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2024-03-11 Touring Galveston TX

There is a lot to see in Galveston even if you have been there before. This mural greets everyone in the downtown park.

The buildings are interesting and so is the random artwork.

La Kings Confectionary is a big draw for tourists. Yes, we are tourists.

One whole side of the store is composed of candy displays.

On the other side, there is a huge ice cream counter. There was a massive line that an older gentleman managed with precision. There were about 6 people behind the counter to wait on customers. He moved people along the counter assigning them a person to wait on them so no one got to dilly dally making choices while everyone waited behind them.

Elaine and I met Diane for lunch at the Star Drugstore. 

In 1886, the Scanlons, a prominent real estate family in Galveston, purchased land and built two buildings known as the Levy Building and the Star Drug Store. The Scanlons hired one of Galveston's most renown architects, Nicholas Clayton, to design the buildings. He created attaching facades with asymmetrical window groupings consisting of arches and elaborate decor.

The original structure of the Star Drug Store was wood; this changed when Charles J. Michaelis, a local druggist, bought the building in 1906. Michaelis hired a contractor named J.W. Zempter, who without compromising Clayton's design, converted the building to brick. This fifteen thousand dollar renovation was completed in 1909. There have been several owners since then and extensive damage from the 2008 hurricane. It is no longer a pharmacy but serves food and sells many items.



One of the downtown streets has this structure at the entrance.

You can find artwork all over Galveston.

It's not easy to see the boats in the harbor because it is so crowded  for parking.

We drove out to Seawolf Park but you have to pay to go to the Naval Museum even if you just want to see the ships from your car and we didn't have time. I was able to take this from the road in.

Sometimes you see very interesting things just driving along. These great sculptures were out in front of the Doc Holliday Roadhouse restaurant.

They look like wood but are metal.

We also saw the Oscar Meyer Weinmobile in front of a hotel.

It turns out that one of our group had dreams of being a weinermobile driver when she retired. It turns out they only want young college age drivers. We grabbed someone who was pulling into the parking lot to take our picture. Next thing we knew, people were pulling in and lining up to get a picture taken themselves.

 

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