Texas Coastal Plains
By: Caleb White
Landscape and Industries
The Texas coastal plains landscape consists of mostly prarie along the gulf coast. In other parts of the region fields of colorful wildflowers are a common sight. This region is famous for its vast fields of bluebonnets,the state flower. People come from near and far to take pictures in the fields of bluebonnets. In other parts of this region ,the short grass of the plains makes it perfect for ranchers to graze their cattle. The three largest industries in the Gulf coastal plains region are,oil,fishing and ranching. There are five sub-regions of the Texas Gulf Coastal Plains:the Piney Woods,the Post Oak Belt,the Blackland Prarie,the Gulf Coastal Plain and the South Texas Plains. The Texas Coastal Plains is the largest region in Texas.
Major Cities
The Texas Coastal Plains is the region with the largest population.Major cities include Austin,Brownsville,Dallas,Galveston,Laredo and Corpus Christi. This region is home to more regions than any other region in Texas. Texas Gulf Coastal Plains are the Western extension of the coastal plain extending from the Atlantic Ocean to beyond the Rio Grande.
Galveston Island
The Gulf Coast region of Texas is prone to hurricanes. In 1900, a hurricane hit Galveston and destroyed the entire city and may have killed as many as 12,000 people. It was the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history.The city immediately began the task of clearing up the wreckage and rebuilding. To bolster its defenses, the city actually raised its buildings by as much as 17 feet by pumping sand beneath their foundations. A thick, sturdy seawall was then built along the island's ocean front. But Galveston was never the same; once the busiest port in Texas, with the promise of becoming the "New York of the South," the storm convinced shippers to move north to Houston's safer harbor.Since then, there have been many more devastating hurricanes that have hit Texas
Padre Island National Seashore
Padre Island National Seashore separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Laguna Madre, one of a few hypersaline lagoons in the world. The park protects 70 miles of coastline, dunes, prairies, and wind tidal flats teeming with life. It is a safe nesting ground for the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle and a haven for 380 bird species. It also has a rich history, including the Spanish shipwrecks of 1554.