Fort Travis, located at the tip of Point Bolivar, commanded a strategic point at the entrance to Galveston Bay. It was the site of several lighthouses and served as a rendezvous place for Indians, pirates, explorers, and settlers.
During World War I, Fort Travis garrisoned troops defending the Port of Galveston and its approaches. This harbor was of enormous strategic importance - it is the shipping channel for Houston and allowed goods and resources to be shipped into the Gulf of Mexico and to Europe. The Army constructed artillery batteries for defending the coastline and particularly the entrance to Galveston Bay.
The fort was deactivated after World War II, and today is the Fort Travis Seashore Park. Visitors can tour the fort's underground fortifications.
Fort Travis Seashore Park