IKE's Surprising Legacy
Hurricane IKE's 2008 visit to the Texas coast left devastation on Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula unheard of since the 1900 storm, and it has been well documented. However, many may be unaware that Ike destroyed over 40,000 trees on Galveston Island leaving much of the landscape bare.
Most of the oaks in the Historic District were at least 100 years old. Almost all of the oaks lining Broadway and in the Historic District were killed when salt water flooded the Island. Thanks to some talented and enterprising local artists, what was an eyesore and terrible reminder is now a dramatic and beautiful visual sight. Artistry has become an added attraction in the form of tree sculptures made from the oaks, and occasional red cedar that were killed by the salt water surge. Monuments, mermaids, dolphins, Dalmatians, birds and the tin man are just some of the things these once majestic trees have become.
Homeowners have also been delighted to discover that without the shade of the oaks their flower gardens are flourishing. These homeowners have enhanced the beauty of the Historic District by turning the area into a sea of flowers. Many of the houses are pre-1900 and many were built with cedar shipped from Louisiana.
Fortunately the Galveston Historic District has been restored to its pre-ike glory through a combination of hard work and insurance. Our thanks, to representatives of the Galveston Island Tree Conservancy for putting the power point together and bringing this to our attention.
See the carvings here:
http://restorehighland.org/wp-content...
I really enjoyed getting this in an e-mail from my niece, and wanted to share it..
Happy RVing!
Joella