A City on Stilts

A CITY ON STILTS — The Story Behind the Song A City on Stilts was inspired by the book Galveston: A City on Stilts and one of the greatest stories of courage, survival, and determination in American history—the rebuilding of Galveston, Texas, after the Great Storm of 1900. On September 8, 1900, Galveston was struck by the deadliest natural disaster in United States history. The Gulf came across the island while water from the bay pushed in from the other direction. Homes were destroyed, families were torn apart, and thousands of lives were lost. But this song is not only about the storm. It is about what happened afterward. The morning after the hurricane, survivors faced destruction almost beyond comprehension. Much of their city was gone. Yet the people of Galveston refused to abandon their island. They rebuilt. They constructed a massive seawall along the Gulf. They raised buildings—including homes, businesses and churches—and then raised the grade of large portions of the city beneath them. Sand was pumped in, streets were elevated, and for a time people crossed parts of Galveston on wooden boardwalks while the enormous project continued. Galveston literally became A City on Stilts. As someone born on the island, I wanted to write about more than the destruction of 1900. I wanted to honor the people who stayed—the families, laborers, engineers and community leaders who decided Galveston was worth saving. That is why the heart of the song is not the storm. It is the people. The water rose, but so did they. A City on Stilts is dedicated to those who survived, those who rebuilt, and the generations who inherited the city they refused to surrender. A city on stilts, standing strong with pride Where hopes stood higher than any storm tide. Copyright © 2026 Steve Plummer. Copyright registration pending.