Historic Engineering
After 1900, Galveston Built a Seawall and Raised the Entire City
Following the 1900 hurricane, Galveston constructed a seawall — originally six miles long, later extended — and pumped sand from the Gulf to raise the elevation of 2,000-plus buildings.
The 1900 hurricane killed between 6,000 and 8,000 people in Galveston city alone — one of the deadliest natural disasters in American history. The city's response was extraordinary. Leaders built a concrete seawall standing 17 feet above mean low tide. They also raised the grade of the island by pumping sand from the Gulf floor underneath more than 2,100 buildings.
This engineering effort is documented by the Texas State Historical Association. Today the seawall still runs along the Gulf shore and is part of daily life on the island. It is also a popular walking and biking path. The 1900 storm and the response to it shaped the identity of the city and county.
Source to confirm: TSHA Handbook of Texas — Galveston Hurricane of 1900