The Fascinating Story of the Texas Gulf Ghost Town of Indianola

(Indianola, Texas) - There is a rich history of ghost towns in Texas. Some vanished because people left to find work elsewhere. Some vanished because of a natural disaster. Others vanished simply because people didn't want to live there anymore.

Ever ghost town in Texas has a cool history even if it's a tragic story. Indianola, Texas is one of those stories. It was a major shipping port for Texas and was a landing point for German immigrants. That was until two hurricanes destroyed the town.

The History of Indianola, Texas

Indianola was a major port in Matagorda Bay that began in 1844 (tshaonline.org). The port was created by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, named briefly as Karlshafen, as a landing spot for German immigrants. In 1846, Sam Addison White and William M. Cook officially founded Indian Point.

The port served as an army depot for three decades, including during the Mexican War. In 1849, Indian Point was changed to Indianola and became the county seat of Calhoun County from 1852 to 1886. The town grew quickly and became the second port of Texas.

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Major Port for Immigrants and Americans Alike

Soon, it became the main port for European immigrants and other Americans to enter to move into West Texas. One interesting bit of history about the port is in 1856 and 1857 two ships brought camels to the port to be used by the military to transport supplies to troops in the southwestern United States. During the Civil War, Union troops seized the city twice, once in 1862 and again in 1863 and remained in the city until 1864.

By 1875, Indianola had a population over 5,000. That same year, a massive hurricane struck the area and destroyed the town. Residents were able to rebuild but the town was much smaller after that. Another major hurricane hit the area in 1886 that destroyed the town again and caused a massive fire. By the next year, residents had abandoned the town (lavacacountytoday.com).

Evidence That Indianola Existed

There is one piece of evidence that Indianola ever existed, a statue of French explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. He landed there in 1685 by accident thinking he had reached the mouth of the Mississippi River. If you visit what was Indianola today, you will only find some beach house rentals and a fishing marina. Knowing it's history will make you see that area differently.

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