Gilchrist, Texas
Unincorporated community in Galveston County · Not an incorporated municipality
About Gilchrist
Gilchrist, Texas is an unincorporated residential community and beachfront resort along State Highway 87, located seventeen miles east of Bolivar Point in the Bolivar Peninsula census-designated place, in Galveston County, Texas, United States.
In 1990 and 2000, Gilchrist's core population was approximately 750, but would see more residents due to seasonal visitors. When the settlement was decimated by Hurricane Ike on September 13, 2008, about 1,000 permanent residents had lived there, but were under evacuation orders. Several businesses in the community had operated to furnish necessities for permanent residents as well as tourists.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How Gilchrist is governed
Gilchrist appears to be an unincorporated community or a census-designated place, so it may have no city government of its own — services usually come from Galveston County and its elected officials. The chart below is a generic template; readers can correct it if Gilchrist does have local officials.
Form of government not yet listed.
0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Gilchrist
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
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The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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History
Located in Galveston County, this community was named for Gibb Gilchrist (1887–1972)
who relocated and rebuilt the rail line from High Island to Port Bolivar following the 1915 hurricane destruction. This settlement before this event was called Rollover.
In 1950, a post office was opened at Gilchrist.
A notable feature of the community was Rollover Pass (or Rollover Fish Pass), which divided Bolivar Peninsula as well as Gilchrist and carried water between East Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. It was regarded among sportsmen as a very popular fishing location in Texas with some the largest fish in the state. Rollover Pass was a natural high-tide pass that had been dredged wider in 1955 by the Texas Game and Fish Commission as part of its efforts to preserve and improve fish and wildlife resources. In late 2019 contractors hired by the Texas General Land Office installed steel barriers and, months later, dumped dirt into the Pass to close off water flow.
Hurricane Carla caused damage to Gilchrist. On April 23, 1991, the community, and other areas of Galveston County, received an enhanced 9-1-1 system which routes calls to proper dispatchers and allows dispatchers to automatically view the address of the caller.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.