Indianola: Another Texas Ghost Town

By Murray Montgomery

Indianola, a port once located on Matagorda Bay in Calhoun County, has a rich and fascinating history. Sadly, the once-thriving port city was destroyed by several hurricanes over the years and eventually became the ghost town that it is today.

According to the Handbook of Texas, the community was founded in August 1846 by Sam Addison White and William M. Cook as Indian Point, the area quickly became a significant landing place for German immigrants. In 1844, Carl, Prince of Solms Braunfels, commissioner general of the Adelsverein (Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas), selected a stretch of beach near the point as the arrival spot for German immigrants sponsored by the society.

This landing area was briefly referred to as Karlshafen (named after a town in Germany). The first house in the area was built by Johann Schwartz in 1845, marking the beginning of Indian Point’s establishment. Indian Point gained prominence as a deep-water port during the Mexican War and served as an army depot for frontier forts in western Texas for three decades. In 1846, Anglo-American landowners surveyed the site and began selling lots, leading to the opening of a post office in September 1847 and the commencement of stagecoach service to the interior in January 1848. In February 1849, the town’s name was changed to Indianola, and it became the county seat of Calhoun County from 1852 to 1886.

Indianola experienced rapid growth, expanding three miles down the beach to Powderhorn Bayou after being selected as the Matagorda Bay terminus for Charles Morgan’s New York-based steamship line. Within a short span of time, Indianola rose to become the second most important port in Texas.

However, its position as a thriving city was dramatically altered on September 16, 1875, when a catastrophic hurricane struck, causing immense destruction and loss of life. Indianola played a crucial role in transportation, serving as the eastern end of the southern Chihuahua Trail, a military road leading to San Antonio, Austin, Chihuahua, Mexico, and the shortest overland route to San Diego on the Pacific coast. It became the primary port through which European and American immigrants entered western Texas.

The town saw the establishment of its first newspaper, the Bulletin, in 1852 by John Henry Brown, followed by other publications such as the Courier, the Times, and the Indianolan. The town was officially incorporated in 1853, the same year City Hospital began its operations. In 1856 and 1857, two shiploads of camels were landed in Indianola as part of an extraordinary experiment initiated by Secretary of War Jefferson Davis. These camels were intended for transporting military supplies in the southwestern United States. During the Civil War, Indianola faced significant challenges. In October 1862, Union gunboats bombarded the town, leading to its occupation and looting. The Union forces withdrew the following month but returned in November 1863, seizing the city once again and remaining until 1864.

The town experienced a historic milestone in July 1869 when the world’s first shipment of mechanically refrigerated beef was transported from Indianola to New Orleans on the Morgan steamship Agnes. This marked the beginning of a new era in transporting perishable goods. Railroad service from Indianola to the interior commenced in 1871, further contributing to the town’s growth. By the time the devastating hurricane of September 16, 1875, struck, Indianola had a population of over 5,000 and was at the height of its prosperity. The disaster led to the town’s rebuilding on a smaller scale. However, Indianola faced another calamity on August 20, 1886, when another hurricane and the accompanying fire nearly obliterated it. As a result, the site was ultimately abandoned by 1887.

 The only prominent structure that marks the location of Indianola is a statue of the French explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle who mistakenly landed his colonists at Matagorda Bay on the Texas coast on February 20, 1685, believing he was near the Mississippi River.

Indianola’s story is one of resilience and progress, with its early beginnings as Indian Point, its prominence as a vital port for German immigrants, and its significant role in transportation and trade. Although the town faced natural disasters that ultimately led to its demise, the legacy of Indianola lives on in the memories of those who recognize its historical significance.