Modern Times Lecture Series
“The Opening of the Houston Ship Channel”
Geoffrey Connor, Ph.D.
SUnday, september 13, 2026 | 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Doors 2:00pm | Lecture 2:30PM | book signing to follow
In-Person & on zoom
TICKETS
$20 General Admission | $10 students | Free for NCHM Members
The modern Houston Ship Channel was opened in 1914 making Houston a deepwater port even though the city itself was miles inland from saltwater. Although Houston had been shipping goods from the city to the Gulf of Mexico and beyond for over 70 years, the route had been often cumbersome and time-consuming. The modern ship channel established Houston as a true international shipping port and greatly expanded the city’s financial and political reach.
The port and ship channel would soon enable Houston to pull the oil industry in like a magnet, and to construct corollary industries in refining, chemicals, rubber, and plastics. Houston’s spiraling wealth and influence funded the world’s largest medical center and later its most important space center. The story of the Houston Ship Channel is the basis of Houston’s rise to global prominence and the launch of some of the most famous names in business, politics, and society.
Light refreshments available before the lecture.
Dr. Connor's book The Rise of Houston as a Global City will be available for purchase and signing following the lecture.
Free parking is available behind the Museum; accessible from W 23rd St.
To attend online, register and receive the Zoom meeting link by email ahead of the lecture.
About the Speaker:
Geoffrey Connor, Ph.D. is an attorney, author, and former Texas Secretary of State whose career bridges law, diplomacy, and history. Drawing on decades of public service and private enterprise, he has helped shape how Texas connects with the wider world–through trade, education, and cultural exchange.
An accomplished writer and historian, Geoff is the author of The Rise of Houston as a Global City, which explores how Houston grew from a frontier port into a world center of trade, energy, medicine, and technology. Whether in government, academia, or business, his work reflects a lifelong commitment to integrity, service, and the enduring spirit of Texas.
Speaker’s website: https://www.geoffconnor.com/rise-of-houston/
Sponsors
Want to become a sponsor for this event? Contact Cristina Feldott at (512) 478-2335 or cfeldott@nchmuseum.org.