Military Presence in 19th and 20th Century Galveston County, Texas

About the Book

Old forts, flying machines, marching boots, graceful blimps - this new book takes a fresh look at the military presence in Galveston County. MILITARY PRESENCE IN 19th AND 20th CENTURY GALVESTON COUNTY, TEXAS presents history with an eye on accuracy, and the heart on nostalgia.

The military on the gulf seacoast of Galveston County, Texas, can best be described as a uniquely inconstant - yet ongoing - presence since the first quadrant of the nineteenth century. But as modern-day Galveston County continues a dynamic development, few outward traces remain which might serve as a reminder of these once significant facilities. In the thought-provoking new book, author Dorothy Burns Peterson looks back and documents the history of this fascinating past.

The book gives informative and authentic accounts of the military installations whose presences were integrated into the life and times of a relatively small and distinctively structured area. It emphasizes the strategic importance of the Texas Gulf Coast in Galveston County in times of war. It also discusses the impact of the military installations on the communities' social structures in which they were individually situated. The dramatic narratives present the phenomenal efforts of individuals who served - and the hardships they endured.

From adventurers' lairs to the Texas Revolution, through the bloody idealogical struggle of the War Between the States, the 'war to end all wars' - World War I, and finally World War II, Galveston County's own story of it as a staging ground for preparations for war, and as a protective shield to its vital coastline provides an undeniably rich, and fascinating study of wartime excitement, real-life history in a most interesting light.

An enjoyable read, this new book provides, particularly, an avenue for all, including today's youth, to learn about the past and the events that helped shape the present.

About the Author

Dorothy Burns Peterson is retired from NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, and resides with her husband, David, in the city of Hitchcock on the Galveston County, Texas, Mainland. She serves as City Historian, and on civic and historical society boards, and is a 31-year member of the Galveston County Historical Commission, serving currently as Historical Marker Chairman. The compiler and coordinator of two history-related published books, she is also the recipient of several awards for historical writings, and is presently working on a comprehensive history of the city of Hitchcock.