TREE SCULPTURES
When Galveston Island, on the Texas coast 50 miles from Houston, was struck by Hurricane Ike, massive parts of the Island flooded. Many homes were destroyed, many more than that sustained substantial damage.
Galveston had always been known for its oak and oleander trees. Well, when the salt water flooded the root systems and could not be flushed away for days, more than 40,000 of those trees died. That was almost one tree for every resident of the city.
And most of the oak trees were well over 100 years old.
The city waited patiently as scientists carefully studied each one with the hopes that it could be saved. Very few were, so those had to be cut down.
What to do?
Someone came up with the idea of making the trunks sculptures and placing them in yards throughout the East End, the neighborhood the trees had shaded and beautified for so man years. Here are some of the results.
The sculpture of the Tin Man from the "Wizard of Oz" is appropriately in the front yard of the Galveston home of King Vidor. He was both a Galvestonian and the movie's director.
Galveston has never been a town that shies away from rolling up its sleeves.
BILL CHERRY, REALTORS
DALLAS - PARK CITIES
Our 45th Year
214 503-8563
Bill,
What a great idea. I am looking to the TAR convention being held there in September.
This is just wonderful. What a great way to make lemonade out of lemons! Was the sculptor a local person?
Sara, there were several. Galveston has always had a pretty darned good art colony.
Richard, and the rest of you who are planning to go to the TAR convention in Galveston this September, make it a point to take one or two of the guided tours. The historical districts and the homes in them are fabulous.
I devoted a good portion of my career to revitalizing those areas and selling the adaptively restored homes. My last home was at 1320 Ball. Drive by and take a look. Another one we restored was 1616 Ball.
I am the owner of 1428 Church, with the mermaid holding the clam shell carving, and thought you might like to know that the mermaid's name is Tina, as in Ike and Tina!
We've had a tremendous time over the last several months with people coming by all day long to take pictures and enjoy the carvings. The great thing is it's getting people into the East End Historical District who might never have known about the blocks and blocks of beautiful historical homes that are being spruced up with Ike funds. It wasn't a pretty way to get there, but the end result has been good!
Thanks for spreading the word!
Kay, my wife, Sandy, and I were one of the very first investors in the East End. It was just prior to the Bicentennial. We bought an 8,000 sf home on Ball on 2 lots for $6,500. From there, we bought a renovated several dozen more. We rented most of them, but we did live in two in the 1600 block of Sealy, and our favorite and last one, 1320 Ball.
What has been called The House Company for a long time, was originally named The Old House Company. I founded it about 30 years ago, and we specialized in historic homes. I wish I had never sold the company, and that it still had its original name and purpose.
Your Tina mermaid is spectacular! I've gotten reports that many in the East End have used portion of the storm insurance money to properly repaint their homes. Several old BOIs like me have made trips there, and called to let me know.
Thanks for what you do!