Jamaica Beach is a city in Galveston County, Texas, United States on Galveston Island. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 1,078. The city is bordered by Galveston to the east and west, the west bay on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south.

History

100px|left|thumb|[[Karankawa Indian Historical Marker in Jamaica Beach]]

Before its development, Jamaica Beach was a burial ground of the Karankawa people. Johnny Goyen and Earl Galceran of the Jamaica Corporation developed Jamaica Beach as a 2,000-lot resort subdivision close to a marina. The individuals who were a part of the development effort were Goyen, Galceran, brothers Jack and Welcome Wilson, Bill Sherrill, and Jack Valenti. They acquired an area of that was owned by the Moody family. An oil businessperson named R.E. "Bob" Smith decided not to be a partner in the development, but he purchased the Moody land and sold it to the developers. He did not ask for any down payments and he guaranteed a $250,000 bank loan. Initially, the beachfront lots, each , were sold for $3,500 apiece. The "second-row" houses sold at a quick pace. As the subsequent rows of houses opened for sale, the sales figures decreased slowly because while wealthy people were easily able to acquire second houses, middle-class homebuyers were unable to get a mortgage, and needed to pay for the homebuilding with cash.

In the 1960s, the discovery of a skull and that it was connected to a Karankawa Native American burial ground led to an increase in public exposure and visitors. Welcome Wilson said that no additional sales were generated by the publicity. With the growth of the second house market, almost all of the lots on Jamaica Beach had been sold by the 1970s. Due to a decline in the United States economy, the developer closed its doors.

On Saturday August 9, 2008, Jamaica Beach celebrated the 50th anniversary of its groundbreaking. At the ceremony, Welcome Wilson donated boxes of news articles, brochures, and promotional materials in order to build a collection for a museum located at the city hall. In addition, the five children of Welcome Wilson donated $10,000 to the new museum.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which , or 24.57%, is covered by water.

The city has several pirate-themed street names. They include "Blackbeard", "Buccaneer", "Captain Hook", "Captain Kidd". "Francis Drake", "John Davis", "Jean Lafitte", "Mansvelt", "Henry Morgan", "John Silver", and "Edward Teach".

Parks

  • Galveston Island State Park

Demographics

thumb|left|Map of Jamaica Beach

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Jamaica Beach had a population of 1,078, a median age of 59.1 years, 7.9% of residents under the age of 18, 31.6% of residents 65 years of age or older, 104.6 males per 100 females, and 103.1 males per 100 females age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 552 households in Jamaica Beach, of which 14.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 53.6% were married-couple households, 21.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 18.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 962 || 89.2%

|-

| Black or African American || 6 || 0.6%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 7 || 0.6%

|-

| Asian || 15 || 1.4%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0%

|-

| Some other race || 15 || 1.4%

|-

| Two or more races || 73 || 6.8%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 83 || 7.7%

|}

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 1,075 people, 483 households, and 303 families residing in the city. The city council established the Jamaica Beach Police Department in 1978; as of 2008 the department has one chief, one lieutenant, and five police officers. Jamaica Beach contracted its dispatching to the City of Hitchcock. After a large brush fire, the city created the Jamaica Beach Volunteer Fire Department and EMS in 1976. The city also has a municipal court, a water and sewer department, and a building department.

In November 2007 a United States Postal Service Contract Postal Unit opened inside a local business in Jamaica Beach. The West Galveston Contract Unit (77554-9998) is at Bob Smith Drive near Farm to Market Road 3005.

Education

Pupils in Jamaica Beach are within the Galveston Independent School District. there are no particular attendance boundaries in GISD so parents may apply to any school they wish. Ball High School (9–12) in Galveston is the district's sole comprehensive high school.

Previously students are zoned to Oppe Elementary School (K–4) and Weis Middle School (6–8).

Galveston ISD (and therefore Jamaica Beach) is assigned to Galveston College in Galveston.

Texas A&M University at Galveston is in nearby Galveston.

References

  • City of Jamaica Beach official website