The Grand holds a very special place in the history of the Galveston community. It survived the storms of 1900 and 1915, and Hurricanes Carla and Alicia. Of these events, the greatest threat to its survival was the 1900 storm, and it remains a testament to the determination of the people of Galveston that The Grand was quickly repaired and reopened.
The Grand is one of the few remaining theatres of its era in Texas and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. As further recognition of its importance to the citizens of Texas, in 1993 the 73rd Texas Legislature proclaimed The Grand “The Official Opera House of Texas“.
Galvestonians exhibited great vision in 1894 when they undertook to support the arts in Galveston by constructing The Grand. A later generation of Galvestonians renewed that commitment with equal vision when they undertook to save and restore The Grand in 1974.
The screening of The Artist and the Astronaut continues in that tradition. The theater is mere minutes from the Johnson Space Center. On the night of the screening, the audience was fully engaged in the story of Jerry Carr. Many in attendance had family members and neighbors involved with the Space program. The talkback session was inspiring and detailed. Bill and Todd were joined by Jeff Carr, Jerry’s son, and Col. Mike Fossum, a retired astronaut.
Col. Fossum delivered an awesome description of his experiences in space and how they changed his perception of our planet and its environment.
It was an inspiring event in one of America’s most historic theaters.
