Galveston Historical Sites - August 21st, 2013


Spend an afternoon looking for Galveston History

Start at the 1880 Galveston Garten Verein (garden club)

Back to the palm tree with the orange blossoms

Stone arbor within Kempner Park

Tiered octagonal dancing pavilion is available for rental

A perfect location for a wedding reception

Hey look a-yonder, it's the orange blossom special!

Next is the 1861 US Customs House and Court House

Now home of the Galveston Historical Foundation

Union forces captured the city on October 9, 1862

But were driven out January 1st, 1863 until June 19, 1865

Alex guards the ground floor courthouse safe

Upstairs courthouse now used to display quilts

Awesome Curious George quilt with monkeys and bananas

Corner office is now a kitchen, with more hanging quilts

Offices and one jail room on the 2nd floor

Take the elevator upstairs and the stairs down

View of Customs House on the Post Office St. side

The US Customs House is for sale!?   Quilts included?

Our next stop is to tour the Moody Mansion

Park in the lot behind the mansion

And head to the garage to start the mansion tour

Inside is a 1949 Cadillac Fleetwood "60" Special

1949 was the last year for the 2-piece windshield

Next is a 1953 Cadillac Coupe de Ville "Styleline"

331ci, 210HP, V-8 w/power brakes, steering & windows!

Finally, a 1931 Studebaker Dictator 8 in green, of course

The Dictator was rebadged Commander in 1937

Blow off the tour due to a 40min wait for the next one

Circle around to the front of the mansion for photos

Pretty pink hibiscus in the front yard

Alex poses at the grand stair case to the front door

Front of the house w/State of Texas & 1900 Storm plaques

Nice stained glass on the west side heading back to the car

Kathy & Alex see the park between the lot & garage

Final stop at the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig Museum

Several other oil rigs along the Galveston ship channel within site of the museum

Walk the long shaded gang plank to the museum

Big pelicans offer additional sightseeing opportunities

Finally approach the retired jackup drilling rig

Try the Billy Pugh Offshore Personnel Transfer Basket

Deepwater robot (not Robbie!) on display

WASP atmospheric diving system good to 2300ft

Hard hat diver w/surface hose & SCUBA diver to 300ft

Head outside to tour the deck on level 1

Green Christmas tree of valves and gauges

Cementing Unit seals space bet. casing & borehole wall

Remote controlled subsea Christmas tree on ocean floor

Drill pipe and drill collars at the base of the derrick

Alex & Kathy walk past the blowout preventer

To the 28 crew member escape pod (Harry Potter tent?)

Wire line servicing unit acquires rock formation measures

Back inside and up to the 2nd floor for more displays

Cutaway view of a complex offshore oil rig

Up to the 3rd floor seascape/ocean surface diarama

Same view different angle of different oil rig equipment

Other types of oil rigs on the other side of the rig leg

Look outside to the gangplank and museum gift shop

Oil rig bunkbeds look like Alex's beacehouse bunk bed!

Alex checks out the driller's chair

Safety exhibits in the opposite corner

Alex arrives to the rig from her departing helicopter

Step outside to the level 3 deck & approach the derrick

Kathy waves to stand out from the red rig equipment

Please don't touch the Driller's Console

Drill bits and other equipment

Pipe fitter clamp and joiner tools

Kelly & kelly bushing adapter

Look up at the traveling block, gooseneck & swivel

Head back inside under the helicopter landing pad

View beyond the museum gift shop to the Texas Seaport Museum, the Elissa and the cruise boat terminal

Ship that would transport an oil rig like the Ocean Star

See the same type oil rig across the channel after exiting

Inspired, David and Alex get right to work on an oil rig

Yo, do me a favor and keep the oil spills to a minimum!