Last Updated : 25 May 2012

There is reference to ships arriving at Galveston from Liverpool as early as around 1840 when a 350 ton British ship called "Ironsides" was in the port. These ships were loaded with cotton which had been transported via Houston and Buffalo Bayou to Galveston.

The first line of regular steamships to travel between Galveston and Liverpool were owned by a C.W.Hurley in 1871. Texas and British capital was involved in the venture. Subsequently this became the "Liverpool and Texas Steamship Company". Three ships were built for the company. The 'San Jacinto' arrived in Galveston on it's maiden voyage in 1873. She was later followed by the 'San Antonio" and 'San Marcos'.

Along "The Strand" at downtown Galveston, there is a sign telling of Galveston's history which mentions the cotton ships which left that port for Liverpool. In 1874, regular steamships travelled between Galveston and Liverpool carrying cotton. On their return journeys they brought English, Irish and Scottish emigrants to Texas.

By 1911 when the population of Galveston had grown to around 40,000 and that of Houston's about 90,000, there was a choice of three steamship lines running a service to Liverpool, the same number being offered for sailings to New York.

Houston eventually became the major port. This was possible through construction of the Houston Ship Channel made by enlarging Buffalo Bayou and the San Jacinto River to allow larger ships. In 1914 the first ocean ship arrived in Houston after the channel had been deepened to 25 feet.

Texas even has a city named Liverpool which is between Galveston and Houston.