Free State of Galveston An Anthology of Texas Crime Fiction" by Bill Davis, "et al". Galveston's Balinese Room was also the subject of a 1975 song by rock band ZZ Top. "Galveston, The Musical!" opened in 2003 at Galveston's Strand Theatre and in 2011 at The Hobby Center in Houston; the musical theater production centers on the arrival of the Maceo Brothers, who created their own empire that sustained Galveston during this period of the island's history. Free State of Galveston The Free State of Galveston (sometimes referred to as the Republic of Galveston Island) was a whimsical name given to the coastal city
Port of Galveston to export on the city's lack of an adequate water supply. However, when the city water project finished in the early 1890s, industrialization still did not occur. In reality, many companies were hesitant to invest in machinery on an island prone to floods. The nearby city of Houston was able to better attract industry and began positioning themselves as a viable alternative to Galveston. The port survived the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 relatively unscathed, but the railroad connecting the island to the mainland suffered significant damage. In response to the hurricane, city leaders dredged the ship channel to raise the