|
|
PORT
LAVACA, TEXAS
Calhoun County
Seat, Texas
Gulf Coast
On Lavaca Bay
Highways 87, 35 and 238,
and FMs 1090 and 3084
25 miles SE of Victoria
55 miles E of Goliad
14 miles NW of Indianola
via Hwy 316
Population 12,035 (2000)
|
|
|
Port Lavaca Half Moon Lighthouse
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson |
|
History in
a Seashell
The town was founded after "The
Great Comanche Raid" of 1840 when Comanche Indians swept down
from the Hill Country and destroyed the tiny coastal town of Linnville.
Only a marker remains today to mark the former town.
Former Linnvillain
Thomas McConnell bought land from a De Leon's colonist and called
the place Lavaca. The town succeeded in a short time, eclipsing
the commerce that Linnville had
seen before the raid.
Lavaca became county seat with the formation of Calhoun County in
1846.
In November of 1847 a stage line was inaugurated connecting the
town to Victoria but
by 1852 Indianola,
with it's deepwater port became the Calhoun county seat.
By 1860 Lavaca's population was half of Indianola.
During the Civil War the city was bombarded by Union ships in late
1862, but did not surrender. In late 1863 it was occupied by Union
troops. In 1864 an election gave county seat status back to Lavaca,
but after the war it was returned to Indianola.
The hurricane of 1875 so damaged the railroad that Indianola,
became the only area port with a railroad connection. By 1884 Lavaca's
population was down to only 70 people.
But after Indianola
was obliterated in the 1886 Hurricane, Lavaca's star began another
ascent. Lavaca became the county seat again and railroad service
was re-established.
Lavaca, now known as Port Lavaca, was shipping seafood and the railroad
ran weekend excursions to the coast. Port Lavaca welcomed the seafood
hungry tourists.
In 1920 a seawall was completed and in 1928 Port Lavaca shipped
more shrimp than any other port in the U.S.
State Highway 35 was the only paved highway in the county in 1940
when the population was just over 2,000. Hurricane Carla damaged
the causeway in 1961, forcing it to be converted into a fishing
pier.
Calhoun
County Courthouse
Port
Lavaca Hotels
Book Your Hotel Here & Save
|
|
|
Port
Lavaca bay view
Postcard
courtesy rootsweb.com/
~txgenweb// postcards/Index.html |
Port Lavaca
Chronicles
Exterminator
by Mike Cox ("Texas Tales")
German immigrant J.C. Melcher of Fayette County and Port Lavaca
and the Melcher family hardware store.
|
Port
Lavaca Texas Forum
During
World War II my mother was a volunteer air plane watcher. She worked
out of a tower overlooking Lavaca Bay. Most everyone I mention this
to think I am crazy. I was about eight years old then and I remember
the tower and the chart on the wall. If a plane flew over you had
to find it on the chart and call it in. She was given a pin for
service that is a small set of wings that has US Army Air Force
Observer around the edge and in the center is AWS. Have you [or
any of your readers] ever heard of this volunteer service or know
where I can find out about it? -
Doris Hinds, February 25, 2006
To share history or photos of Port Lavaca, Texas, please contact
us.
© John Troesser
|
|
|
