The Free State of Galveston (sometimes referred to as Galveston Island Republic ) is a strange name given to the city Galveston coast in the US state of Texas during the early to mid-20th century. Today, this term is sometimes used to describe the culture and history of that time.
During the Roaring Twenties, Galveston Island emerged as a popular resort town, attracting celebrities from across the country. Gambling, illegal liquor, and other representative-oriented businesses are a major part of tourism. The Free State moniker embodies the beliefs held by many locals that Galveston is beyond what they perceive as repressive customs and laws of Texas and the United States. The two main figures of this era are organized crime bosses, Sam and Rosario Maceo, who run the main casinos and clubs on the island and are heavily involved in the government and tourism industry. The representative's success on the island, though illegal, is made possible by loose stance in society and government, both on the island and in the region. In one of the most famous examples of this, a state committee, investigating gambling in the famous Balinese Room, was told by the local sheriff that he did not invade the place because it was a "private club" and because he was not a "member".
Much of this period represents a high point in the Galveston economy. Sometimes referred to as open era or era is wide open because business owners and communities make little effort to hide illegal activities. The tourism industry founded by illegal businesses helped offset Galveston's decline as a commercial and shipping center following a massive storm in 1900. However, the suppression of gambling and prostitution in Texas during the mid-20th century made the business even more difficult to defend. In the late 1950s, Galveston's era of history was over.
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Galveston Island, located in the Gulf of Mexico, rolled out one of the first major settlements in the eastern part of what is now Texas. During the mid to late 19th century, the city became the largest city in the state. Galveston is also an important national commercial center and one of the busiest ports in the United States, since Galveston Port can take advantage of the rapid cotton trade in Texas. The city center is known as "Wall Street of the Southwest" and by 1900 it had one of the highest per capita incomes in the US. Although Houston is nearby as an important city, Galveston is the culture and economy of the country. center at the time. Crimes such as prostitution and gambling, which were common throughout Texas during the 19th century, continued to be tolerated to various degrees on the island in the early 20th century.
Hurricane Galveston 1900 is an incomparable disaster. Estimates of the death toll range from 6,000 to 12,000 people, in addition to more on the Gulf Coast and along the bay coast. Immediately after the storm, Galveston worked to revive itself as a port and entertainment center, including the construction of tourist destinations such as the Galvez Hotel, which opened in 1911. In the same year, the Galveston-Houston Electric Railway opened and recognized as the fastest interurban train system in the country this. The port of Galveston was also rebuilt quickly, and in 1912 had become the second leading exporter in the country, behind New York. However, after the 1900 and other storms in 1915, many have avoided investing in the island.
Galveston had been a major port of entry for Texas and the West during the 19th century, and a new wave of immigration came through the port at the beginning of the 20th century. For that time it was known as "Little Ellis Island". In contrast to German immigration in the 19th century, new arrivals in Galveston were the Greeks, Italians, Russian Jews (part of the Galveston Movement), and others who came to settle in many parts of the country, including some who remained there. the island itself. Of particular note are Sicilian immigrants who form significant communities in Galveston County, as well as nearby cities of Brazoria.
The opening of the Houston Ship Channel in 1915 further challenged the port city. Houston and Texas City, as well as other ports, quickly took over Galveston as a leading port and commercial center; by 1930 the mapmaker showed Houston as a big city on the Texas coast instead of Galveston. The delivery of cotton, which Galveston has really dominated on a world level, is beginning to migrate to other ports in Texas and on the West Coast.
When Galveston's traditional economy declined, the Texas oil boom began in 1901, with oil wells and refineries built across the state. Galveston's direct role in the explosion was minimal as investors avoided the construction of pipelines and refineries on the island itself (though for oil time sent through the island). However, the wealth brought by the explosion changed nearby Houston, Texas City, Goose Creek (Baytown modern), and other communities. Houston in particular became home to a large community of wealthy businessmen and investors. Galveston became more focused on tourism because the city was trying to attract people close to this nouveau riche . However, in the first two decades after the 1900 storm, the city's economy struggled to recover.
Maps Free State of Galveston
Prohibition and Maceos
During the early 20th century, the reform movement in the US (called the Progressive Movement) made most of the forms of illegal gambling in most communities. Gambling continues illegally in many places, though, creating new opportunities for criminal companies. The 18th Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1919, prohibited the manufacture, transportation, import and sale of alcoholic beverages and the start of the Prohibition. The new law is unpopular, and piracy is rampant. Galveston's already loose social attitude allowed this, as well as brothels and other illegal businesses, to flourish in the city. These institutions are so accepted that at one point, the city needs health checks for prostitutes to ensure the safety of their clients.
At the start of the Prohibition, the two main gangs divided the city: the Coastal Gang led by Ollie Quinn, and the Downtown Gang led by Johnny Jack Nounes. Although gangs are largely kept to themselves, gunfights and murders associated with gangs are unheard of. Rum-running becomes big business; liquors are imported from abroad and distributed throughout cities, states, and other parts of the country. A rum row (a line of booze boats from Cuba, Jamaica, and the Bahamas) became equipment about 35 miles (56 km) outside the shoreline where small ships took goods and took them to shore. Quinn is a prominent figure in the Galveston representative market. Partners Quinn, Dutch Voight is often referred to as the "father" of organized gambling on the island because he founded an organized poker game in 1910. The main casino of Quinn, the Deluxe Club, is an island landmark.
It was at this time that Maceo's family became important to Galveston's history. The family had immigrated from Palermo, Sicily, to Louisiana in 1901. Two brothers, Rosario (Rose) and Salvatore (Sam) Maceo, trained as barbers and moved to Galveston just before World War I to start their business. When the Prohibition took the brothers started giving gifts to their customers about the wine (low quality) that they could smuggle. As their customers became more interested in liquor, Maceos gradually became a more serious liquor maker. They allied themselves with the Beach Gang, opened "cold drinks" (ie, speakeasy), and invested in gang gambling operations.
Finally Maceos, along with Quinn, opened the Hollywood Dinner Club, at the most elegant nightclub on the Gulf Coast. The club features crystal chandeliers, large dance floors, and air conditioning (new technology at the time; Hollywood is the country's first club to use it). Because of Sam's good personality he became a facial nightclub. Guy Lombardo appeared for the club opening, and Sam drew a stream of celebrity artists thereafter. The club hosted one of the country's first long-distance radio broadcasts, and featured the orchestra of Ben Bernie (one of the country's most famous performances groups), introduced by the young Walter Cronkite. The club, the first place in the country to offer high-class games, meals and entertainment, and air-conditioning under one roof, was unique at the time.
The harsh action by federal law enforcement led to the capture of city gang leaders, allowing Maceo's brothers to seize under the island. The Maceos are gradually investing in various clubs and other entertainment businesses in the city that involve gambling and shoe sales. Their other big business, besides Hollywood, is a club and casino called Maceo's Grotto (later renamed Bali Room ) which opened in 1929. The Maceos tribe immediately controlled most of gambling and liquor on the island that. The Turf Grill/Turf Athletic Club in the city center became their base. Their wealth and Sam's ability to deal with influential figures enabled them to increase their influence over other businesses and island governments. They have strong relationships with respected business leaders like Moody, Sealys, and Kempners. The influence of Maceos on the island lasted for nearly three decades. To compensate for the ineffective police power and justice system on the island, Rose organized a group of guards known as Night Riders to keep the peace. Residents of the region consider the island and their homes completely safe regardless of rampant criminal activity. Maceos book holders are known to walk to the bank carrying millions in deposits without any protection. The Maceos protect the islanders in various ways, such as limiting how many locals are allowed to gamble in casinos, donating much to local charities, and investing in community development.
The Maceo Kingdom soon expanded beyond Galveston Island and gradually expanded the Galveston area with families with more than 60 businesses, as well as slot machines throughout the region. Investment in oil speculation helped diversify Maceos' portfolio and increase their wealth. Law enforcement sources accused them of carrying out narcotics trade as far north as Dallas and Sam were even accused, but authorities could never make those allegations anyway, and indeed some sources claim they are completely fake.
Economy
Like most countries, and especially Texas, Galveston exploded in the 1920s. But even the Great Depression did not stop Galveston's prosperity. Despite the financial ruin that most countries face during the Depression, none of Galveston's banks fail and unemployment is almost unheard of. The main business sector in Galveston during the Free State era was casinos and prostitution, in addition to many legitimate businesses. For most of the period, industry representatives provided the bulk of the work. The two families held certain advantages on the island during this era: Moodys controls the greatest legal interests, and Maceos controls the largest criminal enterprise. Both families are rich with a business empire that extends beyond the island.
Legitimate business
When the island is rebuilt from the 1900 storm, legitimate business interests seek to expand the economy by rebuilding tourism and further diversification of the voyages. Important non-entertainment businesses including insurance, hotels, banks, shipping, and commercial fishing. Schools of medicine and nursing, as well as hospitals at the University of Texas Medical Branch were stable sectors of the island throughout the 20th century. The Moody family built one of the largest hotel empires in the US, and their American National Insurance Company (ANICO) was so successful that it really grew - overwhelming - during the Depression.
In the entertainment sector various ploys are used to attract tourists. In 1920 the annual beauty contest, named Pageant of Pulchritude (also known as the Miss Universe contest) in 1926, began in Galveston by C.E. Barfield, manager of a local amusement park owned by Maceos. The contest is part of Splash Day, kick-off the summer holiday season each year, and became the first international beauty pageant, attracting participants from Britain, Russia, Turkey and many other countries until the end of 1932. The contest is said to have functioned as models for contemporary and modern Miss America contests. At its peak, the contest tripled the island's population over the weekend. Even after the closing of the international contest, Splash Day was revived in various forms and continues to attract tourists. Other annual events include a remarkable Mardi Gras celebration in the spring. The Grand Buccaneer Hotel built in 1929 creates additional hotel landmarks to compete with Galvez (in addition to many other small hotel venues).
Much of Galveston's success as a tourist destination was the result of E. Sid Holliday, who became director of the publicity and convention of the Galveston Chamber of Commerce in 1925 and later became his head. The Chamber helps promote the legitimate faces of the Galveston tourism and business community (though working with criminal companies). Legitimate entertainment like amusement parks including the Ferris wheel and the roller coaster ( Mountain Speedway ), in addition to beaches and high-end shopping areas (especially the Strand) attract visitors, including those less interested in the city's illegal attractions. One of Chamber's most spectacular attempts, though not one of the city's greatest successes, is the Pleasure Pier (originally known as the Brilliant Harris Recreational Pier). This large dock (later converted to Flagship Hotel), built in the 1940s and used by the military until the end of the war, featured restaurants, rides, and amphitheater.
A significant economic contributor to the 1940s was the military. Fort Crockett, Army Air Force at Scholes Field, Naval Base on Pelican Island, Camp Wallace and Hitchcock air balloon base all helped to pump money into the local economy, as well as military shipments in ports and shipbuilding. The soldiers and sailors are a steady stream of customers for the business area.
Business representative
Casinos that offer illegal gambling and drinking are the island's biggest tourist attraction. Although Maceos operate the largest casino on the island, they are generally very tolerant of competing clubs and casinos, provided that their owners understand and respect the authority of Maceos. In the 1930s Seawall Boulevard was filled with fancy casinos; other areas of the city also have a bag of gambling. By the end of 1950, there were about 300 businesses, ranging from a grocery store to a barber shop, slot machine operation. Bar even more everywhere; according to a report in 1927 there were 489 drinking spots in the city, more than any other city on the Gulf coast and among the highest concentrations in the country. The red light district, centered on Postoffice Street and kept completely separate from nightclubs and other entertainment venues, is so successful that the island has temporarily had the highest concentration of prostitutes in the world (1 out of every 62 inhabitants) working in more than 50 bordellos, at next to other small companies. The financial success of these industry representatives attracted mobs such as Albert Anastasia of New York and Al Capone from Chicago, who tried to enter the Galveston market with no results. Capone's official Frank Nitti, in fact, was a former partner of Galveston leader Downtown Gang, Jack Nounes before the Maceo era.
Galveston became the main port of entry for illegal liquor from Mexico and Canada, delivered through the Caribbean and distributed from the island across Texas and to other destinations. Galveston became the premier supplier for Houston, Dallas, Denver, St. Louis and Omaha; indeed some shipments reach as far north as Detroit. This traffic helps offset the gradual loss of shipping traffic in cotton and sulfur trading.
Legitimate major businesses on the island, such as banks and hotels, can thrive due to illegal activities. Although many of these business leaders avoided direct involvement in Maceos business affairs and gangs, their relationship was hardly hostile. Some, such as financiers, employers, and insurance executives William Lewis Moody, Jr., actually welcome illegal gambling because it brings in tourists who fill their hotels. He is even known to lend to the Maceos syndicate.
The Free Country Economy is not limited only to the island but expanded through most of Galveston County. Across the region there is a large casino operation developed by the Fertitta, Salvato and Maceo families, including the Kemah casino district (featuring the Chilean Casinos Bowl and White House among others) and Dickinson (featuring Silver Moon and Dickinson Social Club). Houston people often humorously call the Galveston County line as the "Maceo-Dickinson line" (a term referring to the Mason-Dixon line).
The activities of representatives on the island and in the area are not unique in Texas. San Antonio was probably the second most famous red light district in the early 20th century and most of the states in the state had significant deputy activity at least until the middle of the century, although most had declined before Galveston did. During the Open era, Galveston-dominated industries dominated, while most other countries were sometimes forced to crack down on their representatives because of public pressure.
Culture
Society
The permissiveness of the city is not limited to gangs, politicians and elite businessmen. Citizens are generally proud of the traditional Galveston approach to freedom. A very important example of this occurs at a political rally in which one candidate openly denounces "criminals" who run illegal activities. His opponent then spoke to the crowd as "my co-workers", who helped assure his election victory. Even decades later in 1993 when Vic C. Maceo, a cousin of Sam and Rose, fired on a local resident whom he believed owed him money, the incident was seen by many in the community with nostalgic recall of the Free era.
Although other parts of Texas and the United States sometimes tolerate prostitution, gambling and violation of liquor laws (eg Dallas is said to have had 27 casinos and many brothels during World War II), these communities usually at least make pretense trying to enforce the rule of law. In Galveston, representatives were made public; according to the Atlanta Monthly 1993 article by author Gary Cartwright, "the Galveston red light district may be the only one in a developing country with blessings from the town hall and the Catholic church." So weak attitude toward representatives that football betting cards are openly sold in high school.
Upscale people in the city regularly attract some of the biggest names in the entertainment business, including Frank Sinatra, Jayne Mansfield, Duke Ellington, and Bob Hope. The clubs are regularly visited by famous Houston men such as Howard Hughes, Diamond Jim West, and Glenn McCarthy.
Galveston's attitude to race is sometimes unique in the region. The strict segregationalist attitude prevalent in many parts of the US is not always as striking in the Galveston community as in some parts of Texas. One of the most striking examples of this is the gradual formation of biracial labor unions of waterfront workers beginning in the nineteenth century, although eventually this alliance became the victim of the influence of segregation. Racist ideology has always been an ever-present factor in the city, however, as revealed by the group's name managing Mardi Gras, Kotton Karnival Kids (KKK, the same initials as the Ku Klux Klan).
Art
The city has many places for art, including the State Theater (today's Grand Opera House), featuring vaudeville acting as an adjunct to the film. Less formal, entertainment can be found in the Bali Room, Hollywood Dinner Club, and other clubs featuring musical performances by great entertainers. In addition, over the years the city held free concerts on the beach by large orchestras and other players. The entertainment venues regularly attract some of the biggest names in the entertainment business, including Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Guy Lombardo, Jack Benny, Gene Autry, Phil Silvers, Jane Russell, George Burns, Duke Ellington, and Bob Hope.
Sports
The Texas League, the baseball league, was founded in the 1800s, temporarily halted, and then resumed in the early 1900s developing into a minor league. During the 1930s investors in Galveston, especially Shearn Moody, formed the Galveston Buccaneers baseball team, a successor to the former Galveston Pirates. The Buccaneers won the league championship in 1934 but the team was sold in 1937 after Moody's death. After the war, the newly created Gulf Coast League and the Galveston White Caps team were created. Galveston won the championship in 1953 but the team then faded and dissolved in 1955 when the rest of Galveston's economy collapsed.
The city created the Oleander Bowl football tournament in 1948, which evolved into the Shrimp Bowl and lasted until the late 1950s. Originally a tournament between colleges in the region, it eventually became a contest between local military units. This tournament never succeeded in just bringing the crowd at its peak.
Government and law enforcement
After the 1900 storm, Galveston adopted a government commission (in 1960 the city would move on to the council-manager system). In the beginning Prohibition of the city council was initially opposed to gambling and vice; although board members are tolerant of small-scale activities that are always part of the city, they are more concerned about organized crime. When Maceos reorganized representatives in the city and made this business more honorable, the council became much more accepting of criminal companies, especially as they became a brace of the local economy. According to some of these reports because Maceos bought board co-operation, taking advantage of the fragile commission structure.
Law enforcement at the district level, and to some extent at the state level, becomes highly tolerant of illegal activities in Galveston, not only because of the prosperity they generate, and the bribes and influence that Maceos is selling. The city police very early became fully engaged.
The Galveston County Sheriff, Frank Biaggne, served from 1933 to 1957 and is known for largely ignoring the mainstream illegal activities on the island. When a state committee investigating illegal activity on the island asked sherriff about his reluctance to attack the Bali Chamber, he simply replied that it was a "private club" and he was not a "member". The county attorney and the local police commissioner are also both involved (Commissioner Johnston once boasted of being paid 46 brothels). According to a former Texas Ranger, a local peace judge would easily issue a search warrant for a local club to Rangers, but would call the owner immediately to alert them.
The behavior of corrupt law enforcers generally does not sacrifice the people. Despite the economic benefits provided by Maceos, these bosses provide high-level protection to the island's citizens. When serious crimes are committed, local police will occasionally contact Maceos to address the issue. However, the island was not entirely peaceful; the threat at the point of the gun is a common way for the Maceo gang to ensure control. Although the average citizen is relatively safe, the murder of rival gangs from potential rivals occurs on occasion.
End of era
Maceos moved
The heyday of Free State was over in the 1940s. Due to a conflict with the US Treasury Department, the Hollywood Eating Club closed in the late 1930s. Local clubs find it increasingly difficult to attract major entertainment figures. Gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931 and this distinct advantage over Galveston, and other centers of illegal gambling, gradually luring mobsters like New York City's Bugsy Siegel to Las Vegas. The competition created by a rising entertainment center in the desert substantially challenged the island in the Gulf over the next few years. However, even in his final years, Space Bali was able to attract the likes of Tony Bennett and Peggy Lee, among others. And up to 1950 the annual income of the Maceo kingdom was reported at $ 3.84 million ($ 39 million in current terms).
In the late 1940s, corruption in Texas at the state and district levels was declining, while pressure on representatives across states and across the nation was on the rise. Even the famous San Antonio Sports District, once one of the country's largest red-light districts, closed in 1941. As the country's investigation into Maceos activities became more serious, Sam and Rose began planning to move their kingdom to Nevada. The Maceos became a major investor in the Desert Inn, which was the largest and most elaborate casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip when it opened in 1950. Moe Dalitz (who opened the Desert Inn) and Sam Maceo have long been allies and business partners; indeed it is the influence of Maceo in Nevada's legislature that allows Dalitz operations in Nevada. Las Vegas project funding is largely facilitated by Maceos and Moodys through ANICO (which lends millions to known mass leaders). Soon ANICO is one of the biggest lenders to the Las Vegas casino. Sam and Rose Maceo transfer control of most of their Galveston kingdom to a new group dominated by the Fertitta family, with investments derived from business interests around the island. The Fertitta group never used Maceos's influence (though a generation later Tilman and Frank Fertitta came to be the main figures of own entertainment). Sam Maceo died in 1951 and Rose in 1954.
Free State end
During the 1950s, more dangerous criminal elements took advantage of weak Lax law enforcement and the lack of influence of Maceo's brothers. Non-vice crime increases in the city. The crime syndicate of New Orleans, headed by Carlos Marcello, takes arms to Cuba through the island. Fugitives like JFK suspect, David Ferrie, use Galveston as a safe haven.
In the 1950s gambling and prostitution were actively suppressed in most parts of Texas. In 1953, police commissioner Walter L. Johnston, under pressure from a group of locals concerned about moral decline and high levels of venereal disease, closed the red light district. However, the victory of mayor George Roy Clough, a regulated deputy supporter, caused the district to be re-established in 1955. That year Galveston was labeled by the national anti-prostitution group as "the worst place in the country as far as prostitution is concerned".
Paul Hopkins won the 1956 election for the sheriff and began closing the island's illegal activities once and for all. One of the first successes of the gambling industry was a covert operation by Texas Ranger Clint Peoples in the Balinese Room. In 1957, Wilson State Attorney General and Head of Public Safety head Homer Garrison (with help from former FBI special agent Jim Simpson) started a massive campaign of raids that destroyed the gambling and prostitution industry on the island, along with imported liquor. Forty-seven clubs, brothels, and other shelters were reportedly closed, and 2,000 slot machines were destroyed. Although officials say they destroyed all the game equipment of the city, some locals including R.S. Maceo, Sam's and Rose's nephews, claim that most equipment is shipped to Las Vegas before authorities find it.
Aftermath
When industry representatives fell, so did tourism, and the rest of the Galveston economy declined because of it. The economy stagnated during the 1950s, and after 1957 the Free State had effectively disappeared. Fort Crockett, which had been used as an Army recreation center after the war, was closed in 1955. Many of the island's most important entertainment business leaders left the city and set up shop in Las Vegas. Neither the economy nor the culture of the city is the same afterwards. Civil leaders made several unsuccessful attempts at new ventures, including the Oleander Bowl football tournament (1948) and Pelican Island bridge (1956) for access to new industrial parks, which never materialized. The city's television station, KGUL, moved to Houston in 1959; phone company headquarters and many other businesses moved from the island as well. To make matters worse, some island attractions were destroyed by Hurricane Carla in 1961 and never rebuilt.
The economy continues in a muted form. The three main families on the island, Moodys, Sealys, and Kempners, basically have unmatched control on the island. The celebration of the Splash Day begins again, attracting tourists to the beach. Many hotels, banks, and some fixed insurance companies such as medical and nursing schools, as well as hospitals. Historical preservation efforts (especially including those of George P. Mitchell) have gradually helped rebuild the island's tourism industry, albeit in a very different form from the past. Non-binding references were put forward in 1980 on the legalization of casinos in the city but were defeated by voters each time, showing changes in the city since ancient times. But informal polls in 2008 and 2010 show that these sentiments may change. It is a gamble on a yacht that departs from Galveston is now commonplace.
In popular culture
Although this era in Galveston history has not received much attention in popular culture (compared, for example, to Al Capone's Chicago), there have been several popular fiction and storytelling of crime stories that actually centered on that era. Some notable examples include the novel Under The Skin by James Carlos Blake, Sydney's Dotson, A True Texas Story by Sydney Dotson, Galveston by Suzanne Morris , and Overlords by Matt Braun, as well as the anthology of Lone Star Sleuths: An Anthology of Texas Crime Fiction by Bill Davis, et al . Galenton's Balinese Room is also the subject of a 1975 song by rock band ZZ Top.
Galveston, The Musical! opened in 2003 at the Galveston Strand Theater and in 2011 at The Hobby Center in Houston; a musical theater production center at the arrival of Maceo Brothers, who created their own empire that sustained Galveston during the island's historical period.
See also
- American Mafia
- Gambling in the United States
- Galveston Bay Area History
- The representative's history in Texas
- Other illegal gambling empires from the 1920s 1950s:
-
- Miami
- New Orleans
- Atlantic City, New Jersey
- Hot Springs, Arkansas
- Newport, Kentucky
- Phenix City, Alabama
Note
References
External links
- Visit Galveston's Historic Balinese Room
- Bali Room, Galveston, Texas (Texas Explorer)
- The Grand 1894 Opera House
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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