History of Galveston, Texas Harbor and headed for Havana, becoming the final Confederate ship to slip through the blockade from any Southern port. In the late 1890s, the Fort Crockett defenses and coastal artillery batteries were constructed in Galveston and along the Bolivar Roads. Juneteenth, which is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, owes its origins to the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation upon the return of Union forces to Galveston in 1865. Galveston was the first city in Texas to provide a secondary school and public library for African Americans. At the end of the
Port of Galveston then-newest ship, the "Carnival Magic" at the port. Terminal 2 was expanded in 2016 to accommodate Royal Caribbean's desire to base their larger "Freedom"-class ships in Galveston. The new facility can accommodate up to 5,000 passengers and allows for simultaneous handling of passengers embarking and disembarking. Port officials have earmarked $100,000 for the design of a third terminal, but are waiting for definitive interest from a cruise line before beginning work. The port receives fees of $11-$26 per cruise ship passenger, depending on whether port employees are responsible for tying the ship down, or for paying the harbor pilots responsible