A Tale of Two Hurricanes: Galveston and New Orleans

When we think of New Orleans and its recovery from Hurricane Katrina, the comparisons that come to mind most often are Chicago after the fire of 1871 and San Francisco after the earthquake of 1906. The Phoenix-like rise of these two cities seems like nothing so much as a lesson in how to rebuild after a disaster. But as the recovery of New Orleans languishes and its scattered poor struggle to take root elsewhere, there is a third city—Galveston, Texas—that we ought to consider when thinking of post-Katrina New Orleans. In contrast to Chicago and San Francisco, Galveston offers a cautionary tale that suggests recovery from a disaster can, even with the best of intentions, be limited in scope and close out rather than open up opportunity.