Welcoming
Visitors Since 1519
A Clovis point found in this area from prehistoric times indicates that
Calhoun
County was inhabited by Paleo-American groups. Later, the Karankawa
Indians covered an area from Galveston to Corpus Christi and inland for
about 150 miles. The
Karankawas were here to meet the first European
explorers. By approximately the mid 1860s they had all but disappeared.
Some experts believe that a small band migrated to Mexico. Many people have visited this enchanted area of the Texas Mid-Gulf Coast for many years. The first European to explore the seven bays of Calhoun County was Alonza Alvarez de Pineda in 1519. In February of 1685, Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle landed on the shores near present day Indianola on Matagorda Bay and established the first French fort in Texas named Fort St. Louis. One of his four ships the LaBelle sank and was recently discovered in the waters of the Matagorda Bay. A statue of his likeness is located in Indianola Park. Entire memorial is of Kingsland pink granite, 22 feet in height. Picnicking, fishing, boat ramp, camping (with hookups); 13 miles southeast via Texas 238 and 316.
Known as the oldest surviving wooden
lighthouse structure in Texas, the Halfmoon Reef Light Station, a
six-sided building, is made mostly of cypress wood and
originally was attached to iron piles that had been screwed into the
shallow bottom of Matagorda Bay. Established in 1858 on Matagorda Bay.
Kept dark during War between the States for benefit of blockade runners, was
reactivated in 1868. Severely damaged in 1942 hurricane, but keeper kept
light operating. It
guided ships past the treacherous Halfmoon Reef,
a mud and oystershell shoal on the east side of Matagorda Bay.
Condemned following storm and moved in 1943 from location on WW II bombing range
to Point Comfort. Moved again in 1979 to site next to the Bauer Community
center on Hwy 35 Bypass near causeway.Version: 1.0 (Aug 28, 2006)
