THE MAN WHO SAVED GALVESTON

In the 1970s, Galveston's Seawall Boulevard and the downtown Strand area showed serious signs of neglect.  So did the beautiful but ancient Victorian houses.  Now that the city had fallen upon hard economic times, it was no longer the tourist destination it had once been.

George Mitchell often brought his family to the Island.  He took special delight in teaching his children how to fish.  He would tell them stories about how he grew up here and caught fish to earn spending money. 

George and Cynthia loved coming to Galveston so much they made it their second home.  However, lately it was getting harder to overlook the decline.  Every time they passed through, they would notice another old home or decrepit building had fallen prey to the wrecking ball. 

One day as they drove through the main boulevard, Cynthia remarked, “Someone should really do something about preserving those beautiful buildings.  It would be such a shame to see them torn down.”

Mitchell nodded. He agreed with his wife.  Galveston possessed the finest Victorian architecture in the Southwest.  It was sad to see these stunning homes thrown away.  They deserved to be protected. 

Mitchell began to talk it over with Cynthia in earnest.  They both recognized the fact that the people who lived and worked in Galveston were unable to finance the needed restorations on their own.  Nor was there a leader strong enough to mobilize any sort of rescue effort.

Mitchell could not take it any more.  Someone had to do something about the decline.  With a deep sigh, Mitchell realized he was the only man with the conviction and the resources to do something about it.  It was up to him.

By chance, on a 1972 visit to Savannah, George Mitchell learned about an innovative preservation program that had been established which included a revolving fund for buying and reselling endangered properties.

Seeing the merits of this program, Galveston's native son decided to put the restoration project on his back.  He quickly dispatched six members of the Galveston Historical Foundation to study Savannah’s achievements, then find ways to adapt them to his home town.

Contributions from local foundations helped establish a revolving fund for Galveston that to date has saved over 30 buildings.  The main contributors, of course, were George and Cynthia Mitchell.  George Mitchell took immense pleasure in lavishing his personal fortune on the island where he was born.  He cheerfully provided the money necessary to restore the city's historic downtown Strand District. However, the restoration did not take place overnight.  Over a period of 40 years, the Mitchells invested $175 million in rehabilitating historic properties in The Strand National Historic Landmark District. 

Today Mitchell Historic Properties oversees Galveston properties owned by George Mitchell and his family.  These properties include three hotels - Tremont, Galvez, Harbor House - and a quarter of the buildings in the historic Strand District and Pier 21 along the harbor.

Of all the projects Mitchell was involved in, the one that really caught his fancy was reintroducing Mardi Gras to Galveston.  The Mitchells had long dreamed of restoring the Island's splendid Mardi Gras tradition.  This popular festival had disappeared during World War II.  However, the Mitchells were unsure how to go about it. 

In 1985, George and Cynthia were in the process of remodeling the elegant Tremont House Hotel in the historic Galveston Strand District.  This, of course, was the hotel the ghosts had once haunted.  Figuring the ghosts might return if there was a good Mardi Gras party, George and Cynthia scheduled the revival of the Mardi Gras celebration to coincide with Tremont reopening.

The 1985 revival was spectacular.  The revival featured a mile-long Grand Night Parade saluting "The Age of Mythology."  A huge crowd of many thousands came out to party.  The streets were jammed.  This had been a grand idea.  Galveston Mardi Gras was back to stay.

In short, George Mitchell put Galveston on his back and personally restored it to economic prosperity.  This is one of the most noble efforts I have ever heard of.  To think one man cared so much about his home town that he dedicated himself to restore the beauty and and resurrect the economy of an entire city.  This really is an amazing story.  George Mitchell was a human dynamo.

The list of George Mitchell's contributions to Galveston's restoration is so long that I would have to write for days.  Perhaps a simpler way to get my point across would be a pictorial tribute to his greatness. 

GALVESTON GETS A CRUISE SHIP!

Once upon a time, Galveston was the mightiest port in the entire Caribbean.  Then came the Great Storm.  Then came Houston's ship channel.  Ever since then, Galveston's value as a deepwater port had been underutilized.  Looking for a way to revitalize Galveston's economy, in the early 1980s George Mitchell visualized Galveston as a cruise ship departure point.  It made perfect sense.  Only one problem.  He could not get anyone to listen to him.

Mitchell was convinced a cruise ship would do well in Galveston.  However, very few people agreed.  Frustrated, in 1989 George Mitchell gave up on the city managers and decided to pitch the idea to Carnival  himself.  However, first he had to overcome a major obstacle.  He needed the Port officials to tentatively approve his plan before flying to Miami.

According to Douglas Matthews, former city manager of Galveston, over the years George Mitchell had contributed a billion dollars into developments on Galveston Island.  One would think that would get Mitchell a billion dollars worth of credibility, but apparently not.  Matthews recalled how Mitchell fought the Galveston City Council and the Wharves Board over his request.  He wanted the city to build a cruise ship terminal plus a $750,000 bridge from the hotel district over a busy street for passengers to walk to the ship.

Here is what Matthews had to say about Mitchell's attempt to persuade the city managers.

"The critics labeled his idea 'the walkway to nowhere!'  They just couldn't see it.  Thank God George had the vision to persist.  In their defense, this was such a huge, costly gamble.  Galveston would need to build an expensive cruise terminal without any guarantee that the cruise ships would come.  No city official had the courage to do it.  It was beyond their imagination, far too risky.  For one thing, there was absolutely no cruise market in Texas.  No one was banging down the doors begging to take a cruise trip out of Galveston.  So the Port Authority officials said no.  Well, George blew his top.  Speaking out of earshot, he said, 'Damn it, Doug, if they're not going to do it, then I'm going to do it myself!" 

This 2013 interview with George Mitchell explains what happened next.

Following Carnival's successful launch in 2000, in the space of just a few years, Galveston became the fourth busiest cruise port in America.  In retrospect, it seems so obvious.  How could anyone possibly overlook the cruise potential of Galveston?  

Just the thought of George Mitchell standing there staring in shock at those Carnival executives tickles me no end.  These are the smartest guys in the room, right?  Well, duh, has anyone outside of Texas ever heard of Houston?  Apparently not these Florida-based Carnival executives.  It staggers the mind that George Mitchell had to explain that Texas has lots of people in it.  Anyone with a passing knowledge of census totals knows that Texas has the second largest population in America. 

For that matter, 10 American cities have a population over one million.  Texas accounts for three - Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. 

Texas has three more cities in the Top 20 with Fort Worth, Austin, and El Paso joining the parade.  Texas has the largest number of fastest-growing cities with a total of six out of the top 13.  Half of the top ten cities with the largest population gains are located in Texas.  And why is that?  Because the Texas economy is strong.  And a strong economy means disposable income to spend on a cruise trip. 

Furthermore, how difficult is it to see that the entire Gulf of Mexico lies at the fingertip of Galveston?!  In order to take a cruise, all a Texan has to do is get in their car and drive over the George Mitchell Causeway.  What could be easier?

It doesn't stop there.  A simple glance at the map of the United States shows that the Gulf of Mexico is the natural cruise outlet for 33% of mainland America.  Galveston is the closest port to Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and many other Midwest states.  Hop on a plane, land at Houston's Hobby airport, take the shuttle.  What could be easier?

It is no surprise that Galveston has become the major cruise port in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Cozumel has become one of the the richest cities in Mexico thanks in large part to Galveston.  As many as 8 cruise ships per day dock on its shores.  Can you imagine 20,000 cruise passengers a day being dispersed?   Cozumel is so swamped with tourists it has built three piers!  Cozumel should build a George Mitchell Causeway too. 

However, back then no one could see it but George Mitchell.  How could the cruise industry be so blind?  The ignorance of it all is mind-boggling.

Fortunately, Mitchell's dogged determination won the day.  Once Mitchell did the heavy lifting, the Galveston city officials gave in and built the expensive port terminal. 

In the end, George Mitchell's vision was absolutely correct.  His determination to get Galveston's cruise ship terminal built paid off grandly. 

TURNING THE TABLES ON HOUSTON

People are called visionaries because they see possibilities that others don't.  George Mitchell went one step further.  He not only saw the potential, he knew how to get it done.  Every one of Mitchell's accomplishments was done in the face of serious criticism and skepticism. 

George Mitchell had the determination to defy the critics on fracking.  Today, America is free of Arab oil dominance thanks to him.  George Mitchell was a visionary with The Woodlands.  Of all the planned communities funded by government grants in the Seventies, only George Mitchell's creation thrived.  George Mitchell was a visionary who saw the cruise potential of Galveston.  It is now the fourth largest cruise departure point in the country, one of the top 10 in the world.  In 2018, one million tourists sailed from Galveston.  Time and again, George Mitchell could see things clearly and possessed the guts to fight for what he believed in. 

So let me share a funny story.  For every person like George Mitchell who sees something no one else seems to notice, there's a copycat who figures he can do the same thing and cash in.  Once Mitchell got the ball rolling with Carnival, Houston's business leaders were flabbergasted by the extent of Galveston's cruise business.  They could hardly believe their eyes.  OVER A MILLION TOURISTS SAILED ON GALVESTON SHIPS IN ONE YEAR!   

The thing to understand is that Houston has absolutely no imagination when it comes to tourism.  So here was a solution to all their problems.  Right under their noses, that damn George Mitchell had stolen the Caribbean cruise industry from them.  Of all the nerve!  With an eye on Galveston's thriving tourism industry, city officials were convinced mighty Houston could poach that business.  After all, Jesse Jones had stolen shipping from Galveston one hundred years ago.  Let's go ahead and steal the cruise business too!! 

Galveston is a small city compared to Houston.  It took a major effort to put together the initial package to build the cruise ship terminal.  Houston however has plenty of money!  For example, Houston builds wildly expensive sports stadiums at the drop of the hat.  So business leaders huddled up with the city officials and hatched a plan to put Galveston back in the doghouse where it belonged.  In 2008, at the cost of $108 million dollars, Houston's Bayport Cruise Terminal opened to great fanfare.

If we build it, they will come! 

Wrong.  The Bayport Terminal was a colossal mistake.  Even the Houstonians preferred Galveston.  Easy to get to.  Prettier.  More fun.  More things to do.  Galveston has a beach and tourist attractions.  Galveston has nice hotels and plenty of charm.

Several cruise lines gave Bayport a try, but the numbers were anemic.  By 2014, there were no ships left.  For the next two years, the terminal sat empty with weeds growing in the parking lot.  Not a nibble from the cruise industry.  Not interested.

Finally, in 2016, Houston called it quits.  Following eight years of futility, Houston completely withdrew from the cruise business.  Thanks to George Mitchell, Galveston had gotten the last laugh. 

TALE OF TWO CITIES REVISITED

In 1900, the Great Storm allowed Houston to pull ahead of Galveston.  In 2000, one hundred years later, the cruise ships brought the good fortune needed to break the yoke of Houston dominance.  Thanks to a massive influx of tourists, Galveston was free from Houston's shadow at last.  David had beaten Goliath.

A major symbol of Galveston's rebirth was the Tremont Hotel.  In 1981 George and Cynthia purchased the aging building and began restoration.  They timed the 1985 reopening of the Tremont to coincide with the return of Mardi Gras to Galveston.  What an important moment that must have been for the Mitchells and the city as well.  Galveston was so full of joy, even the missing ghosts decided to return. 

Over the years Marla and I have taken 50 cruises from Europe to Asia including famous departure points such as London, Rome, Barcelona, New York, and Los Angeles.  In all the world, Galveston is by far the easiest cruise departure point to use.  Why is that?  Because George Mitchell moved mountains to make it so.  For example, Mitchell insisted on a bridge across the train tracks and busy Harborside Drive.  Why?  Because six hotels were within easy walking distance of the cruise terminal.  So let's make it convenient to walk!  This was important to Mitchell. 

To this day, I still laugh every time I think of George Mitchell staring dumbfounded at the Carnival executives.  "But, George, where will the customers come from?"

Over the years Marla and I have taken 20 cruises sailing out of Galveston, roughly one per year.  We are not alone.  The convenience of a Galveston cruise is very appealing to a Houston resident.  Citizens of Austin, Dallas and San Antonio feel the same way.  One million Texans per year and growing!  Many Texans drive.  They come early and stay overnight at a hotel like the Tremont.  A day at the beach, a visit to Moody Gardens, seafood on the Strand.  In the morning, they leave their cars in safety at the hotel and walk... yes, WALK... to their ship a couple blocks away.  Not only does Walking save an hour of sitting in endless traffic, skipping taxi rides to and from the ship pays their weeklong parking fee.

This has been the story of how George Mitchell used the cruise ships to revive the city's hotel and tourism industry.   100 hundred years earlier Jesse Jones used the Houston Ship Channel to turn the tables on Galveston.  George Mitchell returned the favor with cruise industry.  What goes around comes around.  Due to his efforts, Galveston regained its momentum and its purpose.  Galveston's tourism industry is so successful that it augurs a bright future of economic prosperity for this once beleaguered island.

George Mitchell is the man who put Galveston back on the world map.

PASSING THE TORCH

So how do we explain the greatness of George Mitchell?

Mitchell offered a clue of his own.  In 2010, George Mitchell wrote an open letter on the importance of Education.  Here is an excerpt: 

I was born in Galveston, Texas, to Greek immigrant parents.  I was a teenager during the Great Depression.  Although I grew up in a very meager, yet loving environment, I always considered myself fortunate to live in America where the opportunities are unlimited.  Yet sometimes we seem to take it all for granted.  I disagree.  I believe we need to create opportunities for others wherever we can.

I quickly learned that a good education, hard work, dedication, willing mentors, and a few lucky breaks meant the difference between success and failure.

Throughout my life I've seen firsthand how even a little financial assistance could mean a chance for struggling students, dedicated scientists, and families to reach their goals.

I've witnessed how underwriting large-scale academic programs, performing arts, and medical research programs can be quite appealing.  Those ventures have far-reaching, long-term benefits for society as a whole, often extending for successive generations.
 

George Mitchell was more than willing to act on his own advice.  His philanthropy speaks for itself.  At the time of his passing in 2013, Mitchell was far and away the largest donor in the history of Texas A&M University.  Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp offered this poignant eulogy.

“George Mitchell was a great example of what makes this university so special.  He truly loved the school and believed in paying forward to benefit the next generation of great Aggies with his time, talent and treasure. 

The George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy will be his most visible legacy, but his impact and influence runs deep throughout our community as Texas A&M’s largest benefactor ever.  We will never forget him.”¯

Who could have predicted the son of a poor Greek immigrant would make billions of dollars finding oil and gas in places where others never thought to look?  In retrospect, the signs of Mitchell's greatness were there all along.  In 1935, Mitchell was accepted into Texas A&M, a school with a strong petrochemical engineering program.  He went on to earn his five-year degree in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M in only four years.  He graduated as the valedictorian of his class.  Whenever asked about the secret of his success, Mitchell invariably made sure to credit his beloved school for giving him the knowledge and training necessary to make his mark in the world.

Deeply grateful to A&M, Mitchell valued his education so highly that he rewarded the school many times over.  His visionary support for his alma mater included 135 acres for Texas A&M University at Galveston’s main campus.   Then there was the $88 million to Texas A&M Physics and Astronomy — most recently a $20 million legacy gift in 2012 to benefit his namesake Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy up at College Station.

Admiral Robert Smith III, school president, offered high praise for A&M's favorite son.

"To say George Mitchell was a great man with foresight and generosity isn't enough.  His contributions to this university literally made this institution possible."

George Mitchell thoroughly enjoyed being able to express his gratitude to his alma mater.  However, there was one debt that George Mitchell could not repay directly.  Long ago, a man to whom he had no connection had given his father $100 to help him remain at A&M.  Not only did that money allow Mitchell to stay in school, it restored his will to carry on. 

Well aware that Sam Maceo had given him the luckiest break of his life, I firmly believe Sam Maceo's powerful gesture touched Mitchell in a profound way.  Unable to repay Maceo directly, I believe Mitchell decided to pay Maceo's generosity forward to Galveston instead.

In his later years, George Mitchell was often referred to as 'Mr. Galveston'.  What a curious coincidence.  The only other man ever to be called 'Mr. Galveston' was Sam Maceo.  This suggests that serving Galveston was a Destiny shared by both men. 

George Mitchell's many contributions to Galveston did not go unnoticed.  He was widely admired by the entire Galveston community.  I know this because I read many articles filled with appreciation for the deeds of this great man.  However, not one story mentioned that Sam Maceo and George Mitchell might share a mystical connection.

To my knowledge no one but me has ever written about the direct link between these two men.  This explains why I have felt compelled to step forward and make this point myself.  Here is what fascinates me.  It is not unusual to see great men do great deeds.  What is unusual is to learn the two great men of Galveston shared a direct link.

I do not know if George Mitchell had a superstitious streak similar to mine, but I imagine he was greatly touched by what Sam Maceo did for him.  Unable to repay Maceo's favor directly, I daresay George Mitchell's deep commitment to Galveston was his way of showing his immense gratitude to the former Mr. Galveston.

Thanks to my research and the personal insights given to me by Mitchell's sister Maria Ballantyne, I have reached the conclusion that Sam Maceo passed an invisible torch to George Mitchell.  Now that George Mitchell had been taught the power of a Simple Act of Kindness, he carried that message forward. 

Upon George Mitchell's passing in 2013, his friend Stephen Hawking delivered a beautiful and very touching eulogy. 

Sam Maceo was a gangster to some, but perhaps an angel in disguise to most for what he did for the people of Galveston.  He gave Galveston thirty years of prosperity during his tenure. 

Sam Maceo touched the lives of two people in particular... George and Maria Mitchell.  They both turned around and dedicated their lives to helping others as Maceo once helped them.  I was one of their beneficiaries. 

Saving Galveston was George Mitchell's way of saying thank you to Sam Maceo for giving him the lucky break he needed.  As for me, I have chosen to share the story of George and Maria Mitchell out of the same sense of duty.  This message of this story is too important to keep it to myself.

As I was writing my book, I kept asking myself how Mrs. Ballantyne would feel about being included in my story.  It is one thing for her to bare her soul to me in private.  It is another thing for me to involve this lady so intimately.  I was very concerned about how Mrs. Ballantyne might feel about being identified as the participant in a supernatural event. 

I had a feeling Mrs. Ballantyne would approve.  After all, she read my original story in 2005 and complimented me.  She read my updated version in 2009 and complimented me a second time.  However, in my book I would add many more details about her life story.  How would she feel about letting the world know her education was financed by a gangster?  How would she feel about seeing her name and reputation involved in a story about Mysticism? 

It was only right to run it past her.  So I spoke to her son Christie Ballantyne.  I told Christie I would only add his mother's story to my book with her permission.  Christie replied it wasn't his call.  He suggested I should ask her in person.  But then came a warning.  Christie added his mother was in failing health.  In other words, do it soon.

In February 2015 I paid what I suspected would be my final visit to Mrs. Ballantyne, my lifelong heroine.  I was worried about her condition.  I had not seen her in several years and she was 94 years old.  I was sad to discover that Christie was correct.  The indestructible Maria Ballantyne was human after all.  She had become very frail.  However, to my delight, her mind was still sharp.  Mrs. Ballantyne recognized me immediately and gave me a warm smile. 

Her first words were, "Rick Archer, I know you!  You were in Katina's class at St. John's!  Where have you been?" 

Upon seeing her, I smiled as always.  Mrs. Ballantyne had the funniest way of making me feel like the most important person in the world.  Today would mark our 7th visit together.  One reason for my visit was to ask Mrs. Ballantyne several questions about the past. 

• "Mrs. Ballantyne, what went through your mind on the day you discovered who I was back at the Weingarten's parking lot??"

• "Mrs. Ballantyne, what made you decide to come into the grocery store that day??"

• "Mrs. Ballantyne, what brought you to Stevens of Hollywood one day ten years later??"

Unfortunately, I was out of luck.  I had waited too long.  When I posed my questions, Mrs. Ballantyne no longer remembered any details of the fateful meeting back in 1968.  Nor did she know the reason why she had come to my dance studio in 1978.  Oh well.  Although I was disappointed, I didn't let it bother me.  Besides, conducting an interview was not my prime objective.  What I wanted to know was whether Mrs. Ballantyne had any objections to letting me share her personal story in my book.  Mrs. Ballantyne was the undisputed star of A Simple Act of Kindness.  If she said no, half my book would have disappeared.  So I took a deep breath and asked.

"Mrs. Ballantyne, I am not sure what Christie told you, but I came here today to ask your permission to tell the story of your difficult childhood.  As you may recall, back in 2005 I first wrote a story about the significance that you have played in my life.  In that story, I revealed my belief that your life and mine are linked in a special way.  I would very much like to tell the world why you are so important to me."

Mrs. Ballantyne smiled.  Without hesitation, she said it was okay.  "I remember your story, Rick.  Of course you have my permission!" 

And then she grinned.  Mrs. Ballantyne got that familiar twinkle in her eye.  

"But only on one condition..."

My heart stopped beating.  What could it be??

"You have to promise me you will tell the story of the time I beat my brother George at tennis when he was captain of the A&M varsity!!!"  

And then she flashed that huge smile of hers. 

As waves of relief washed over me, I smiled too.  What a thing to ask for!  I nodded and said, "Don't worry, Mrs. Ballantyne.  The story is already in the book."

There was one other question I wanted to ask.  I had always wondered if George Mitchell was aware of the spiritual connection between him and Sam Maceo.  Today I wanted to ask if Maria Ballantyne sensed that she and I shared a spiritual connection.

Unsure how to phrase the question, I decided to keep it simple.

"Mrs. Ballantyne, do you believe in Fate?"

Mrs. Ballantyne thought about it for a while.  She looked at me very carefully, then spoke up. 

"Rick, I will tell you what I do believe in.  I believe in Miracles."

I nodded. 

"Yes, Mrs. Ballantyne, so do I.  One more thing.  I love you for what you did for me.  Thank you so much."

Maria Ballantyne passed away three months later.  Her children wrote a lovely tribute.  I particularly liked this passage. 

"Mom's dream was to marry a man her children could respect and to create the home she never had growing up. That she did. We adored and respected our father, an internationally renowned head and neck cancer surgeon who worked at M.D. Anderson his entire career.

The warm, inviting, beautiful home she created was constantly filled with her children's friends, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and the 26 people from all over the world who lived with Mom at various times. The famous Christmas parties hosted for over 45 years and pool parties for Dad's residents filled our home with music, joy, and laughter. Our home was also a haven for those in need – from the poorest hospital patients to royalty.

Mom treated princes and paupers precisely the same – with respect and a strong dose of her unique brand of truth serum sprinkled with a sailor's vernacular.  Parking attendants, waiters, bus boys, and shop owners would run to kiss her because she saw them – really saw them – and made them feel special."

Let me add that their mother made a certain dance teacher feel special as well.