Forgotten Gateway: Coming to America Through Galveston Island

A traveling exhibition by the Bullock Texas State History Museum presented in partnership with Humanities Texas, on view from February 6 to April 28, 2025.

From 1845 to 1924, the Port of Galveston was a major gateway for American immigration. This exhibition is the first of its kind to explore Galveston’s legacy as a port of entry on a national scale. It brings to light the little-known, yet rich, era of Galveston’s history and importance to the growth of Texas and the American Midwest.
 
While Ellis Island’s location in New York made it a natural port for Europeans, Galveston attracted a diverse group of people from Europe, Mexico, South and Central America, and even Asia. The exhibition highlights enduring themes in the history of immigration including the dangers of the journey, making a life in a new land, navigating bureaucracy, and confronting discrimination.