Gilchrist, Texas is an unincorporated residential community and beachfront resort along State Highway 87, located seventeen miles east of Bolivar Point in the Bolivar Peninsula census-designated place, in Galveston County, Texas, United States. In 1990 and 2000, Gilchrist's core population was about 750, but would see more residents due to seasonal visitors. When the settlement was decimated by Hurricane Ike on September 13, 2008, about 1,000 permanent residents had lived there, but were under evacuation orders. Several businesses in the community had operated to furnish necessities for permanent residents as well as tourists. History Located in Galveston County, this community was named for Gibb Gilchrist (1887-1972) who relocated and rebuilt the rail line from High Island to Port Bolivar following the 1915 hurricane destruction. This settlement before this event was called Rollover. In 1950, a post office was opened at Gilchrist. A notable feature of the community was Rollover Pass (or Rollover Fish Pass), which divided Bolivar Peninsula as well as Gilchrist and carried water between East Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. It was regarded among sportsmen as a very popular fishing location in Texas with some the largest fish in the state. Rollover Pass was a natural high-tide pass that had been dredged wider in 1955 by the Texas Game and Fish Commission as part of its efforts to preserve and improve fish and wildlife resources. In late 2019 contractors hired by the Texas General Land Office installed steel barriers and, months later, dumped dirt into the Pass to close off water flow. Hurricane Carla caused damage to Gilchrist. On April 23, 1991, the community, and other areas of Galveston County, received an enhanced 9-1-1 system which routes calls to proper dispatchers and allows dispatchers to automatically view the address of the caller. Hurricane Ike On September 13, 2008, Gilchrist was devastated by Hurricane Ike, which completely destroyed all but a few homes. About 1,000 permanent residents had lived there. The coastline along Gilchrist, once a straight line, became jagged and desolate, permanently altered by Ike's turbulent storm tide. NOAA aerial photography reveals complete destruction of Gilchrist. The Rollover Pass bridge on Highway 87 was reduced to one lane. Of the 1,000 buildings in Gilchrist, 99.5% of them were knocked off of their foundations. The storm demolished most and washed others into East Bay and swamplands behind Gilchrist. Of all of the houses in one section of Gilchrist,