Crystal Beach, Texas

Crystal Beach after Hurricane Ike
Crystal Beach (center right) on Bolivar Peninsula, southeast of Houston
Crystal Beach
Crystal Beach
Crystal Beach (center right) on Bolivar Peninsula, southeast of Houston

Crystal Beach is an unincorporated community in the Bolivar Peninsula census-designated place, in Galveston County, Texas, United States. Also known as Patton, Crystal Beach stretches 7 miles (10 km) along Texas State Highway 87 in the middle of Bolivar Peninsula.[1]

Crystal Beach is located along 27 miles of beach on the Bolivar Peninsula. It is a popular destination due to allowing camping and fires, as well as its fishing opportunities. Some fish in the surf, and others on the rocks of the North Jetty. The Rollover Fish Pass has been filled in and can no longer be fished, as of 2020. The pass is named for the practice of ship captains from the days of Spanish rule through Prohibition, who, to avoid the Galveston customs station, rolled barrels of import or export merchandise over that part of the peninsula.[2]

Crystal Beach is served by the Bolivar Chamber of Commerce, which is the official source for business, tourism and government information for the Bolivar Peninsula.

Crystal Beach and the entire Bolivar Peninsula suffered catastrophic damage from Hurricane Ike on September 12–13, 2008.[3] The majority of the area was damaged by a storm surge of over 20 feet,[4] added to the morning high tide, plus higher waves on top.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference THcb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Crystal Beach, Texas-Resort community on the Gulf of Mexico
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference KTRKike was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Tresaugue, Matthew. "Building may not be an option." Houston Chronicle. September 15, 2008.