Galveston Island State Park, in Galveston County, is in the City of Galveston, Texas on the west end of Galveston Island. It is a 2,013.1-acre (814.7 ha) site that was acquired in 1969 from private owners under the State Parks Bond Program and was opened in 1975. On September 14, 2008, the park was indefinitely closed due to damage from Hurricane Ike. In January 2009 a sign at this park entrance indicated a new park was coming soon, although there was little evidence of construction within the park.
Galveston Island is believed to be approximately 5000 years old and has had an interesting history during the past 500 years. It is generally believed Cabeza de Vaca and his crew were shipwrecked here in 1520 and eventually made their way from the island to colonies in Mexico. The LaFitte brothers, fleeing the prosecution of pirates in the United States, established a government here in 1817, with visions of creating a "Manhattan on the Gulf." Commerce did thrive here, but major storms in 1867, 1871, 1875, and 1886 greatly slowed progress. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 devastated the island, killing 5000 to 10,000 people, and prompted the construction of the seawall which protects the northern half of the island.
[edit] Dunes Renewal Project
September 10, 1998, Tropical Storm Frances destroyed the sand dunes at Galveston Island State Park. The dunes serve as the only protection that the park has for its facilities. A project was implemented to rebuild the dunes through the use of Christmas trees.
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Coordinates: 29°12′4″N 94°57′37″W / 29.20111°N 94.96028°W / 29.20111; -94.96028
