Gilchrist, Texas

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caption=Gilchrist, Texas (center right) on Bolivar Peninsula, southeast of Houston.
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Gilchrist, Texas was an unincorporated residential community and beachfront resort along State Highway 87, located seventeen miles east of Bolivar Point on the Bolivar Peninsula 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 13 September 2008, about 1000 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)cite web
title = Handbook of Texas Online
publisher = Texas State Historical Association
date = 2008-01-17
pages=page for GIBB GILCHRIST
url= http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/GG/fgi14.html
accessdate = 2008-09-18 ] who relocated and rebuilt the rail line from High Island to Port Bolivar following the 1915 hurricane destruction.cite web
title = Handbook of Texas Online
publisher = Texas State Historical Association
date = 2002-02-21
pages=page for GILCHRIST, TEXAS
url = http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/GG/hlg15.html
accessdate = 2008-09-18 ] 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. As of 1990 and 2000, Gilchrist's core population was about 750, but would see more residents due to seasonal visitors.

Hurricane Ike

On September 13, 2008, Gilchrist was devastated by Hurricane Ike, [Tresaugue, Matthew. " [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6003825.html Building may not be an option] ." "Houston Chronicle". September 15, 2008.] completely destroyed except for 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.cite web
title = Ike's Aftermath from the Sky
author = Tim Heller, KTRK Chief Meteorologist
publisher = KTRK TV abc13.com
date = 2008-09-15
pages= section about Gilchrist
url= http://weatherblog.abc13.com/2008/09/ikes-aftermath.html
accessdate = 2008-09-18 ]

NOAA aerial photography reveals almost 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. [Connelly, Richard. " [http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2008/09/goodbye_gilchrist.php Goodbye, Gilchrist] ." "Houston Press". September 17, 2008.] 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. [Hanna, Jason. " [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/09/18/ike.last.house.standing/index.html Their house survived Ike, but it's the only one left] ." "CNN". September 19, 2008.]

Education

Gilchrist residents are zoned to schools in the High Island Independent School District.

Notes

References

* cite web
title = Handbook of Texas Online
publisher = Texas State Historical Association
date = 2002-02-21
pages= pages for GILCHRIST, TX and GIBB GILCHRIST
url = http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/GG/hlg15.html
accessdate = 2008-09-18

External links

*Handbook of Texas|id=GG/hlg15|name=Gilchrist, Texas
* [http://www.bolivarchamber.org/Gilchrist.aspx Gilchrist - Bolivar Peninsula Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/02/ike.missing/index.html?iref=topnews 300 people still missing since Ike hit Texas]
*Gnis|1336524|Gilchrist, Texas