The Alleys and Back Buildings of Galveston: An Architectural and Social History (Volume 10)

Sara and John Lindsey Series in the Arts and Humanities

by Ellen Beasley

Alleys and back buildings have been largely overlooked in studies of the American urban environment. And yet, rental alley houses, servant and slave quarters, carriage houses, stables, and other secondary structures have lined the alleys and filled the backyards of Galveston since its early days as a growing port city on the upper Texas Gulf Coast.

Like their counterparts in other cities, these buildings and their inhabitants have had a profound visual, physical, and social impact on the history and development of Galveston.

Interweaving written documents, oral interviews, and pictorial images, Beasley presents a vivid picture of Galveston’s alleys and alley life from the founding of the city into the twentieth century. The book blends a unique combination of research, photography, and the voices of those who have lived and live along the alleys. Beasley has uncovered and analyzed a wealth of new information not only about the back buildings of Galveston but also about their occupants and the complex cultural forces at work in their lives.

186 pages, Hardcover

First published April 5, 2007

Reviews

[Ingrid Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting look at Galveston's history. I especially liked how the author spoke to and researched the Black residents as well as the White ones; that's rare for a Texas history book.