Houston Ship Channel and Fuel Facilities Art Print
A Museum Quality Art Print of the Houston Ship Channel and Fuel Facilities for sale by Brandywine General Store. This scenic composition shows the channels full of dark blue waters that were dug into Houston for the large ships to travel. Even more impressive are the many energy facilities and all the tanks to hold the fuel, these are scattered all over the scene. Most of this water in the channels comes from the Buffalo Bayou. The port of Houston is one of the Nation's busiest seaports. This channel is the conduit for ocean going vessels between Houston and the Gulf of Mexico. The major products that go thru these channels are grains from the Midwest and oils and petrochemicals for the energy business. In 1910 the residents of Harris County voted to fund dredging the Houston ship channel to a depth of 25 feet which cost 1 and 1/4 million dollars. World War I greatly increased business at this channel due to the Nation's new found thirst for oil. In 1922 the channel was increased to a depth of 30 feet, in 1933 the depth was made 34 feet and the the Galveston Bay section was widened from 250 to 400 feet at the same time. The channel is currently at a depth of 43 to 45 feet. Picture #81 an archival geographic print made from a photograph in the Highsmith collection.