Galveston's Grand Strand

It was a short walk under the covered sidewalk with its unusual roof from La King's Confectionery to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

The Factory is located in the middle of the block (below) on Strand Street in Galveston's Historic Strand District.

Once inside the Factory, I was more interested in the woodwork of this building than the chocolate. (Notice yours truly on the left in the large mirror.)

On the other side of the street was this colorful building on the right (in the photo below).

Greenleve, Block and Company Building, 1882
Nicholas Clayton, architect

Greenleve, Block & Co. was among the three largest wholesale dry-goods firms in Galveston, supplying merchants throughout the Southwest.

Its present colorful details still show its links to the past.

The Strand, known as the Wall Street of the Southwest, contains a significant collection of 19th-century buildings.

Long the center of Galveston's business community, the downtown, with its impressive collection of architecture, is a reminder of the grand past of this historic port city. The National Historic Landmark District includes buildings classified as Greek Revival, Italianate, and Victorian style–sometimes with traces of vernacular building traditions that date to the 1850s.

W.L. Moody Building, 1882

This building started as a cotton exchange.

Old Galveston Square 1871, former J. Rosenfield & Co. Building

Trueheart-Adriance Building, 1882
Nicholas J. Clayton, architect

As is often the case, a simple walk around a city will bring us into contact with intriguing activities. Here, in the alley next to the Trueheart Building among the trash bins and maze of electrical wires, were two photo shoots in progress.

Although the purpose was unclear, the group above was photographing a little girl in a colorful dress against the brick building and scraps in the alley.

Stewart Building, 1882

It was the exterior of the apartment over the shop that caught my attention.

Looking down the street of this "land city," we saw one of the Carnival "sea city" cruise ships. It appeared to dwarf the buildings of downtown Galveston.

Signs along Strand Street added a dash of color to this already colorful block of Strand Street.

The Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe (below) is known as one of the most memorable live music venues in the Houston area, if not all of Texas. The view of the Cafe from the alley with the stairway and wires comprised a strange, but impressive, kind of character.

It was unfortunate that the trolley has not returned since Ike went through town. We hope this scene of a lone figure waiting at this stop is soon replaced by a more crowded scene.

But until then, the bicycle may be called upon for a more reliable form of transportation.