Houston Ship Channel circa 1915 (Fort Bend Museum)
The Houston Ship Channel was completed in 1914, just as the Great War began. From his office in Washington DC, President Woodrow Wilson fired a cannon via remote control to mark the channel “open.”
The new “industrial warfare” of the First World War - with tanks, trucks, and airplanes - created a huge demand for oil. The Houston Ship Channel suddenly made it possible to easily export Texas oil to European armies. The Channel quickly became a valuable military asset.
More than a century old, the Houston Ship Channel remains a triumph of maritime engineering. Today, the Houston Maritime Museum shares the wonder of maritime history with visitors, with a focus on Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast.
Houston Maritime Education Center and Museum
- Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, 1-5 p.m.
- Admission: 13 and up: $8, Seniors/Ages 3-12: $5
- 2311 Canal Street, Houston, TX
- 713-225-1688
- Visit Website
