Bolivar Peninsula

Bolivar Peninsula is a 27-mile-long strip of land along the Texas Gulf Coast in eastern Galveston County. It is named after South American hero Simón Bolívar. The peninsula is 3 miles wide at its widest point, and at its narrowest point, it is a quarter of a mile wide. Water separates the peninsula from the mainland by less than 3 miles.

The sheltered waterway on the peninsula's north side is used for transporting freight and forms a marine entrance from the Gulf of Mexico to Galveston Bay. The peninsula is only accessible through southern Chambers County by land from the Texas mainland. Towns on the peninsula include Crystal Beach, Caplen, Gilchrist, Port Bolivar, and High Island. Independent school districts serving the peninsula include Galveston and High Island.

At the southwestern tip of the peninsula is Fort Travis, and there is speculation that the shipwreck of the explorer might have occurred on Bolivar Peninsula near High Island. Indians occupied parts of the peninsula during the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1815, former members and explorers of the area, and by 1816 the peninsula served as a "highway" for the overland slave trade between Galveston and Louisiana. The peninsula was named by either Hall, Perry, Aury, or one of the men accompanying.

The North Jetty at the southwestern end of the peninsula is one of the twin restraining walls built into the Gulf of Mexico to provide a deepwater channel to Galveston. Work on the jetties began as a construction experiment in 1874. The major portion was completed only after Congress appropriated funds for the work in 1890. Bolivar Peninsula is a unique and historic area with much to offer visitors, from its natural beauty to its rich history. It is a must-see destination for anyone visiting the Texas Gulf Coast.