Backroads & Byways of Texas by Amy K. Brown

Author:Amy K. Brown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Countryman Press
Published: 2019-04-29T16:00:00+00:00

This close to the ocean, you’ll want to sample some seafood. Folks come from all over the city, and beyond, to the Seawall for a meal at Gaido’s. Universally praised for both service and food, Gaido’s has been making a name for itself since it opened in 1911. The consensus is that the grilled shrimp and the shrimp bisque are wonderful, as is the snapper, cooked any way you like it. This is not a seaside clam shack, it’s old-school dining, complete with fresh bread on the table and a dessert cart at the end. Not only does Gaido’s shuck their own oysters and peel shrimp by hand, but they make all their own sauces and salad dressings as well. This dedication to real food, along with white table cloths and an efficient waitstaff, has people coming back year after year. Dining is first come, first served, so go early.

The Spot is also laid back, with a distinctive beach-town ambiance. Burgers, some seafood, and plenty of fried appetizers are all available, as are drinks in the Tiki Bar, but mostly people come for the view. When it comes to watching the waves, the Spot really is the spot. The folks behind it have become mini-moguls of shoreside dining. They also own the festive Rum Shack, chill Sideyard, and funky Squeeze, featuring ’ritas and tequilas. Each has a similar menu and fantastic Gulf views.

For another great vantage point, visit Murdoch’s Bathhouse, just down the street on the beach side. You can purchase all sorts of souvenirs here, from T-shirts to seashells, but the best things about this store are the dozen or so white rocking chairs on the deck out back, offered free to customers for their enjoyment. Murdoch’s has been doing business here for over 100 years, but not always in the same building. The original bathhouse was destroyed by the 1900 Storm (page 136) and rebuilt, only to be battered by the storms of 1909 and 1915. Hurricane Carla washed Murdoch’s out to sea in 1961 and it was rebuilt again, this time on piers. In 2008, Mother Nature struck yet again and Hurricane Ike took Murdoch’s out to sea. Amazingly, the beloved souvenir shop was rebuilt in 2009 and has carried on selling seashells by the seashore ever since.

Leaving the Gulf shore, head across the island to the Strand, one of Galveston’s oldest neighborhoods. Located along Avenue B, between 20th and 25th Streets, the area was known for handling the commerce that floated in and out of Galveston Harbor; it was nicknamed the Wall Street of the Southwest. Part of the original settlement of the city in the 1830s, the district was occupied by Confederate troops during the Civil War. It thrived throughout the nineteenth century with merchants, bankers, attorneys, and seamen sharing the bustling streets. The Great Storm damaged many of the buildings; restoration efforts have saved those you see today. That the area is so atmospheric is as much a testament to the tremendous community revitalization efforts as to nineteenth-century architecture.

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