African American beachfront businesses were once clustered from 28th to 29th and Seawall Boulevard. Segregation extended even to Galveston's Seawall and beach. Most of the activities for African Americans on the beach front, in the early years, were confined to a one-block area. However, in this one block many great memories were formed. People came from all over the world to stay at Gus Allen's Villa, eat at the Jambalaya Restaurant or dance at the Manhattan Club. Gus Allen, an astute businessman, owned the Jambalaya and Villa locations.

The Manhattan location was owned by the Screwmen Longshoremen Association. The Manhattan Club property was finally sold to the 7-Eleven Stores. Menard Park, between 27th and 28th streets, remains a center of African American recreational activities, though the once-popular African-American businesses in the next block are gone.

Today, the McGuire-Dent Recreation Center is located at Menard Park.