The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, just 30 miles north of Galveston Island, has been at the heart of American space exploration for more than six decades. This connection has created a unique relationship between coastal living and cosmic discovery, with astronauts living and working on the island and NASA collaborating with local institutions on innovative projects.

• NASA established the Johnson Space Center near Galveston in 1964 after a national search for ideal conditions
• President Kennedy's famous 1962 Rice University speech helped rally support for the Apollo program
• Retired astronaut Colonel Mike Fossum joined Texas A&M University at Galveston in 2017 as vice president
• Astronaut Christina Koch tweeted photos of Galveston from space during her record-breaking 328-day mission
• Koch is now part of the Artemis II crew scheduled to orbit the moon in 2026
• The Sargassum Early Advisory System (SEAS) uses NASA satellite imagery to forecast seaweed landings with 90% accuracy
• NASA has conducted Orion spacecraft testing in Gulf waters off Galveston Island
• Texas A&M Galveston vessels and divers supported critical spacecraft water recovery tests

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Galveston's historic hotels tell the story of an island that has weathered economic shifts, natural disasters, and cultural transformations over two centuries. The Tremont House and Hotel Galvez stand as living monuments to Galveston's resilience, from hosting presidents and even playing crucial roles in the city's development from the Republic of Texas era to today.

• The first Tremont House opened in 1839 during the Republic of Texas, serving as Galveston's social and political hub
• Sam Houston used the original Tremont as his headquarters when visiting and warned against secession from its balconies
• The second Tremont hosted five U.S. presidents and featured one of Texas' first steam-powered elevators
• Hotel Galvez opened in 1911 as a symbol of rebirth after the devastating 1900 hurricane
• FDR used Hotel Galvez as his temporary White House during a 10-day fishing trip in 1937
• George and Cynthia Mitchell revived the Tremont tradition in 1985, converting a historic warehouse into the current hotel
• Though opened in different eras, both hotels sparked revitalization and rejuvenation of Galveston Island's economy
• The hotels continue to welcome visitors as living pieces of Galveston history, not just places to stay

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Galveston's longshoremen, both Black and white, fought against exploitation and dangerous working conditions in one of America's most important port cities, culminating in violent strikes and an unprecedented five-month military occupation.

• Cotton was king and Galveston was Texas' gateway to the world in the mid-19th century
• Longshoremen and screwmen performed grueling, dangerous work loading ships for minimal pay
• Unusual interracial cooperation between segregated unions challenged Jim Crow norms
• The 1898 strike turned deadly when police fired into crowds, killing three workers
• Companies deliberately inflamed racial tensions to break worker solidarity
• Governor William Hobby declared martial law during the 1920 strike
• National Guard occupied Galveston for five months—one of the longest peacetime military occupations in US history
• These forgotten labor struggles helped shape Texas' strong right-to-work laws
• Longshore unions continue operating in Galveston today, carrying on a 150-year legacy

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