Gilchrist, Texas
Encyclopedia
Gilchrist, Texas is an unincorporated
residential community and beachfront resort along State Highway 87
, located seventeen miles east of Bolivar Point in the Bolivar Peninsula
census-designated place
, in Galveston County
, Texas
, United States
.
As of 1990 and 2000, Gilchrist's core population was about 750, but would see more residents due to seasonal visitors. When the settlement was decimated by Hurricane Ike
on September 13, 2008, about 1,000 permanent residents had lived there, but were under evacuation orders. Several businesses in the community had operated to furnish necessities for permanent residents as well as tourists.
who relocated and rebuilt the rail line from High Island to Port Bolivar following the 1915 hurricane destruction. This settlement before this event was called Rollover.
In 1950, a post office was opened at Gilchrist. A notable feature of the community is the Rollover Pass
(or Rollover Fish Pass), which divides Bolivar Peninsula as well as Gilchrist and carries water between East Bay and the Gulf of Mexico
. It is regarded among sportsmen as a very popular fishing location in Texas with some the largest fish in the state. Rollover Pass was a natural pass that had been closed until 1955, when it was opened by the Texas Game and Fish Commission as part of its efforts to preserve and improve fish and wildlife resources.
Hurricane Carla
caused damage to Gilchrist. As of 1990 and 2000, Gilchrist's core population was about 750, but would see more residents due to seasonal visitors. On April 23, 1991 the community, and other areas of Galveston County, received an enhanced 9-1-1
system which routes calls to proper dispatchers and allows dispatchers to automatically view the address of the caller.
,
which completely destroyed all but a few homes. About 1,000 permanent residents had lived there. The coastline along Gilchrist, once a straight line, became jagged and desolate, permanently altered by Ike's turbulent storm tide.
NOAA aerial photography reveals complete destruction of Gilchrist. The roll-over pass bridge was reduced to one lane. Of the 1,000 buildings in Gilchrist, 99.5% of them were knocked off of their foundations. Of the buildings off of the foundations, the storm demolished some and washed others onto swamplands behind Gilchrist. Of all of the houses in one section of Gilchrist, one remained standing. Several houses in another section remained. Pam Adams, a homeowner whose house survived Ike, stated that many of Gilchrist's homes were built before the latest building codes were enacted.
After Hurricane Ike the United States Postal Service
temporarily relocated Gilchrist post office box services to Stowell, Texas
.
By 2011 Galveston County bought out 434 houses in Gilchrist since the homes were too close to the shore, post-Ike. The land will have limited uses.
The United States Postal Service
once operated the Gilchrist Post Office, which opened on September 16, 1950. The building was destroyed by Hurricane Ike and the post office, in name, was officially discontinued on July 31, 2010.
.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
residential community and beachfront resort along State Highway 87
State Highway 87 (Texas)
State Highway 87 or SH 87 runs for between Galveston, Texas to U.S. Highway 59 and U.S. Highway 84 in Timpson, Texas....
, located seventeen miles east of Bolivar Point in the Bolivar Peninsula
Bolivar Peninsula, Texas
Bolivar Peninsula is a census-designated place in Galveston County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,853 at the 2000 census.-History:...
census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
, in Galveston County
Galveston County, Texas
Galveston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population was 291,309. Its county seat is Galveston. League City is the largest city in Galveston County in terms of population; between...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
As of 1990 and 2000, Gilchrist's core population was about 750, but would see more residents due to seasonal visitors. When the settlement was decimated by Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
on September 13, 2008, about 1,000 permanent residents had lived there, but were under evacuation orders. Several businesses in the community had operated to furnish necessities for permanent residents as well as tourists.
History
Located in Galveston County, this community was named for Gibb Gilchrist (1887-1972)who relocated and rebuilt the rail line from High Island to Port Bolivar following the 1915 hurricane destruction. This settlement before this event was called Rollover.
In 1950, a post office was opened at Gilchrist. A notable feature of the community is the Rollover Pass
Rollover Pass
Rollover Pass is a man-made strait that cuts through the Bolivar Peninsula and links the Gulf of Mexico with Rollover Bay and East Bay on the upper Texas coast in eastern Galveston County...
(or Rollover Fish Pass), which divides Bolivar Peninsula as well as Gilchrist and carries water between East Bay and the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. It is regarded among sportsmen as a very popular fishing location in Texas with some the largest fish in the state. Rollover Pass was a natural pass that had been closed until 1955, when it was opened by the Texas Game and Fish Commission as part of its efforts to preserve and improve fish and wildlife resources.
Hurricane Carla
Hurricane Carla
Hurricane Carla was one of two Category 5 tropical cyclones during the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season. It struck the Texas coast as a Category 4 hurricane, becoming one of the most powerful storms to ever strike the United States. Hurricane Carla was the second most intense storm to ever...
caused damage to Gilchrist. As of 1990 and 2000, Gilchrist's core population was about 750, but would see more residents due to seasonal visitors. On April 23, 1991 the community, and other areas of Galveston County, received an enhanced 9-1-1
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
system which routes calls to proper dispatchers and allows dispatchers to automatically view the address of the caller.
Hurricane Ike
On September 13, 2008, Gilchrist was devastated by Hurricane IkeHurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
,
which completely destroyed all but a few homes. About 1,000 permanent residents had lived there. The coastline along Gilchrist, once a straight line, became jagged and desolate, permanently altered by Ike's turbulent storm tide.
NOAA aerial photography reveals complete destruction of Gilchrist. The roll-over pass bridge was reduced to one lane. Of the 1,000 buildings in Gilchrist, 99.5% of them were knocked off of their foundations. Of the buildings off of the foundations, the storm demolished some and washed others onto swamplands behind Gilchrist. Of all of the houses in one section of Gilchrist, one remained standing. Several houses in another section remained. Pam Adams, a homeowner whose house survived Ike, stated that many of Gilchrist's homes were built before the latest building codes were enacted.
After Hurricane Ike the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
temporarily relocated Gilchrist post office box services to Stowell, Texas
Stowell, Texas
Stowell is a census-designated place in Chambers County, Texas, United States The population was 1,572 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Stowell is located at ....
.
By 2011 Galveston County bought out 434 houses in Gilchrist since the homes were too close to the shore, post-Ike. The land will have limited uses.
Government and infrastructure
The Gilchrist Volunteer Fire Department originally served Gilchrist prior to Hurricane Ike. After the Hurricane struck, the Gilchrist Volunteer Fire Department disbanded, and dontated all their equiment to other departments many miles away. This upset many residents of the Gilchrist Community and others on the Bolivar Peninsula. Gilchrist is now served by members of the Crystal Beach Volunteer Fire- Rescue - EMS Department.The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
once operated the Gilchrist Post Office, which opened on September 16, 1950. The building was destroyed by Hurricane Ike and the post office, in name, was officially discontinued on July 31, 2010.
Education
Gilchrist residents are zoned to schools in the High Island Independent School DistrictHigh Island Independent School District
High Island Independent School District is a public school district based in unincorporated Galveston County, Texas, United States.HIISD serves the communities of Caplen, High Island, and Gilchrist. The school district lost approximately 15% of its students in 2008 due homes and residences...
.