David Galveston History

Galveston

David G. McComb is a historian who focuses primarily upon the history of Texas and regions there within. He was born in Houston, Texas and spent virtually all of his childhood there. Periodically, he made trips to Galveston with his Boy Scout troop, his family, and with his friends—today it is a popular local tourist location. McComb attained a bachelor’s and then a Ph.D. in History, and began teaching history at the University of Houston. Currently, he is a professor emeritus of history at Colorado State University. Although most of his published works have in some way related to the history of Texas, he also possesses an interest in broader historical topics, such as the history of technology. Within his Galveston: a History he

The books that McComb has published include, Sports in World History, Texas, a Modern History, Big Thompson: Profile of a Natural Disaster, Houston, a History, and Travels with Joe. Overall, Galveston: a History is a linear chronicle of the development of the city. As such, McComb is largely concerned with contrasting different periods of time in the city’s history with earlier periods of time, as well as identifying the cause and effect correlations that have transformed to city through the years. He admits that since one of his areas of expertise is the history of technology, some of these aspects of the tale of Galveston have been emphasized perhaps more than if they had been handled by another author: “The history of Galveston, therefore, is a narration about the development of the city. There is a bias toward technological events, but there is also

One critic writes, “This authoritative and well-written history of Galveston provides an overview of the city’s rich and colorful past and provides readers, researchers, and tourists with information about today’s historical points of interest. Galveston: A History and a Guide is a delightful read and a useful traveling companion,” (Texas State Historical Association). Although McComb’s book is certainly a very compelling and enjoyable read, it’s clear that a history of Galveston, Texas certainly is targeted toward an audience of either Texas history buffs, or individuals considering a trip to Galveston. Nevertheless, it emerges as the authoritative text on the subject clearly because of the quality of the writing and the level of accuracy McComb’s work exhibits. Though not likely to break any sales records, David McComb’s Galveston: a History is an excellently detailed look at a fragment of American