After the Civil War a convergence of circumstances provided Galveston with an unparalleled opportunity for growth and development. Geography, demography, and technology combined to favor Galveston's commercial development, and the city seized on these factors to spur its growth as an important transportation center. By 1900, Galveston served as the leading seaport for the worldwide shipment of grain and cotton and as a major gateway to what lay west of the Mississippi.

Galveston and the Great West traces Galveston's emergence as a key American port city: from its initial conception...

The Industrial Revolution rode into Texas on the railroads. The entire state witnessed the political and economic climate change as the tracks were laid, creating urban centers and even a new governmental body, the Texas Railroad Commission. At the same time, Galveston was a city on a mission to become the primary seaport for the Great West. Together, the corporate strategy of the railroads and the city's own desire for greatness paved the way for Galveston's growth and transformation into a focal point of Texas railroad ventures.

In Tracks to the Sea: Galveston and Western Rail...