As Galveston grew, it became the site of many
Texas' firsts, including:
• the first post office (1836)
• first naval base (1836)
• first bakery (1838)
• the first chapter of the Masonic Order
(1840)
• the first military company (1841)
• first cotton compress (1842)
• first law firm west of the Mississippi
River (1846)
• first Catholic convent (1847) & first
Cathedral (1847)
• first grocery store (1851)
• the first railroad locomotive (1852)
• first insurance company (1854)
• first use of telegraph (1854)
• first private bank (1854)
• first jewelry store (1856)
• first gas lights (1856)
• the first real estate firm (1857)
The first hospital and trade union was opened
here in 1866. The first drug store, Star Drug Store, was opened in 1867
and still stands.
Other significant Texas' firsts include:
• the first opera house (1870)
• first cotton exchange (1872)
• first orphanage (1876)
• first telephone (1878)
• first electric lights (1883)
• first black high school (1885)
• first medical college (1886) which stills
stands
• first electric street cars (1893)
• first school for nurses (1894)
• first golf course (1898)
• first country club (1898)