Editing Galveston, Texas (section)

===After World War II===
[[File:Texas - Galveston - NARA - 68149339 (page 1) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Damage after [[Hurricane Carla]], 1961]]
The end of the war drastically reduced military investment in the island. Increasing enforcement of gambling laws and the growth of [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], as a competitive center of gambling and entertainment put pressure on the gaming industry on the island.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Lone Star Lawmen |author=Utley Robert Marshall |publisher=Oxford |year=2007 |page=218 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G4hjclRksjQC |isbn=978-0-19-515444-3 |access-date=October 17, 2020 |archive-date=May 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503161913/https://books.google.com/books?id=G4hjclRksjQC |url-status=live}}</ref> Finally in 1957, [[Texas Attorney General]] [[Will Wilson (Texas politician)|Will Wilson]] and the [[Texas Ranger Division|Texas Rangers]] began a massive campaign of raids that disrupted gambling and prostitution in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Attorney General |work=Handbook of Texas Online, Texas State Historical Association |author=James G. Dickson Jr. |access-date=September 26, 2009 |url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/mba03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610181134/http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/mba03 |archive-date=June 10, 2011 |url-status=dead}}<br />{{Cite web|title=The Daily News: Headlines |work=The Galveston County Daily News |access-date=September 26, 2009 |url=http://galvestondailynews.com/history.lasso?WCD=headlines.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208223943/http://galvestondailynews.com/history.lasso?WCD=headlines.html |archive-date=February 8, 2010}}<br />{{Cite book|title=The Texas Sheriff: Lord of the County Line |author=Sitton, Thad |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-8061-3471-0 |page=146}}<br />{{Cite journal |author1=Communications, Emmis |title=Grande Dame of the Gulf |journal=Texas Monthly |date=December 1983 |page=169 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LywEAAAAMBAJ |access-date=November 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527004843/https://books.google.com/books?id=LywEAAAAMBAJ |archive-date=May 27, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> As these vice industries crashed, so did tourism, taking the rest of the Galveston economy with it.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Energy Metropolis: An Environmental History of Houston and the Gulf Coast |author1=[[Martin V. Melosi|Melosi, Martin V.]] |author2=Pratt, Joseph A. |publisher=University of Pittsburgh Press |year=2007 |page=202 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vm1j3XiZiWMC |isbn=978-0-8229-4335-8}}</ref> Neither the economy nor the culture of the city was the same afterward.<ref name="TM: Grande Dame, 216">{{Cite web|title=Grande Dame of the Gulf |work=Texas Monthly |author=Paul Burka |date=December 1, 1983 |access-date=September 27, 2009 |url=http://www.texasmonthly.com/1983-12-01/feature5-3.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604051626/http://www.texasmonthly.com/1983-12-01/feature5-3.php |archive-date=June 4, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Expensive Stilt Houses on Galveston's East Beach.jpg|210px|thumb|Expensive Stilt Houses on Galveston's East Beach]]
[[File:Galveston (Texas).jpg|thumb|right|Downtown Galveston as viewed from the air]]
[[File:Lets Play Chess Strand Galveston.jpg|thumb|Playing chess on the Strand]]

In 1947, buildings in the city were damaged when a ship carrying 2,200 tons of [[ammonium nitrate]] exploded at the nearby [[Port of Texas City]], in what became known as the [[Texas City disaster]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texascity-library.org/page/history.1947.explosion1 |title=The First Explosion – 1947 Texas City Disaster |website=www.texascity-library.org |access-date=August 4, 2020 |archive-date=September 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918165102/http://www.texascity-library.org/page/history.1947.explosion1 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The island's economy began a long stagnation. Many businesses relocated off the island during this period, but health care, insurance, and financial industries continue to be strong contributors to the economy. By 1959, the city of Houston had long outpaced Galveston in population and economic growth. Beginning in 1957, the Galveston Historical Foundation began its efforts to preserve historic buildings.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Energy metropolis: an environmental history of Houston and the Gulf Coast |author1=Melosi, Martin V. |author2=Pratt, Joseph A. |publisher=University of Pittsburgh Press |year=2007 |page=202 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KtpwM38sPj0C |isbn=978-0-8229-4335-8 |access-date=October 17, 2020 |archive-date=January 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200107133637/https://books.google.com/books?id=KtpwM38sPj0C |url-status=live}}</ref> The 1966 book ''The Galveston That Was'' helped encourage the preservation movement. Restoration efforts financed by motivated investors, notably Houston businessman [[George P. Mitchell]], gradually developed the [[Strand Historic District]] and reinvented other areas. A new, family-oriented tourism emerged in the city over many years.

In September 1961, [[Hurricane Carla]] struck the city, generating an F4 tornado that killed eight and injured 200.

With the 1960s came the expansion of higher education in Galveston. Already home to the University of Texas Medical Branch, the city got a boost in 1962 with the creation of the Texas Maritime Academy, predecessor of [[Texas A&M University at Galveston]]; and by 1967, a [[community college]], [[Galveston College]], had been established.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The History of Galveston College |work=Galveston College |access-date=October 4, 2009 |url=http://www.gc.edu/gc/GC_History.asp?SnID=1413310913 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090921222800/http://www.gc.edu/gc/GC_History.asp?SnID=1413310913 |archive-date=September 21, 2009}}<br>{{Cite web |title=Students brave the simulated seas |work=The Galveston County Daily News |author=Rhiannon Myers |date=November 14, 2007 |access-date=September 13, 2009 |url=http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=9751907adb742ca7 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928061037/http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=9751907adb742ca7 |archive-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref>

In the 2000s, property values rose after expensive projects were completed,<ref>Novak, Shonda [https://web.archive.org/web/20060813121057/http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/realestate/07/22coastal.html "Growth Wave Hits Galveston"]. ''[[Austin American-Statesman]]''. July 22, 2006.</ref> and demand for second homes by the wealthy increased. It has made it difficult for middle-class workers to find affordable housing on the island.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Workers in Galveston increasingly can't afford to live there |work=Houston Chronicle |author=Harvey Rice |date=February 22, 2007 |access-date=October 4, 2009 |url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4291019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111224152735/http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4291019 |archive-date=December 24, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Hurricane Ike]] made landfall on Galveston Island in the early morning of September 13, 2008, as a category-2 hurricane with winds of 110 miles per hour. Damage was extensive to buildings along the seawall.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ike Insured Damage Estimates Range from $6B to $18B |work=Texas / South Central News, Insurance Journal |date=September 15, 2008 |access-date=October 3, 2009 |url=http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southcentral/2008/09/15/93698.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316181528/http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southcentral/2008/09/15/93698.htm |archive-date=March 16, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

After the storm, the island was rebuilt with investments in tourism and shipping, and continued emphasis on higher education and health care, notably the addition of the [[Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier]] and the replacement of the [[Bascule bridge|bascule]]-type [[Drawbridge (American English)|drawbridge]] on the railroad causeway with a [[Vertical-lift bridge|vertical-lift]]-type drawbridge to allow heavier freight.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texastribune.org/2013/04/26/galveston-still-healing-5-years-after-hurricane-ik/ |title=Galveston Still Healing 5 Years After Hurricane Ike |work=The Texas Tribune |access-date=September 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926091222/http://www.texastribune.org/2013/04/26/galveston-still-healing-5-years-after-hurricane-ik/ |archive-date=September 26, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Jervis |first=Rick |title=After rebuilding from Hurricane Ike, Galveston deals with oil spill |website=USA TODAY |date=March 25, 2014 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/25/galveston-oil-spill-ike/6884693/ |access-date=September 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914002356/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/25/galveston-oil-spill-ike/6884693/ |archive-date=September 14, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>