Free State of Galveston but authorities were never able to make the charges stick, and indeed some sources claim that they were genuinely false. Like much of the country, and particularly Texas, Galveston boomed in the 1920s. But even the Great Depression did not stop Galveston's run of prosperity. Despite the financial ruin that faced much of the country during the Depression, not a single Galveston bank failed and unemployment was almost unheard of. Key business sectors in Galveston during the "Free State" era were casinos and prostitution, in addition to many legitimate businesses. During much of the period, the vice industries provided the
Port of Galveston parking lot for cruise passengers to leave their cars. It also charges an access fee for private operators to enter the cruise terminal area to pick up or drop off passengers. Several parking operators sued the port over these fees. In January 2017, the United States Federal Maritime Commission unanimously upheld the port's right to charge them. In February 2016, the port completed construction on the Galveston Downtown Transit Terminal. Designed to "connect the port to the city itself", the facility contains a shopping center and parking. Port of Galveston The Port of Galveston is the port of the city