Galveston County, Texas maintains an 873 square mile region along the balmy Gulf of Mexico. Located eighty miles southwest of the Louisiana border, Galveston County, TX lies within the massive Houston – Sugar Land – Baytown metropolitan area. Galveston County boasts outstanding medical facilities and a booming economy anchored by the busy Port of Galveston.
Formed in 1838, Galveston County, TX houses a population of 250,158 (Census 2000 data). The City of Galveston, population 57,247, is the county seat and is home to Galveston Island. Galveston, TX provides several facilities for higher education, including San Jacinto College, Texas A&M University and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Other large urban areas within Galveston County include Friendswood, League City and Texas City.
Galveston County, Texas also has a thriving tourist industry with an impressive choice of popular destinations and recreational activities. Visitors can take dolphin-watching tours through the harbor or peruse the many exhibits at the Galveston Railroad Museum or the Lone Star Flight Museum. Addition sites of interest include Moody Gardens, Schlitterbahn Waterpark, and Seawolf Park. Galveston County, TX is also the home of mile after mile of pristine Gulf Coast beaches and several historic ships, such as Elissa, the official Tall Ship of Texas.
