-battle-of
Transcript:
The old Galveston Custom House, also known as the United States Custom House and Courthouse. This building was formerly a customs house, post office, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, and later for the Southern District of Texas. The first customs house in Galveston and Texas predates this one by three decades.
While Mexico still maintained control of Texas, a customs house was established in 1830, a few years after the port was officially founded. This customs house would've been small and more like an office. After Texas won its independence and the United States gained control of Texas, Galveston's population and significance developed through the 1840s and 50s and the port was recognized as one of the most important ports to the nation.
As the United States began to spread West towards California, the ease of access to a protected deep water port and proximity to the frontier transformed this small sandbar into a thriving city and a means of taxation by the federal government. By the late 1850s, the Galveston port and business community was focused on wholesale commerce.
Galveston was the main pass-through for all goods imported into Texas and dispersed into Indian territory, Louisiana, and New Mexico. The federal government collected tariffs on all goods that entered into Texas.
United States Congress approved the funds for the Customs house in 1855 and construction began in 1860. The building was built at an unprecedented pace and completed in 114 days. That's under four months, completed just in time for Texas's succession from the United States. During the Civil War, the Confederate Army utilized the building as their headquarters as it was one of the island's few brick a
The Grand 1894 Opera House - The State Opera House of Texas - Galveston, Texas
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Tour with Spotify:
👂Listen: The Strand
👂Listen: Kuhn's Wharf
👂Listen: Rosenberg Fountains
👂Listen: East End Historical District
👂Listen: Texas Heroes Monument
👂Listen: Quick History of Galveston
👂Listen: Port of Galveston
Interested in information covered in this episode? Dive deeper into the links below! :
Tickets and Calendar: https://thegrand.com/
First Opera House in Texas: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/opera#:~:text=In 1871 the first real,and theatrical venues including opera.
Opera House Fun Facts: https://www.galveston.com/10-things-you-probably-dont-know-about-the-grand-1894-opera-house/
Grade Raising of Galveston - Civil Engineering Marvel - Galveston, Texas
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Tour with Spotify:
👂Listen: Quick History of Galveston
👂Listen: The Galveston Seawall - Protection, Entertainment, Recreation
👂Listen: East End Historical District
👂Listen: Texas Heroes Monument
Interested in information covered in this episode? Dive deeper into the links below! :
Seawall
Great deep dive Podcast on this subject : Wise About Texas Ep. 40 Raising Galveston and Walling off the Sea
Contact us: Galvestonunscripted@gmail.com
Transcript:
Shortly after the 1900 storm, and in conjunction with the building of the sea wall, city officials decided to bolster the island's defenses against hurricanes. As the sea wall was being built, the entire urbanized portion of the island was elevated using dredge mud from the ship channel.
Before the grade raising, the highest point on the island was only eight feet above sea level. The grade raising not only supported the seawall but also was set to improve drainage and sewage systems, which were badly needed but challenging to implement with an extremely low elevation. The initial grade-raising project took place from 1903 through 1911.
The project was accomplished in square, quarter-mile sections and involved closing each section in a dyke and then lifting all structures and utilities, such as street car tracks, fireplugs, and water pipes. Around 2000 buildings were raised and put on stilts using hand-turn jack screws. The sand fill was dredged from the entrance to Galveston Harbor and then transported to residential districts through a 20-foot deep, 200-foot wide, 2.5-mile long canal using four self-loading hopper dredges.
After the fill was discharged in the areas to be raised, new foundations were constructed on top of it. Today you can see evidence of many of Galveston's homes and buildings that were elevated during this project. Take a look at the bottom of most of Galveston's East End Homes. You can see that the original structure is sitting high above the ground.
Most of these structures were lifted and placed to the current height over a hundred years ago. The Galveston Sea Wall grade raising was one of the largest civil projects in Texas and the United States in the early 1900s. To get a good idea of Galveston's original elevation, take a ferry to Boliver or drive to Galveston's West End.
It's hard to imagine that the largest city in Texas in the late 18 hundreds was sitting on a low-lying sandbar while standing on the seawall facing north. Notice that the island slopes towards Galveston harbor. This was purposely designed so that any floodwater runs off into Galveston Bay.
Key Words: Gal
Jean Lafitte - Privateer, Pirate, and his role in Galveston
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Tour with Spotify:
👂Listen: Quick History of Galveston
👂Listen: Port of Galveston
👂Listen: The Battle of Galveston
👂Listen: Kuhn's Wharf
Interested in information covered in this episode? Dive deeper into the links below! :
Jean Lafitte in Galveston: https://www.galvestonhistorycenter.org/research/jean-laffite#:~:text=Jean Laffite (sometimes spelled Lafitte,hotbed of smuggling and privateering.
Jean Lafitte-Slave Trade:https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1231&context=ethj
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and Estevanico in 1528 | Arrival & survival on Galveston Island: Texas History Guide
Supporters: Galveston Running Tours: https://galvestonrunningtours.com/
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📱Social and other ways to explore Texas History
Tour with Spotify:
👂Listen: Quick History of Galveston
👂Listen: Texas Firsts
👂Listen: The Great Fire of 1885
👂Listen: Port of Galveston
Interested in information covered in this episode? Dive deeper into the links below! :
Life of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alvar-Nunez-Cabeza-de-Vaca
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in Texas: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/cabeza-de-vaca-lvar-nunez
Estavanico AKA Esteban de Dorantes : https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/estevanico
Podcast series of Cabeza De Vaca & Estavanico's endeavors:https://open.spotify.com/episode/1CxfQvF35ZKKvlqHHkcaa6?si=33b1aef6c0364ee7
Transcript:
In the early 1500s, Spain was one of the most dominant of the European empires. Spanish explorers were sent by the king of Spain to expand their kingdom, spread the word of God and search for valuable tradable commodities. Many of these explorers, known as conquistadors were sent to the New World to accomplish the Kings will. One of these grand expeditions of over 600 men to the new world was led by Pánfilo de Narváez. The intention of this mission was to sail from Spain to New Spain, modern day Mexico, but through a series of unfortunate events, the crew had been ravaged by storms and bad weather and eventually ended up on the west coast of Florida. The expeditionary crew became separated into smaller groups and eventually lost track of each other. One of these groups was led by Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, and by his side a man named ;, also known as Esteban de Dorantes.Estávanico is the first African to be documented to have explored North America. After multiple miscommunications and conflicts with the natives along the Florida coast.And with the ship and remaining crew nowhere to be found, The crew had no choice but to build rafts out of their surroundings and begin to float in the Gulf of Mexico and hope they drift towards new Spain. Unfortunately for the group, they were over 1500 miles away from their original destination at Tampico, Mexico. As the gulf current slowly carried them west, The five rafts supporting roughly 50 Explorers each, began to separate. To make matters worse, every time a raft would go ashore, they would be attacked by natives. After weeks of drifting in the gulf and running low on supplies and water, the Cabeza de vacas group became weary and close to death.
Why "Galveston"? | What do the American Revolution, a Spanish Governor, and cattle drives have in common? Galveston, Texas History Guide
Supporters: Galveston Running Tours: https://galvestonrunningtours.com/
📍Visit our interactive map!
Enjoy this content? Buy me a book! 📚
📱Social and other ways to explore Texas History
Tour with Spotify:
👂Listen: Quick History of Galveston
👂Listen: Texas Firsts
👂Listen: The Great Fire of 1885
👂Listen: Port of Galveston
Interested in information covered in this episode? Dive deeper into the links below! :
Cattle Driving :
https://www..com/discover/artifacts/letters-authorizing-first-cattle-drive-from-texas-spotlight-7-1-19
https://www.history.com/the-promised-land/cowboy-map.html
Texas Granaderos in Honor of Galvez: http://granaderos.org/vital.html
Galvez's History in Texas: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/galvez-bernardo-de