Historical photos of the Houston Ship Channel through the 1950s

1876: Steamboat Diana docked at Allen's Landing, Houston Ship Channel 1876: Steamboat Diana docked at Allen's Landing, Houston Ship Channel Photo: Eidson Studio/Houston Chronicle Files Photo: Eidson Studio/Houston Chronicle Files Image 1 of / 48 Caption Close Historical photos of the Houston Ship Channel through the 1950s 1 / 48 Back to Gallery

As industry and commerce in Houston has evolved, the 103-year-old Houston Ship Channel has evolved with it.

The Port of Houston is the second-ranked United States port in total tonnage and the largest port in the State of Texas, according to statistics from portofhouston.com. The port's total tonnage grew from 35.9 million in 2013 to 38.3 million in 2017.

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The ship channel has come a long way from its origins in the early 1900s, when Houston and Texas officials launched a campaign to create an upstream, deepwater port that would be protected from hurricane damage like that caused in the 1900 storm that devastated Galveston.

Previously, cargo traveled into Houston along Buffalo Bayou, pushed along on barges, according to the Port of Houston's history page.

Dredging on the ship channel began in 1912. It was completed in September 1914, and officially opened that November.

See historical photos of the Houston Ship Channel from Houston Chronicle files above.

Dana Burke is a digital reporter at Chron.com. You can read more of her stories here and follow her on Twitter at @danapburke.