Galveston Bay

Galveston Bay is the largest estuary on the Texas coast and comprises about 600 square miles. It is fed from the waters of the San Jacinto and Trinity Rivers and the Gulf of Mexico and is home to three ports – Houston, Texas City and Galveston. The Bay and Island were given the name “Galvezton” by Spanish explorer Jose Antonio de Evia in honor of Spanish viceroy Bernardo de Galvez. The Bay held strategic importance, and its coast lands were home to numerous settlements during Spanish colonial times and throughout the 19th century. Prior to Anglo settlement, the Galveston Bay area was home to numerous indigenous tribes such as the Karankawa and Atakapan people. Galveston Island served as the primary port on the Bay until the Great Storm of 1900, after which growth shifted north to Houston. There are three water exits from the Bay to the Gulf: Bolivar Roads between Galveston Island and Bolivar, San Luis Pass on the west end of Galveston Island, and the Rollover Pass over Bolivar Peninsula.