Galveston: A City on Stilts - Tapa blanda

Title: Arcadia Publishing Donates $20,000 to Historical Organization
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing Press Release
Date: 5/20/09

Struggling economy doesn't deter regional history publisher from bestowing charitable gift.

Charleston, SC based Arcadia Publishing released a new book entitled Galveston: A City on Stilts shortly after Hurricane Ike ripped through the Texas island in September 2008. The devastation left behind by Hurricane Ike deeply touched Arcadia Publishing employees. President and CEO Richard Joseph said, "When a tragedy like that happens, no matter how far away it is, your first instinct is to want to help."

Arcadia Publishing, who has an ongoing partnership with the Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF), pledged to donate all profits from the first printing of the book, a guaranteed amount of $20,000. That promise was fulfilled earlier this month during the Foundation's annual Preservation Awards event.

Dwayne Jones, Executive Director of the GHF, said "Arcadia Publishing's generosity, especially during these tough economic times, is truly amazing. We are so grateful for this gift. This donation makes it possible for us to continue to preserve the rich and diverse historic buildings of Galveston." Joseph, who traveled to Galveston to present the check in person, shared "Our employees were motivated and it seemed like the right thing to do. I'm so glad we could help."

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Arcadia Publishing's mission is to make history accessible and meaningful, and to celebrate and preserve the heritage of America's people and places.

Galveston: A City on Stilts is available from Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or www.arcadiapublishing.com.

Title: "Galveston: A City on Stilts" book review

Author: Tim Heller

Publisher: KTRK-13 ABC News

Date: 2/19/2009

For me, one of the most fascinating events in Galveston's history was not the hurricane of 1900 but the raising of the island to protect the city from future storms.

A new book, "Galveston: A City on Stilts" looks back at the bold decision to build a seawall and raise the land behind it 17' above sea level. Now in its third printing, the book is published by the Galveston Historical Foundation and Arcadia Press.

How the book came about is as interesting as the story it tells. Zeva B. Edworthy arrived in Galveston shortly after the 1900 hurricane. He spent the next several years taking pictures around town, documenting the rebuilding of the island. Edworthy's family found the treasure box of photographs after his death and donated them to the Galveston Historical Foundation.

I have books that show a few pictures of Galveston from that time period, but there are over 200 pictures in "A City on Stilts." It's an amazing collection of photographs with narratives supplied by the Galveston County Historical Museum curators Jodi Wright-Gidley and Jennifer Marines. There are really four stories featured in the book: constructing the seawall; raising buildings up onto stilts; pumping in the sandy fill; and life on the island over a six-year period while all this was going on.

Since it's primarily a picture book, it's a quick read. But you won't be able to put the book down. The high-quality, black and white photographs show a view of Galveston you probably have never seen before. Wright-Gidley and Marines packed the pages with little-known facts that make the story of Galveston even more amazing. I only wished they had included a map of the island so those not familiar with the city could realize the enormity of the task taken on by city leaders over a hundred years ago.

Edworthy's photographs were featured in a popular exhibit at the Galveston County Historical Museum in 2007. However, last fall the museum was damaged by Hurricane Ike and is now closed. Curators told me they are working to finish repairs and hope to re-open in a few months.

In the meantime, you can buy the book online and at booksellers around the area. Proceeds benefit the Galveston Historical Foundation.

Title: Area publisher helps after hurricane

Author: Staff Writer

Publisher: The Post and Courier

Date: 5/31/09

Arcadia Publishing, a Mount Pleasant-based book company, has donated $20,000 to the Galveston Historical Foundation to assist the Texas community in its rebuilding effort after Hurricane Ike ripped through the coastal area in September 2008.

Arcadia, which recently released a book titled "Galveston: A City on Stilts," pledged to donate profits from the first printing (a guaranteed $20,000) to the Galveston Historical Foundation, with which the publisher has maintained an ongoing partnership.

The devastation left behind by Hurricane Ike deeply touched Arcadia employees, according to President and CEO Richard Joseph.

"When a tragedy like that happens, no matter how far away it is, your first instinct is to want to help," Joseph said in a statement.

The gift was delivered to foundation Executive Director Dwayne Jones and President Tom Schwenk during the 2009 Historic Preservation Awards held in Galveston on May 8.

"Arcadia Publishing's generosity, especially during these tough economic times, is truly amazing," Jones said. "We are so grateful for this gift. This donation makes it possible for us to continue to preserve the rich and diverse historic buildings of Galveston."

On September 8, 1900, a devastating hurricane destroyed most of the island city of Galveston, along with the lives of more than 6,000 men, women, and children. Today that hurricane remains the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Despite this tragedy, many Galvestonians were determined to rebuild their city. An ambitious plan was developed to construct a wall against the sea, link the island to the mainland with a reliable concrete bridge, and raise the level of the city. While the grade was raised beneath them, houses were perched on stilts and residents made their way through town on elevated boardwalks. Galveston became a "city on stilts." While Galvestonians worked to rebuild the infrastructure of their city, they also continued conducting business and participating in recreational activities. Zeva B. Edworthy's photographs document the rebuilding of the port city and life around Galveston in the early 1900s.