Charles W. Blackshear - Freeport Beach - Age 21 - on visit to William S. Blackshear - April 1934 - Photo is from the William Blackshear collection, which was donated to the Palestine Public Library.

A ruined storage tank, with sides and top crushed in, sits in a field. Debris is scattered around the area.

A view of the Texas City port area after the explosions. Debris covers both sides of a slip, where docks and piers stood. From left to right, the Seatrain loading crane, the badly damaged Monsanto building, and refinery structures are visible.

The Seatrain loading crane after the 1947 Texas City Disaster. On the far right, a large crane reaches above the top of the structure. Behind the crane on the right is the badly damaged Monsanto building. To the left of that building is a badly damaged two story building, with two refinery tower structures visible behind it. To the left, behind the Seatrain loading crane is a tanker car and another building behind that.

On the far left, railroad freight cars are standing on a set of railroad tracks. Part of the side of the second railroad car has been damaged, and is detached at the top. To the right are huge heaps of debris piled near the trains covering the foreground. A large section of metal framework, probably from a warehouse roof or the covered conveyor system, is twisted and bent, and rests on top of the debris.

The ruined hull of the Wilson B. Keene lists heavily toward shore after the explosions. The two-story warehouse on its right is heavily damaged. Down the shore line, piles of debris can be seen, as well as another heavily damaged building on the shoreline. On the reverse of the photograph is written: "The Wilson B Keen (sic) half submerged at the main slip".

A disaster relief worker in uniform leads a groups of disaster victims. An older woman wearing a coat, an older man carrying a child, a woman carrying bedding and blankets, a woman in a hat (of the same uniform as the first woman) and a group of men follow her. On the left, a man wheels a stretch or a cot with pillows from the back of a vehicle. On the right is an empty bus. The area is dark.

Rescue workers remove a dead body from charred wooden and metal debris during the aftermath of the 1947 Texas City Disaster.

The ruined hull of the Wilson B. Keene sits in the harbor after the explosions. The right side of the deck is tilted toward the dock and is partially submerged. Debris covers the water around the ship. Piers and docks on the other side of the slip are destroyed. On the right side, a group of rescue workers is working between the ship and the badly damaged warehouse next to it.

People of all ages stand or sit on cots at an aid station set up under some trees after the 1947 Texas City Disaster. Some individuals have blankets around their shoulders. Some people are wearing head bandages. At the left, in the foreground, are large jugs of water.

A woman slacks and a sweater and holding a pair of white gloves stands in front of a store with the front windows boarded up and one door open. Handmade signs at the door read "Druggist on duty" and "Fountain closed". On the right side, in what would have been the display shelf in the front window of the store, sits a keg with the numeral "48" on it and five glass drink or milk bottles. On the sidewalk below the window are two large round metal cans with handles, perhaps milk cans, one with the initials "STDP" on the side. There is a hose running from the window to behind one of the cans. Another object, perhaps a rectangular can, is partially visible behind the round can on the right. The woman has cuts and abrasions on her face.

A first-aid and disaster relief station at night. Rescue workers, victims and medical personnel move about the area. Cots are set up in rows. On the far right, a man lying under a blanket is being examined by military personnel. At least two people are wearing visible head bandages The aid trailer has the numbers "32195" written on a window. Behind the trailer is a large building with some visible window damage.

Five female and two male medical staff members are gathered around the bed of a patient in a hospital. The patient is an older male, sitting up in bed and holding a cigarette in his hand. Most are smiling. On the reverse of the photograph is written: "From John P. Blazetic with 32nd medical battalion".

A crane stands at the far edge of a cleared section of dirt in the foreground. On the right is a line of boxcars receding away from the viewer with their left sides crushed inward. A large line of debris lies on the left of the train between it and the cleared area. On the far left of the cleared area is very large mound of debris mostly behind a low wall. Four men are on top of the debris, much of it concrete chunks and rebar, searching through it. The wall is either the remnant of a building or has been erected as a retaining wall. All around the crane and in the distance are piles of twisted metal, railroad tracks, wooden railroad ties and other debris. Wording on the crane: "The M. W. Kellogg Co.' and "Northwest". The number "#38" is in the lower right hand corner of the photograph.

Two damaged freight train boxcars sit on a railroad track on the right. In front of the train cars are the remains of a truck and scattered metal debris of various kinds. The top portion of a smoke stack can be seen behind the train cars. A grain elevator stands on the left and beyond the train. Most of the glass in the windows of the grain elevator have been blown out. There is a vertical cylindrical tank in front of the grain elevator. To the left of the tank sit three boxcars side-by-side in bays under a metal roofed structure supported by pillars. On the left there is visible the top of a of a damaged wall extending out from the elevator. The number "#11" is in the lower right hand corner of the print.

Concrete, cable and metal debris line the water after the 1947 Disaster. Concrete support columns have been sheared off with rebar protruding upward twisted and bent. A large flashlight shaped column (flareing out at the top) has been smashed over to the floor in the center of the image. In the background, a cargo ship sails in the bay.

An aerial view of the port after the explosions. The heavily damaged Monsanto building, the grain elevator, tank farms and storage tanks and the destroyed docks and warehouses are visible. Written on the reverse side of the photograph is: "The Monsanto plant (in right foreground) received extensive damage to office buildings and equipment. There was heavy loss of life among employees."

An aerial view of the port area after the 1947 Texas City Disaster. Refinery facilities, the Monsanto building, the grain elevator and the storage tank farms are visible. Handwritten in ink at top margin of front of print: "Texas City Disaster Photograph."

An aerial view of the port after the 1947 Texas City Disaster showing the ruined hull of the Wilson B. Keene. The dock and wharf structures lining both sides of this slip have been leveled. On the reverse of the photograph is written: "Hull of the Wilson B. Keene visible in boat slip adjacent to the slip where the Grandcamp exploded".

Nine men stand next to a large cargo ship at the docks. Water is being sprayed onto the ship. More fire hoses are being readied and pulled into position. Two of the men have dark hats, and appear to be fire captains or crew leaders. Another man wearing a similar hat is walking toward the men with hoses. Heavy smoke covers the ship and dock.

A group of firefighters on the dock move fire hoses into position to fight a fire on board the Grandcamp cargo ship before the explosions. A large cloud of dark smoke hangs over the dock.

A group of men unroll and move fire hoses to fight the fire on board the Grandcamp cargo ship tied up at the dock. A large cloud of black smoke comes from the ship.

Two Coast Guard personnel standing on the top deck of a Coast Guard ship spray water on debris in the water. In the background debris is scattered on the water, and the docks on shore have been reduced to rubble. Very heavy dark smoke covers the sky.

Vehicles of all kinds, including hearses, are parked in parking spots, on the grass and on the roadways. The photographer is looking across a vacant lot toward a side street that intersects with a street lined with businesses. People are standing in groups waiting. Signs on identifiable businesses read "Michaels", and "Desoto Plymouth." A billboard near one of the buildings reads "On this site will be The White House."