Galveston’s Hotel Galvez, the Queen of the Gulf, is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year.

In 1986, the hotel celebrated its 75th birthday, which I covered as news director of KGBC Radio in Galveston. Listen: MP3 RealPlayer

The broadcast included a performance by Caricature Artist Claude Allen, singing That’s What I Love About Galveston, a parody of That’s What I like about the South, a song made famous by Phil Harris, who was at the event and participated in the performance.

In an interview, Harris recalled his past in Galveston and how he and his wife Alice Faye were married at the Galvez.

The broadcast also included interviews with Dr. Denton Cooley, who had just participated in the purchase and renovation of  the hotel; Johnny Mitchell and George Mitchell, who now owns the hotel; Houston radio icon Fred Nahas, who also discussed the demise of the Shamrock Hotel; Lou Muller of KILE Radio, which had studios in the hotel for several years; Peter Brink, who was executive director of the Galveston Historical Foundation and others.

The report was included in the 1986 Year End program, The Annual Report on KGBC.

Among the special events this year are the officlal 100th Anniversary Celebration Weekend on Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11.

For a complete schedule of Centennial events Click Here