Kemah: Preserving History, Restoring Communities

Photo: Kemah Historical Society

The community now known as Kemah started out as a 177-acre land grant from the Mexican government. It was established as the town of Evergreen in 1898. 

 

Two years later, the 1900 Storm demolished the town and forced residents to relocate temporarily. The town’s name changed to Kemah in 1907. 

 

In its 115-year history, Kemah has faced major hurricanes, major reconstructions and increasing urbanization. 

 

Through a long-term community effort to preserve its old buildings, landmarks and history, Kemah has built a sustainable community for its residents and a lasting getaway for its visitors.

 

ALICIA ALVAREZ

THE SIGNAL 

The city of Kemah has seen many changes in its community. Some changes are due to growth in population and progression through time, and other changes are due to what nature brings to the Galveston Bay.

Kemah has been through major storms and has rebuilt, restored and recovered numerous times while simultaneously preserving the history of the city.

The city of Kemah began as 177 acres of land granted to a colonist by the Mexican government in 1824. Its ownership changed several times before it was sectioned off into town lots in 1898, establishing the town of Evergreen. Two years later, the 1900 Storm forced local families to evacuate and then rebuild.

The name was changed to Kemah less than a decade later to allow for the opening of a post office in 1907 because the Evergreen name had already been claimed.

After Hurricane Carla destroyed most of the restaurants on the Kemah strip in 1961, Kemah restaurant owners rebuilt, and many homes in the area were converted to family-owned shops. This area is now known as the Kemah Lighthouse District and is adjacent to the Kemah Boardwalk.

The oldest historical landmark is estimated to have been built in 1900. There are only a few of these older homes left in the area.

“Most of the landmarks have been destroyed by hurricanes,” said Pepper Coffey, author of the book “Images of America Kemah,” which was written in collaboration with the Kemah Historical Society.

The Kemah Historical Society, created in June 2004, decided to collect and preserve the history of Kemah and the people who founded it.

One of Kemah’s preservation projects has been the restoration and relocation of the old Kemah School House, which has now become the Kemah Historical Society’s museum and Kemah Visitor Center.

“Kemah has no library or museum, so it has given people a place to bring their historical pictures and have them scanned and preserved,” Coffey said. “A copy of all the pictures have been saved on CDs and shared with the Galveston County Historical Commission.”

The Kemah School House was acquired by the city of Kemah in 2006.

“[The schoolhouse] was previously located along SH 146 and had several interim uses, including a boat shoe store,” said Rick Beverlin, city administrator for the city of Kemah. The Kemah School Museum is now owned and operated by the city of Kemah.

The two-room schoolhouse was originally used to teach students in first through sixth grade and operated from 1912 to 1949. It was restored in four phases, with the primary restoration completed in October 2007.

The historical preservation of these landmarks has grown and developed the community. The Kemah School Museum holds pictures of the original founders and longtime residents who have shared their memories and history about Kemah.

“People, visitors and residents alike, have become informed about and appreciate Kemah’s unique and colorful history,” Coffey said.

Kemah’s history can also be appreciated at the Armand Bayou Nature Center. The Hanson House was built in 1895 and donated by the Hanson family to the nature center in 1981.

The Armand Bayou Nature Center has preserved the house in its original form, which is on display as the Hanson farmhouse. The farmhouse forms part of the Martyn Farm, which takes visitors back to experience what farm life was like along the Gulf Coast during the late 1890s and early 1900s.

The city of Kemah has new projects being considered. Among these projects is a proposed transportation center, which would be located behind the school house and would unify the historical school house and green-space/park environment.

“It is important to maintain Kemah’s history and landmarks, even within the context of economic development, and new infrastructure within the area,” Beverlin said. “Kemah has succeeded by being a mix of both old and new, tied to its history, and will continue to do so.”