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History of Matagorda County
During the early twentieth century, railroads encouraged the development of Matagorda County. The New York, Texas and Mexican Railway extended its line from Wharton to Matagorda County from 1900 to 1902. The railroads were important to the economic development of the county.
A number of Confederate garrisons were established in Matagorda County during the Civil War. The Union blockade of the Texas coast severely hindered local commerce. The port was inactive because of silt in the bay. The Ku Klux Klan was active during Reconstruction.
In 1849, a ferry was established west of Bay City. The town of Matagorda was built in the early 1900s. A large portion of the annual rice crop is processed in the mills of Bay City and shipped to the northeast. The town’s oldest house is located on St. Mary’s Street.
The custom house in Matagorda was founded about 1831. It was a prominent gathering point for the many settlers in the area. The collections of the custom house were the chief reliance of the Mexican garrisons in nearby Goliad and San Antonio.
In the late 1800s, Matagorda County had a population of about six hundred. However, this decreased in the early 1900s. By 1940, the county had more than six thousand residents. The population was about fifty percent white and forty-two percent Hispanic. The largest proportion of the county’s population was devoted to agriculture. Cattle remained a major part of the economy until the Civil War.
After the Civil War, the economy of Matagorda County deteriorated. The railroads were built and businesses diverted to other areas. The Union blockade of the Texas coastline also prevented foreign cotton trade. In addition, diversified agriculture became more important in the following years.
In the 1970s, Matagorda County experienced substantial growth. In the 1980s, Bay City became the county seat of Matagorda County. The county was home to one of the Episcopal Church’s oldest congregations. The population of the county grew to nearly thirty-six thousand in 2014. The county had ninety-nine farms and almost three thousand cattle. The county had over one thousand slaves in 1860.
Christ Episcopal Church
Among the first Episcopal congregations to set up shop in Texas was Christ Church in Matagorda. Despite its modest beginnings, the church has made an impact on the lives of Matagorda residents and the Episcopal community of Texas as a whole. As a result of the church’s benevolence, all of the Episcopal congregations in Matagorda, Brazoria, and Wharton counties have traced their ancestry back to this congregation.
The church was consecrated during Bishop Leonideas Polk’s second visit to the Lone Star State. Several years later, the church was given a spiffy new bell that restored normal services. While it wasn’t the oldest church in town, it’s been around longer than the community it serves. This is not surprising, considering the dedication of the early pioneers.
Christ Church also had the honor of erecting the first church in the state. The church was designed by John Henry Wood, who arrived in Texas late in 1838 and held occasional services in Brazoria. The building was completed in 1841. A few years later, a hurricane blew down the structure. Fortunately, many of the edifice’s most valuable assets were salvaged and the structure was rebuilt.
Its predecessor was a tad on the small side, but it’s still the oldest surviving Episcopal church in the Lone Star State. As of 2013, the church boasts a membership of over a hundred and thirty members. The church’s most important contributions to the Episcopal community of Texas include: ordination of two clergy, the formation of the diocese of Matagorda and Brazoria and the naming of two Episcopal bishops. The church continues to witness to the world and to Matagorda’s growing community. A large percentage of its membership is made up of descendants of early pioneers. In the end, Christ Church in Matagorda has become a beacon of hope and a beacon of light for the Episcopal community of Texas. Its legacy will endure well into the 21st century. For more information on the history of the church, please visit the church’s website at: http://www.christ-matagorda.org. You can even take a tour of the building if you’re so inclined.
Oldest building in Matagorda
Among the many old buildings in Matagorda County, Texas, the oldest one still standing is the Samuel Rhoads Fisher house. It was built in 1832 and is now a bed and breakfast. This building is considered the granddaddy of them all.
Other noteworthy structures include the Blessing Hotel, the largest in Matagorda County. The Blessing Hotel is the only structure in Matagorda County listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by a prolific architect, Jules Carl Leffland, who immigrated to Texas in the late nineteenth century. He moved his home from Indianola to Cuero after a hurricane wreaked havoc on the area. He also designed the aforementioned Blessing Hotel.
The other most impressive building in Matagorda is the first ever eight room, two story frame school to be built in Matagorda. This was a small feat considering the county had a population of about 2,000 in the early twentieth century. In fact, the county was the third largest port in Texas before Texas independence. It was a hotspot for cotton, which linked the region to the rest of the Deep South.
The town of Matagorda was founded in 1829 at the mouth of the Colorado River. It became the county seat in 1836. A major hurricane in 1854 damaged the city, and a powerful storm in 1875 destroyed most of the buildings in the city. The city was incorporated in 1830 and was home to about 1400 residents in 1830. During the Civil War, the town was occupied by Union ships and was subsequently burned. The town was then abandoned, but was resurrected after the Battle of San Jacinto. It is now known as Matagorda, Texas.
The city’s first ever newspaper, the Breeze, was printed in 1902. The aforementioned Blessing Hotel is the only Matagorda County structure to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition, nine properties in Matagorda County have been named Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks. This list includes the aforementioned Blessing Hotel, the first church in Matagorda, and the Christ Episcopal Church.
