Galveston, Texas is a barrier island.
And it is where I was born and lived for most of the first 65 years of my life; the last three in Dallas.
I know the island so well -- its past and its present -- that for 10 years I wrote its history and its people's stories through weekly columns for the Galveston paper. And I told them on camera for a Houston TV station's news reports.
I continue to write them for the monthly editions of Texas Escapes magazine.
My book, Bill Cherry's Galveston Memories (Van Jus Press 2000) has sold thousands.
Today I face thoughts and ideas that I have glossed over in the past.
After 108 years, with the visit of Ike, the Island has seen destruction that would likely be on par with the famous 1900 Storm if it weren't for the many-mile seawall that was completed in 1902, and that has been added to several times since.
But the facts remain the facts. God and nature never meant for life and property to be safe on barrier islands.
Yet enormous amounts of building has been allowed to continue, year after year, on Galveston Island, and most of it no better protected from destruction than those that went down in 1900.
You see, during my lifetime, massive amounts of residences, primarily vacation homes, have been built on those parts of the island that are at water's edge and that are not protected by a seawall. Some of those homes cost $2 million or more. Today, we find many have been reduced to toothpicks by Hurricane Ike that came for a visit on September 12-13.
Zillions of dollars worth of toothpicks that will be the only collateral for insurance claims. And all of them, even those that survived without extensive damage should have never been built. Not one of them.
God and nature never meant for life to be safe on barrier islands.
And then there is the machoism, the machoism I once subscribed to. "I'm not afraid. I'm not evacuating. I'll ride it out at home." Another idiotic and a very selfish decision.
So what's the purpose of my piece? It is to ask that the public, mortgage lenders and property insurers will discontiue supporting further building on land in Galveston that is not quasi-protected by a seawall.
And it is to ask that the state pass legislation that will allow the governor to put entire areas under martial law when a threat like Ike is near; thus giving the right to law enforcement officers to arrest those who refuse to leave.
After all, why should the public pay for the poor financial decisions of the cavalier? Why should public servants risk their own safety to straddle idiotic personal decisions of others gone bad?
In the meantime, how will this mess that has been left behind ever be sorted out? How will life ever return to normal for those who live on Galveston Island? I pray it will and that it will soon.
BILL CHERRY, REALTORS DALLAS
214 503-8563
Our 43rd Year Selling Texas
Bill,
You are so completely right on this. I'm from the East Coast, but Galveston has always reminded me of North Carolina's Outer Banks. The fact is permanent structures should not be built on these sandbars. The islands themselves are in constant motion! I just wonder where it was we decided that it was the government's job to pick up the pieces after people made risky decisions.
And Will Nesbitt, you are exactly, precisely in tune with reality and have offered the on-target question, "...where it was we decided that it was the government's job to pick up the pieces after people make risky decisions.?"
Thanks for adding your thoughts.
Bill
Bill,
I was thinking about you and your island throughout this whole time period. I've also been thinking about those people who refuse to leave, be it due to machoism or worrying over looting, and thinking how selfish it is for the exact reasons you've stated here.
Hopefully the powers that be will heed nature's warning and cease to allow development on the vulnerable parts of Galveston Island, however it seems that money and persuasive individuals hold more clout in these matters than nature and common sense.
Jo
My two cents are its much like rebuilding floodzone areas, once on me the taxpayer is enough. FEMA has bought out some homes in our area due to flooding issues and the areas are being turned into parks for the public to enjoy. Maybe barrier islands such as Galveston should be viewed in the same light.
Jo and Gail
You are both so much on target with your comments. Thank you so much for adding them.
Bill
Hi Bill!
Being from Sacramento, California, my biggest worry is flooding from our two rivers...they say that we are in a worse situation than New Orleans. Having said this, I was amazed at the interview of one of the residents who decided not to leave. Her reason to keep her family (with children) was because the traffic was just too bad. REALLY?!!! I couldn't believe how casual she was about her and her family's lives. Do these people understand that it isn't just them? It is the lives of the rescuers that they risk, the cost of rescuing them. I am sad that so much damage was done and so many lives affected, but it could have been so much worse. Take care. Paula
Paula, Galveston has a population of about 60,000. More than 40,000 did not evacuate. That is empirical evidence that there are at least 40,000 idiots living in Galveston.
You're totally right.
Bill
Hi Bill...
I am featuring your post and I totally agree with your point of view. Why should we pay more money o help people who are dumb enough to stay on an Island that is sea level when they are telling them the water surge could be 20"!
Not only do they put their life at risk, some had children, and they put their own children's life at risk, that criminal. Since the surge did not get that high they were very lucky, now they are in the way of the brave people trying to deal with all the critical issues after a hurricane like this. Using up resources that should be spent helping those who had sense enough to do what the city officials made "MANDANTORY".
It brook my heart to see a these two ladies talking to a reporter before the storm hit, and they had two cute blond haired kids around 7 years old. They told the reporter they were "Riding out the storm because they wanted to make sure they house and animals were OK"...how sad.
The part of Katy I'm in was very blessed, we didn't even loose power. I pray all the people without power, food and water will get some relief soon.
Liz
Bill - Excellent blog and to the point. It is so hard to comprehend that people made the decision to stay behind; loss of property is understandable but playing games with life is not acceptable. I am in full agreement with everything you expressed.
We aren't out of the woods yet with hurricane season, we still have several weeks ahead of us, hopefully we won't have anymore hurricanes this year.
Liz - Glad you are OK.
Has anyone heard from Christina Stevens that lives in Galveston?
Bill...So glad you posted. I had emailed you before the hurricane hit because I am a worrier.
I know you have many friends in the Galveston area...I do hope all made it through in good health!
Miss Joanie, I got your emails and I tried to respond but your email address was returning everything to me as undeliverable. I appreciate your concern. My lifelong friend, Victor Damiani and his wife, Judy, left early Thursday morning and have been here with us ever since.
We got to celebrate his 70th birthday together, so that was a good part. They no longer live on the Island; they live in the nearby community of Pearland. They didn't have any damage at their house and the electricity has been restored, so they are going to go home tomorrow.
But Galveston is totally uninhabitable. They are trying to get those who stayed through the storm to leave, and they are not letting any residents back over the causeway. Now they are worried about mosquitoes.
It's a real mess. Thanks for your concern.
Bill
Hi Bill!
I have been thinking of you since the storm hit. The reports show total devastation. I never thought of mosquitoes. I will pray for everyone tonight...it has to be so hard.
Your friend, Paula
Paula, it's really a mess. Your prayers and those of everyone else will really be appreciated.
Bill
{{{{{{HUGGS}}}}}}
Bill
I have followed your posts in the past, some about Galveston, and you certainly have an insight into the isle...more so than the majority of us ever will. I have some of those friends with the "pile of toothpicks." I can only imagine how they must be sitting blank-faced and numb right now.
Bill-
Thanks for the insight. I have been watching this also. My husband (Fire Fighter) has been working the PORT SA shelters here in SA for about the last 2 weeks...and the people that are coming in. He says it's terrible.
I know that SA is sending in a special task force tomorrow, 75 Police Officers (my cousin is one of them) to help the Galveston police. There is looting in the streets and the police force has NO backup. So, these guys are going to help, assist and try to keep the peace. I pray that they will be able to accomplish this.
Know that all of them are in our prayers!
More Information About It HERE: http://AboutHurricaneIke.com
HURRICANE IKE UPDATE: 9-23-2008
Friends have sent me photos they and their families took of the damage their homes sustained. Totally amazing. Million dollar waterfront homes with a whole exterior wall missing. Four and 5 feet of water inside with antique furniture floating like barges.
Island landmarks now only landmarks in our memories.
One after another saying that they do not plan to remain as Galveston residents because they fear it will happen again and again.
The Galveston newspaper trying to make sense of it all.
A town that will have to continue its recovery and future with a tax base that has been divided in half within the past couple of weeks.
Publishers frantically calling to ask me to quickly write another book about Galveston while the topic is hot. So far I've said, "No soap."
And finally, I haven't found anyone to ask if my mom and dad's cemetery plots are in tact or did the storm dishonorably trash them out along its way. I'm not able to go see for myself.
Our prayers are still with those on the island and beyond.
I bet you know all the fishing holes, don't ya?!?!?
Our prayers are still with those on the island and beyond.
I bet you know all the fishing holes, don't ya?!?!?
(darn login stuff)
Bill, I can't argue with your logic. I'm a third generation BOI and live outside Austin now. My grandparents each survived the 1900 Storm as children, and never left the Island afterwards, but the home they built in 1920 was 7 blocks behind the seawall and never flooded. My grandfather was the contracting electrician for the Balinese Room, with its kitchen, stage, gambling and alarm wiring. My memories of Galveston's unique place and culture go back to the early 1950's. It's heartbreaking how much valuable history has been lost throughout the Island from storms, even Hurricane Carla.
Having said that, I'm not at all sympathetic to the financial losses of those choosing to build outside the safety of the seawall. You are right that barrier islands have no natural security, and real estate deeds for properties along the coastline fully inform buyers of their risks of loss. Taxpayers and federally insured policies for storm coverage only encourage irresponsible and environmentally destructive rebuilding. My family lost a 1910 Victorian beach house at Gilchrist to Carla, and there was no interest in repeating that heartbreak, and no virtue in accepting taxpayer money to rebuild.
Folks who won't be responsible for the safety and financial security of their own lives and possessions in a place as risky as an unprotected beach deserve to be rescued, but not financially to rebuild there. My thoughts are with all those who are grieving their losses and trying to pick up the pieces of their lives. I hope Galveston has the heart and the intelligence to restrict rebuilding, and we as voters and taxpayers have the courage to say "no" to funding federal insurance for rebuilding in unsafe places.
Hi Bill,
I understand and respect your opinion. I spent my honeymoon in Galveston over 35 years ago. We have continued to take our family there throughout the past years and we have always loved the island. We had actually planned on going there again this month before Ike. I cannot imagine not having someplace to take our family along the Texas cost, whether it is North or South Padre, Rockport, or Galveston.
It has been over a decade since Galveston suffered such loss. God willing, it will be another decade before something so tragic happens to a major port on the Texas coast again. Thank goodness we are not hit with the number of hurricanes Florida receives. Some insurance companies did not write policies in Florida for 2 years because they took such a large loss. The same companies may not write policies in Galveston for a couple of years.
Homeowners and business owners on the coast understand this risk. It is just the price they pay for paradise. My neighbor has lost her home on the island, but she will be rebuilding. I commend these people. Without them, our family could not enjoy this beautiful land again.
Karen
Everyone knows what there own spice of life is.
Paradise in almost any place comes with risks.
Gee, I never get this many comments on my posts! I don't know what to do!!! Please forgive me for giving an all encompassing answer rather than one to each of you.
The whole thing and the way we handle such messes needs to be rethought. If the government insurance programs are not going to properly pay their claims, then the public needs to know that that particular real estate is, in reality, a dud of an investment.
My friend Kathryn always has such an interesting insight. Like I, she was born there, too, and her family dates back for generations. She told me, "Galveston will come back, this time in a different costume."
That, dear friends, is the most perceptive analogy I have ever heard about ANYTHING.