Galveston Bay is the second-busiest port in the nation by overall tonnage. Other major ports utilizing the bay include the Port of Texas City and the Port of Galveston. With its diverse marine life, Galveston Bay also produces more seafood than any bay in the nation except the Chesapeake. The Gulf Coast gained its present configuration during the most recent glacial period approximately 18 ka (thousands of years ago). Low global sea levels allowed the Texas mainland to extend significantly further south than it is presently, and the Trinity River had carved a deep canyon through present-day Bolivar Roads on its way
Free State of Galveston Coast League was established and the Galveston White Caps team was created. Galveston won the championship in 1953 but the team then faded and was disbanded in 1955 as the rest of Galveston's economy was collapsing. The city created the Oleander Bowl football tournament in 1948, which evolved into the Shrimp Bowl and lasted until the late 1950s. Originally a tournament between colleges in the region, it eventually became a contest between local military units. The tournament was never especially successful only bringing in modest crowds at its peak. Following the 1900 hurricane, Galveston adopted a commission government (in 1960