History of Galveston, Texas 1825, establishing the Port of Galveston, and, in 1830, erected a customs house. During the Texas Revolution, Galveston served as the main port for the Texas Navy. Galveston also served as the capital of the Republic of Texas when, in 1836, interim president David G. Burnet relocated his government there. In 1836, Michel Branamour Menard, a native of Canada, along with several associates, purchased of land for $50,000 from the Austin Colony to found the town that would become the modern city of Galveston. The Congress of the Republic of Texas hired Robert C. Trimble and William Lindsey to survey
Galveston, Texas with some facilities on Pelican Island. The port has facilities to handle all types of cargo including containers, dry and liquid bulk, breakbulk, Roll-on/roll-off, refrigerated cargo and project cargoes. The port also serves as a passenger cruise ship terminal for cruise ships operating in the Caribbean. The terminal was home port to two Carnival Cruise Lines vessels, the "Carnival Conquest" and the "Carnival Ecstasy". In November 2011 the company made Galveston home port to its 3,960-passenger mega-ships "Carnival Magic" and "Carnival Triumph," as well. In 2015, "Carnival Freedom" relocated to Galveston, sailing seven-day cruises. Carnival replaced "Carnival Magic" and "Carnival