Calhoun County Life

Greetings

Calhoun County, the place I call home, is truly a hidden gem.

If you love the great outdoors, this is a must visit place. With many places to bird watch, ample amounts of beaches, piers, and marinas to visit, this historical county has a lot to offer.

We have great food, remarkable hospitality, and an abundance of community events with family friendly entertainment. There truly is something Calhoun County can offer to just about anyone, no matter what your age.

Summer is here! Come soak up some sun, bring the kids to cool off in one of our splash pads at either Lighthouse Beach Park or Bayside

Peninsula Park, play at the park, take a guided fishing tour, cast a line off one of our great fishing piers or eat some great food and enjoy the company of our friendly locals at one of our many events.

If you are in town this summer, make sure to take in an area fireworks show, or bring your lawn chair and enjoy our free summer concert series Saturday nights in July and August.

Welcome to Calhoun County. Whether it is for a night, a season, or a lifetime, we hope you enjoy your stay.

Schelly Bartels

general manager of the Port Lavaca Wave

STAFF

SCHELLY BARTELS

General Manager

Staff Writers: Sherry Ficklen

DD Turner

CJ Vetter

Creative Services

Director: DD Turner

Advertising: Christy Aguilar

Special Contributors: Bill Harvey

John Foester

Tania French

Brush Freeman

Visit

Copyright 2023

Port Lavaca Wave 107 E. Austin Street Port Lavaca, TX 77979 361-552-9788

PortLavacaWave.com

Calhoun County Life Visitor and Newcomers Guide is published semi-annually. Additional copies available by contacting the Port Lavaca Wave. For advertising information, call 361-552-9788.

On the cover: Beach Park on an early spring morning. Photo by Joshua Grissom.

Fisherman of Calhoun County area of Calhoun County area

Fisherman shares love

By CJ Vetter

If there is one thing that Calhoun County is known for, it is its miles upon miles of coastal area perfect for fishing.

Although Port O’Connor is regarded as the best-kept secret for fishermen on the Golden Crescent, the county has a variety of places to offer to fishermen, according to Mike Wall, a fisherman with more than 50 years of experience on the bay.

“Calhoun County in general has so many miles of shoreline and great areas to fish. If you're not utilizing all of the coastlines, you’re missing a big part of Calhoun County. I've been fishing there for 50 years, which is a long time,” Wall said. “I think, for me, the two areas I fish the most are Port La-

vaca or Port O'Connor. Port Lavaca for me is less crowded than Port O'Connor; it's more convenient for me.

With its splendid access to the Gulf of Mexico, the Golden Crescent region is well known for its many bayous, beaches, marshes and other natural landscapes. Wall says that one of the best ways to improve as a fisherman is to explore, following the fish throughout the seasons and the region, and with so many places to visit in Calhoun County, it’s easy to go out and find new places.

“All the bay systems all have fish in them. There's fish everywhere. I don’t have so much a favorite spot, but certain times of the year. You have fish move in and out,” Wall said. “In the winter time, you fish a lot of deeper water where the fish hole

up for the winter, and in the spring and summer, you fish the bay. I don't think there's any one particular area. In fact, I think you become a better fisherman if you don't try and concentrate on the same area every time. If you go to fish new areas you've never fished before, you catch more fish.”

Whether it’s at the Six-Mile boat ramp, Magnolia Beach, the Harbor of Refuge, Little Chocolate Bayou or even one of the city boat launches or piers, Calhoun County has a wealth of places to discover. Redfish, trout and flounder are abundant in the bay, and are often the catch of choice for many local fishermen — and it’s not hard to find other fellow fishermen. With so much of the local community fishermen themselves, any angler of any skill level can go out and fully enjoy their hobby.

“ Calhoun County in general has so many miles of shoreline and great areas to fish. If you're not utilizing all of the coastlines, you’re missing a big part of Calhoun County. I've been fishing there for 50 years, which is a long time ” – Mike Wall.

“The best thing to do is go out and explore. We have so many areas. We have all of Indianola, we have all the beach areas that are accessible, as well as several piers,” Wall said. “You're not limited to one particular method or area of fishing. When you get down to Calhoun County, and if you don't have a boat or don't know how to fish, there are a lot of guides and a lot of opportunities. You don't need a lot of knowledge of the area to hook up with a good fishing guide … The resources available for people to fish and enjoy nature are outstanding for Calhoun County.

They want you to succeed. They'll tell you what’s going on in the present time, where the fish are biting and where they are.”

For outdoorsmen like Wall, Calhoun County is great even when he’s not catching fish, as the miles of coastline provide ample opportunities to see nature firsthand.

“Well, it's nature. It's different every day. You'll encounter so many different things. Being in the marshes, or just being out in the bay, you'll see things. There's just so much naturally occurring wildlife,” Wall said. “At any given moment, you can be drifting

the bay, and next thing you know, you'll see a sea turtle or alligator.”

For those looking for something a little different, Wall suggests taking a chance and exploring everything Calhoun County has to offer.

“For a lot of people, that's

what they enjoy. They enjoy going to the beach. You're doing some of these things to get away from people. Being able to get out and see nature,” Wall said. “I've caught a lot of fish in my lifetime, so I just enjoy being out on the water.”

Fisherman Mike Wall and his granddaughter Savy Wall celebrate Savy’s first redfish. Contributed photo.

“

The best thing to do is go out and explore. We have so many areas. We have all of Indianola, we have all the beach areas that are accessible, as well as several piers,”

Lighted pier, 55 RV sites with full utility hook-ups, including cable T V, picnic areas, playground, white sandy beach, lighted pavilion and children’s splash pad. From beach to birds, your next trip to Port Lavaca will be one you will not forget!

Port Lavaca’s hidden gems

By CJ Vetter

Port Lavaca is well known for many things, but did you know it also features a wide variety of amenities? From parks to playgrounds to boat ramps and beaches, Port Lavaca has something for outdoor enthusiasts of any age.

If there is one thing Port Lavaca has a wide variety of, it’s parks. Whether you want to visit the Bayside Peninsula Park and enjoy the walking paths, nearby Little Chocolate Bayou Park’s walking paths or have your children play in the

fields of City Park, each one is furnished with plenty of playground equipment, shade, and seating areas. Also available are Claret Crossing Park and George Adams Park.

Bayside Peninsula Park is one of the larger parks in the area, located directly next to the marina. Complete with a playground, splash pad, and large, covered pavilion area and restrooms. Directly adjacent to the park is the Bayfront Veterans Memorial, where local American Legion and VFW ceremonies are conducted.

City Park is located near Travis Middle School and features several playground areas,

complete with grills and seating areas. In addition, the city and United Way of Calhoun County are also in the process of adding painted sections of pavement.

Little Chocolate Park, located just near the city limits, is a rolling expanse with walking paths, ponds and play areas. In addition, new lighting systems have been installed and the park is

home to the community garden.

For those looking to get their toes wet, Port Lavaca also has an extensive beachfront area. Located right off the causeway across the bay, you’ll find the city’s public pool as well as Lighthouse Beach. Stretching down the coast, you’ll find a public splash pad, areas for RVs and campers, an observation area for wetlands marsh and birds, a public access boat ramp, a pier perfect for fishing and fully equipped with descaling and washing areas, and finally the beachfront. With shallow waters, warm sand and plenty of shade provided by small picnic areas, Lighthouse Beach is the perfect place to bring young children to enjoy the bay.

If a more peaceful experience is what you’re looking for, seating is also conveniently located next to the Chocolate Bayou Boat Ramp. Recently built, the new ramp area also has easy access parking near the fishing area. Green lights allow a place for those night-time anglers to gather for some after-dark fishing.

For those that like to get away from the big city, soak in some sun and enjoy excellently maintained recreation areas, Port Lavaca is hard to beat.

Half Moon Reef

Lighthouse

By CJ Vetter

Sitting just outside of the Bauer Community Center and nestled close to State Highway 35, it’s almost impossible to miss Half Moon Reef Lighthouse. Greeting visitors as they cross the causeway into Point Comfort or for workers driving back home from work, the lighthouse has become an icon for the town.  But the history of the structure dates far back, and its continued endurance is a testament to the town’s resilience.

“A lot of people came down here to see it and get the lighthouse stamps as part of stamp book for every lighthouse in the U.S.,” Calhoun County Musuem Director Vicki Cox said. “It’s one of the last wooden structures of its kind around.”

Originally established in 1854, the 165-year-old lighthouse remains the oldest wooden lighthouse still standing in Texas and has survived numerous storms, such as Hurricanes Carla and Harvey, as well as the Civil War, when it was seized by Confederate troops. Like many other lighthouses of its time, it was built to help guide ships along the coast of Calhoun County.

Located on the southern tip of Half Moon Reef at the request of the people of Indianola after they complained in their local newspaper that they were overdue for one, the lighthouse would play a key part in keeping local boats safe.

Standing three stories tall, with the first floor 10 feet above sea level, the lighthouse served as both a guide for sailors as well as a home for its keeper. Two keepers  brought their families along with them to keep them company. One story even claims that one keeper had trouble with one of their daughters sleepwalking. Not wishing to risk her falling over into the sea, the keeper would tie her daughter’s toe to her siblings to wake someone else should she wander.

“They only received supplies twice a year. A couple of the stories I’ve been told is that they weren’t supposed to have children on the lighthouse and the last family that lived there raised five,” Cox said. “So, if they were getting supplies or inspected, the kids had to hide.”

Despite the devastation of Indianola in 1875, the Half Moon Reef lighthouse emerged relatively unscathed, with the storm destroying the lighthouses on the east and west shoals. In 1886, moderate damage was received from another hurricane, which would see the lighthouse put out of service until 1902, when it was refurbished.

Surviving several more storms, the lighthouse continued its job and served as a popular spot for fishing and excursions. It was moved in 1943 by the Bauer Dredging Company to be relocated to its property and serve as housing and then later in 1979, the building was donated to the Calhoun County Historical Commission.

“It was damaged in a hurricane in the early ‘40s and Mr. Bauer bought it to put up at his dredging company for his night watchman to stay in,” Cox said.

“The story I was told [was] he was actually on his way to get it and this was when the army had a training camp out there, and they came out met him and asked him to leave, since they were about to start shelling practice. He told them no, made them wait, and that’s what saved the lighthouse.”

Acting as a testament to the resilience and culture of Calhoun County, the lighthouse can be seen incorporated in many ways across the town, even serving as the icon for the county’s newspaper, the Port Lavaca Wave.

Seadriftoffers festivals, arts and more

By Sherry Ficklen

he quaint coastal town known as Seadrift might bring to mind the gentle sea breeze blowing from San Antonio Bay and the sound of seagulls singing in the air. But first and foremost, as summer approaches, the annual Shrimpfest is the talk of the town and all who have ever visited the small community.

The 42nd annual Shrimpfest will be held from 4 p.m. to midnight, Friday, June 9, and noon to 12:30 a.m. Saturday, June 10, on the Seadrift Bayfront. Admission is $5 during the day with children, ages six and under free. After 6 p.m., admission is $15.

The Shrimpfest usually attracts between 3,000 and 5,000 guests each year, according to the 2023 Seadrift Chamber of

TCommerce President Lacey R. Vasquez, with 60-70% being out of town visitors.

“We will be doing another shrimp boot auction and are hoping to bring in more vendors this year than years past.  We will also have our normal activities, such as kid’s fishing tournament, 5K fun run, adult fishing tournament, corn hole, washer, horseshoe tournaments, golf cart scavenger hunt, frozen T-shirt contest and shrimp eating contest,” said Vasquez. “The Ms. Shrimpfest beauty pageant is tentatively scheduled for noon Saturday. We will also have the infamous Ms. Bayrat pageant.”

Shrimpfesters can dance to the music of SOLIDO Friday evening. Special guests will be David Lee Garza Y Los Musicales. Also, guests are sure to be delighted by Seadrift’s own hometown boy, Greg Morales and The Steel

Revival. Morales was born and raised in Seadrift.

“It’s tradition for anyone who grew up in Seadrift to attend Shrimpfest every year. Shrimpfest does so many great things for the community,” said Morales. “It’s a childhood dream getting to play on stage at Shrimpfest. I saw Jarrod Birmingham and Charlie Robison, Cody Johnson play at Shrimpfest several years ago and that inspired me to set my goals to be a part of that someday. This is the third consecutive year I’ve gotten to step on the Shrimpfest stage and I’m so grateful for the opportunity. That stage will always be home for me. I get to share the stage and open for so many great artists I grew up listening to is such a dream come true.”

Does the Shrimpfest have your taste buds screaming for some shrimpy goodness? There is sure to be shrimp cuisine to satisfy your hunger. A variety of food booths will be on-site to satisfy every other craving as well.

“We are working hard to have a shrimp cook off, but desperately need volunteers to make it happen,” said Vasquez.

Rock the night away Saturday evening with the music of Roadside Libby, a New Braunfels-based band, Kody West, Todd Dorn and The Sea Drifters and The Haze band.

Along the shore, the seawall will soon receive a facelift as the city council has awarded a bid for the project. During the 244-day construction

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period, the bayfront, as well as the fishing pier, will be closed off at times. Work could start mid- to late April and continue for about eight months.

Other events throughout the year are a Fourth of July celebration, Market Days and a softball/ kickball tournament is in the works for July.

“Bubba in Seadrift graciously puts on our 4th of July fireworks show that can be seen from just about any yard in town,” said Vasquez. “Him and his crew do a phenomenal job.”

Throughout the year, guests will enjoy the peaceful tranquility on the last Saturday of every month at Seadrift monthly Market Days. Over the last year and a half, from 8 a.m. to noon, the Train Depot, located at 401 Main St. in Seadrift, comes alive with vendors from all over the state.

Visitors are welcome to stop by and grab a homemade kolache to go with some fresh eggs. Shop for a beautiful door wreath and other great home décor at Seadrift Market Days. Tracey Johnson, Seadrift Chamber of Commerce member and volunteer, said food is always the most popular items during Market Days.

“We have baked goods, canned foods, wreaths, floral arrangements, jams/jellies, salsas, homemade pasta, wine, clothing, fresh eggs, lotions, fresh produce, bows, earrings, jewelry, art/ paintings and more,” she said.

Even though business picks up in the fall and winter months, Market Days offers the same type of vendors year-round.

Johnson said the community is always looking for new vendors. Booth spaces are only $10 for Seadrift Chamber members and

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$20 for non-members. For more information, visit www.seadriftchamber.com and click the market days tab for the vendor form or call or text Johnson at 361-746-8488.

With a population of just over 1,000 people, the small town atmosphere is perfect to get away from it all and enjoy the benefits of the small fishing and shrimping community.

Have a family reunion or birthday party coming up? The Seadrift Bayfront Park and Pavilion is a great place to host an event just after Market Days. Right on the shores of San Antonio Bay, the park features picnic areas, restrooms play areas and so much more for families to enjoy. Bring fishing poles and cast out a line or two and reel in a big one right there off the shore.

Just off of Highway 185 as guests enter the City of Seadrift

is a 60-foot steel hull shrimp boat that has been transformed into an Art Center Seadrift. Created by Dieter Erhard of Nuremberg, of Germany, the gallery occasionally features exhibits from around the world on display at the gallery.

Nearby is the "Los Vigilantes" pipe sculpture representing fire, wind and water. Taught by Erhard, the sculpture was created by University of Guanajuato, Mexico student Juan Pablo Duran, The sculptures, which are 12, 14 and 16 feet tall, were dedicated to the city in 1999.

CALHOUN COUNTY: AN ODYSSEY OF HISTORICAL MARKERS

1. Alsatian Immigration through Lavaca Bay Harbor St., Port Lavaca (West side of City Harbor)

2. Beach Hotel

Main & Commerce Sts., Port Lavaca

3. Beaumont, Jefferson

Port Lavaca Cemetery, South end of S. Nueces St., Port Lavaca

4. Calhoun County

Ann & Leona Sts., Port Lavaca

5. Calhoun County Hurricanes Calhoun County Courthouse grounds

211 S. Ann St.

6. Calhoun County Jail

301 S. Ann St., Port Lavaca

7. Civil War Bombardment of Port Lavaca

Bay Front Peninsula. (At end of Main St.) Next to Lavaca Bombardment Silhouette.

8. Civil War Torpedo Works Bay Front Peninsula. (At end of Main St.) Next to Lavaca Bombardment Silhouette.

9. Clark Cemetery

From Hwy. 35, take US 87 north 3.6 miles. Turn left on FM 2433 and then immediately turn right on FM 1679. After 0.9 miles, turn left on Sanders Rd. Go another 0.9 miles to private road on the left. The cemetery is about 0.4 miles down the road on private property.

10. Cox’s Point

Northeast end of causeway, on SH 35, near western city limit, Point Comfort, TX.

11. Eberly, Mrs. Angelina Bell

Peyton

From Port Lavaca, take FM 238 three miles southwest to FM 316; follow FM 316 south about 8.75 mi.

12. First Baptist Church of Port Lavaca

902 Calhoun, Port Lavaca

13. First Presbyterian Church of Port Lavaca

1111 N. Virginia, Port Lavaca

14. First United Methodist Church of Port Lavaca

814 N. San Antonio St., Port Lavaca

15. George, Wiley

S. Nueces at Cypress St., at entrance to Port Lavaca Cemetery

16. Grace Episcopal Church (2 markers)

213 E. Austin Street, Port Lavaca, East side of chapel on Guadalupe St.

17. Green Lake

SH 35S one-quarter mile South of SH 185 intersection.

18. Half Moon Reef Lighthouse

SH 35 and SH 238, Port Lavaca. Next to Bauer Community Center.

19. Hatch Cemetery

(Expected installation – June 2010)

From Port Lavaca, take US 35 about six miles south. Then go west about one mile on Meadow View Ln. to golf course.

20. Hatch, Sylvanus

From Port Lavaca, take US 35 about six miles south. Then go west about one mile on Meadow View Ln. to golf course. Marker is about in the middle of the bridge on the south side of path.

21. Indianola

SH 316 (S Ocean Drive) near LaSalle Monument.

22. Indianola Cemetery

From Port Lavaca, take FM 238 south southwest three miles to FM 316. Follow FM 316 about 8.75 miles to Brighton Rd. in Indianola. Follow Brighton Rd. northwest about one mile and then go west on Comal Rd. one-half mile and then right on Orleans St. one quarter mile to cemetery.

23. Indianola, Site of the Town of S. Ocean Drive about 1 mi. before Indianola Fishing Marina.

24. Johnson, Moses, M.D.

Six miles northwest of Port Lavaca on US 87

25. Johnson, Moses, M.D.

Private, 6.25 mile north of Port Lavaca off US 87

26. La Salle, Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de Beach Rd. at SH 316 terminus at Indianola, TX.

27. Lavaca Lodge No. 36, A. F. & A. M.

From Port Lavaca, take FM 1090 north about two miles.

28. Linnville, Site of the Town of From Port Lavaca

Take FM 1090 north about two miles. On the right side of the road.

29. Matagorda Island Lighthouse*

Located approx. 7.5 miles South of Port O’Connor at 28° 20’ 16.44”, -96° 25’ 26.62” on Matagorda Island, lighthouse is accessible only by private boat or airplane plus a hike to the site.

30. Mt. Sinai Baptist Church

419 Center St., Port Lavaca

31. Olivia

SH 172 at city limits, Olivia, TX.

32. Olivia Cemetery

SH 172 & County Road 317 on County Road 317, Olivia, TX.

33. Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church

415 W. Austin, Port Lavaca

34. Port Lavaca

SH 35 and SH 238, Port Lavaca. In front of Bauer Community

Center.

35. Port Lavaca Cemetery

End of S. Nueces St., Port Lavaca

36. Port Lavaca Chapter No.

373, Order of The Eastern Star

FM 1090, two miles north of Port Lavaca

37. Port O’Connor

E. Monroe Ave. at S. Park Ave., at King Fisher Beach, Port O’Connor, TX.

38. Ranger Cemetery

Harbor St, Port Lavaca (West of City Harbor)

39. Rasmussen, Andrew A. Main & 15th St., Port O’Connor, TX.

40. Salem Lutheran Church

2101 FM 1090, Port Lavaca

41. San Antonio and Mexican Gulf Railroad

110 N. Virginia, Port Lavaca

42. Seadrift

SH 185, Seadrift

43. Seadrift Cemetery

1273 Cemetery Road; Located 1.273 miles from Hwy 185 on Cemetery Road, Seadrift, TX

44. Six Mile Cemetery

Go 4.5 miles northwest of Port Lavaca on FM 1090 to Royal Rd. Turn west on Royal and go about 0.4 miles. Cemetery is behind Six Mile Presbyterian Church.

45. Six Mile Presbyterian Church

Go 4.5 miles northwest of Port Lavaca on FM 1090 to Royal Rd. Turn west on Royal and go about 0.4 miles.

46. Six Mile-Royal Community

Go 4.1 miles northwest of SH 35 on FM 1090

47. St. Joseph Baptist Church

811 S. Virginia St., Port Lavaca

48. Town Cemetery, Old

From Port Lavaca, take FM 238 south southwest about three miles. Then follow FM 316 south about 8.5 miles. Turn left on Zimmerman Rd. and go 1 mi.

49. Wilkins, Alice O., School

Ann and Alice Wilkins streets, Port Lavaca

50. Zimmerman Cemetery

From Port Lavaca, take FM 238 about 3 miles to FM 316. Go south 7.25 miles to roadside area.

51. Cotton Gins of Calhoun County

Moreman Community Gin, 10254 SH 35S

52. Battle of Norris Bridge

452 Buren Rd. near Chocolate Bayou Boat Ramp on FM 238

53. Calhoun in World War II Calhoun County Courthouse Grounds

Port Lavaca.

54. Chihuahua Road

S. Ocean Drive about 1 mi. before Indianola Fishing Marina, Indianola, TX.

55. Don Martin Deleon

Take FM 1090 to Park Rd. at Six Mile. Located at the end of Park Rd. at entrance to Six Mile Boat Ramp.

56. Ed Bell

SH 316 to Magnolia Beach. Follow road to Indianola Fishing Marina, Indianola, TX.

57. Edward Fred Knipling

186 Henry Barber Way, in front of Calhoun County Extension office, Port Lavaca

58. German Immigration Thru Karlshafen

Ocean Drive at Indian Point, near boardwalk over marsh.

59. German Pioneers

SH 316 (S Ocean Drive) at base of LaSalle Monument (Granite), Indianola, TX.

60. Howard Gallemore Hartzog, Jr.

Calhoun County Courthouse Grounds, Port Lavaca.

61. Hurricanes of Calhoun County

Calhoun County Courthouse Grounds, Port Lavaca

62. Mission Refugio

SH 35S one mile south of SH 185 intersection, on the left at entrance to Guadalupe Delta Wildlife Management Area.

63. Port O’Connor Cemetery

SH 185 east to Cemetery St, at outskirts of Port O’Connor, TX. Follow to the end of street.

64. Port of Entry - Indianola

SH 316 (S. Ocean Drive) at base of LaSalle Monument (Granite), Indianola, TX.

65. Sgt. William Henry Barnes – 38th USCT

From Port Lavaca, take FM 238 south southwest three miles to FM 316. Follow FM 316 about 8.75 miles to Brighton Rd. in Indianola. Follow Brighton Rd. northwest about one mile and then go west on Comal Rd one-half mile and then right on Orleans St. one quarter mile to cemetery.

66. Sunlight Girls Club

Corner of Ann and Alice Sts. Port Lavaca.

67. The Great Camel Experiment

SH 316 at N. Ocean Drive Intersection, Indianola, TX.

ALighthouse Beach

Lighthouse Beach is part of the Lighthouse Beach Park located adjacent the TX Hwy. 35 North causeway bridge. Entrance to the park is from Broadway St. (TX Hwy 238) just south of the Hwy. 35 and Hwy 238 intersection across from the Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse and Bauer Community Center. There is a modest per vehicle fee to enter the park.

BMagnolia Beach

Go west on TX Hwy. 238 from Port Lavaca as it exits town. Continue straight on TX 238, which eventually becomes TX Hwy. 316. Continue on Hwy. 316 for approximately 5.5 miles before turning left when you reach Farm to Market Road 2760. Once on FM 2760, travel approximately one mile, then turn right on Vivian Stevens Rd. Make an immediate left around the curve once on Vivian Stevens, and then an immediate right around the curve. The beach will be on your left in a few feet.

CIndianola Beach

Go west on TX Hwy. 238 from Port Lavaca as it exits town. Continue straight on TX 238, which eventually becomes TX Hwy. 316. Continue on Hwy. 316 for approximately eight miles, then turn right on Brighton Avenue. Stay on Brighton Avenue for about a mile, and the beach will be on your left.

PUBLIC BOAT RAMPS

DKing Fisher Beach at Port O’Connor

From Port Lavaca, head west on TX Hwy. 238 out of town. Follow Hwy. 238 and when you reach the flashing yellow lights at the intersection of TX Hwy 316, turn right, which will still be Hwy. 238. Follow Hwy. 238 for about one mile, then turn left on Farm to Market Road 1289. Continue on FM 1289 for just over 11 miles until it ends. From there, turn left on TX Hwy. 185. Continue on Hwy. 185 through Port O’Connor until it ends. Once it ends, turn left on Park Street. The beach will be on your right.

ESeadrift Bayfront Park

From Port Lavaca, head west on TX Hwy. 238 out of town. Follow Hwy. 238 and when you reach the flashing yellow lights at the intersection of TX Hwy 316, turn right, which will still be Hwy. 238. Follow Hwy. 238 for approximately 10 miles, where it will “T” with TX Hwy. 185. Take a left on Hwy. 185 and you will reach Seadrift in approximately one mile. Continue on Hwy. 185 until you reach Main Street, and turn right. Follow Main Street until it intersects with Bay Street. Turn right on Bay Street, and the beach will be on your left.

1. Olivia 2. Point Comfort 3. Six Mile 4. Lighthouse Beach* 5. Bayfront Peninsula

6. Harbor of Refuge 7. Chocolate Bayou 8. Magnolia Beach 9. Port O’Connor 10. Seadrift Bayfront Park

*A modest per vehicle fee is required for entrance to the Lighthouse Beach Park.

6 12 13 19-21 27 27

Derby Day at the Port O’Connor Community Center.

MidCoast Smackdown Fishing Tournament. www. midcoastsmackdown.com.

POC Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon at King Fisher Park Pavilion.

Warrior’s Weekend in Port O’Connor. www. warriorsweekend.org.

Port O’Connor Memorial Day Kid Fish & Kite Flying Contest, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at King Fisher Beach.

Seadrift Market Days, 8 a.m. to noon at the Train Depot.

MidCoast Smackdown Fishing Tournament. www. midcoastsmackdown.com.

42nd Shrimpfest in Seadrift. Two days of music, food, fun, and contests like shrimp eating. There is also a fishing tournament.

POC Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, King Fisher Park Pavilion.

Texas Water Safari starts in San Marcos and ends at Bill Sanders Memorial Park in Seadrift, with an awards banquet at noon June 14. Rojo Classic, one-day redfish tournament in Port O’Connor.

The Legacy Tournament. Fishing tournament starts at 5:30 a.m. Registration at Sharkie’s Bar & Grill in Port O’Connor.

Legends in Lace, presented by the Saltwater Legend Series, in Port O’Connor. Events take place at 5D Steakhouse.

Seadrift Market Days, 8 a.m. to noon at the Train Depot.

City of Point Comfort Fourth of July Bash at the Bay at Waterfront Park.

POC Fireworks, King Fisher Beach. Craft and food vendors will be on hand from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Possum Invitational fishing tournament with events at Sharkie’s Bar & Grill. www.possumfishingtournament.com.

Star-Spangled Bay Bash, July 3 at Bayfront Peninsula Park in Port Lavaca. Hardhead Derby in Port Lavaca.

Port O’Connor July 4 Parade 9 a.m.

Seadrift Fourth of July fireworks.

Capt. Trey Ross Memorial Fishing Tournament. Events at 5D Steakhouse.

POC Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, King Fisher Park Pavilion.

Little Mullets Tournament in Port O’Connor.

1 5 3 5 4 12 4 26 8 8 15 29

Seadrift Market Days, 8 a.m. to noon at the Train Depot.

ONGOING

City of Port Lavaca’s Bayfront Beats Saturday night concert series at Bayfront Peninsula Park starts. Bring your own chairs and drinks. No glass bottles.

POC Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, King Fisher Park Pavilion.

Seadrift Market Days, at the Train Depot.

ONGOING

City of Port Lavaca’s Bayfront Beats Saturday night concert series at Bayfront Peninsula Park starts. Bring your own chairs and drinks. No glass bottles.

Flip Flop Festival at Bayfront Peninsula Park in Port Lavaca.

POC Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, King Fisher Park Pavilion.

Adopt A Beach Coast-wide Cleanup.

Seadrift Market Days, at the Train Depot.

Port O’Connor Service Club Fall Garage Sale 8 a.m. to noon at King Fisher Beach Pavilion.

Port O’Connor Boat & Fishing Expo, sponsored by the POC Chamber of Commerce.

POC Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, King Fisher Park Pavilion.

POC Service Club Clay Shoot.

Seadrift Market Days, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Train Depot.

Trunk or Treat, 6 – 8 p.m. at King Fisher Beach Park in Port O’Connor.

Calhoun County Fair Parade.

Calhoun County Fair opens.

Calhoun County Youth Livestock Show & Auction.

Point Comfort Trunk or Treat.

Port Lavaca Trunk or Treat at Lighthouse Beach.

Seadrift Trunk or Treat at the bayfront.

POC Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, King Fisher Park Pavilion.

Free Thanksgiving Dinner, St. Jude Hall.

POC Poker Run, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Port O’Connor.

Seadrift Market Days, 8 a.m. to noon at the Train Depot.

Port O’Connor Lighted Boat Parade, 6 to 8 p.m. POC Waterway.

POC Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, King Fisher Park Pavilion.

House Lighting Contest in Port O’Connor.

Seadrift Market Days, 8 a.m. to noon at the Train Depot.

Seadrift Christmas festivities.

Tree of Angels at Bauer Community Center.

Tree Lighting ceremonies in Port Lavaca, Point Comfort and Seadrift.

Festival of Lights Parade in Port Lavaca, starts at Bayfront Penisula Park.

Merry on Main in December, Port Lavaca.

The

performance life for Port

Lavaca man

Larry Robinson found one of the loves of his life in a garbage can.

It was a guitar.

“I didn’t know how to play, nobody in my family knew how to play, and nobody I knew could play guitar. But I had a pretty good ear and I tuned it into a chord I could play with my thumb,” he said, noting he played in the junior and high school bands in Premont, where he grew up. “It wasn’t until I was thirteen or fourteen and started meeting girls that I would sing.”

It was his father who gave him his first taste of performing live. Robinson said his dad taught square dance as well as doing square dance calling.

“So I had this little girlfriend in the trailer park and we sang this song together. Anyway, dad said, ‘would you bring your guitar and you and Linda can sing that song.’ And I said, ‘no, no, no. I was so shy.”

That wasn’t the end of it, though. At the square dance, when they took a break, his father announced that his son and friend were going to sing.

“I said, ‘I didn’t bring my guitar’ and he said, ‘I did.’ I was scared to death but we sang that song.”

Following graduation, Rob-

BY DD Turner

inson joined the U.S. Navy as a musician and went to the music school in Washington, D.C., where he played the trumpet and baritone.

In 1962, the band was invited to play for President John F. Kennedy when the Shah of Iran and his wife were visiting.

“So we stood out there and when they came up we played military-type music,” said Robinson. “And as he walked past, he stopped and shook hands with a few people and I was one of them. He asked where I was from and I said Texas and he said, ‘I love Texas.’ Little did he know the next year he would be killed in Texas.”

Robinson also played ‘Taps’ at Arlington Cemetery for a general.

“I think that was the scariest thing I did in my life. I was up on a hill, there was a little bit of snow and I was trying to keep the trumpet warm but I did it, I did it.”

While serving on the USS Galveston, he became the ship’s bugler. “The Navy has a bugle call for everything, except for one thing.” He wrote a jazzy bugle call for it and the captain really liked it so it was written into the ship’s log.

After a transfer to another ship, Robinson was no longer the bugler but decided to learn to

Photo by DD Turner

A list of songs that Larry Robinson performs rests on a music stand.

play the guitar properly because shipmates were teasing him about how he played.

Then the singing returned when he was stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 1971. He was doing patter calls for square dancing and a hoedown, where you incorporate square dancing moves into the song.

“That’s where I really started singing. Then we went to Spain and I really loved the Flamenco music. “I had to learn how to play that,” he said.

The search for a teacher wasn’t easy but he finally found one who would take him on.

“He didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak Spanish but he agreed to teach me. About six months later he invited me to play the rhythm part at this huge festival. I was scared to death,” he said.

When he retired here after the navy and became a pilot boat captain, he put the guitar away until he retired as a pilot.

“I started singing at Trinity Shores to tracks like karaoke. He dusted off his guitar and started practicing again every day.

“I’ve been doing that for the past eleven years, just singing at the senior living places. They are really appreciative and it brings them so much joy. An Alzheimer patient can sing along. They may not talk and carry on a conversation but they can sing and remember those words, it fills your heart to see them. It’s the greatest thing in the world,” he said.

Currently, he sings every Wednesday at Trinity Shores with Johnny Kisiah, who preaches at the Six Mile Assembly of God, Rod Taylor of Seadrift who plays mandolin and guitar and Walter

Spiller on bass.

“It’s a pretty good group,” he said. “It’s strictly gospel. I love gospel music.”

He also performs at the Wednesday Hamburger Night at the VFW Hall.

And, he has been the voice of Calhoun County for many years, emceeing various events such as the Point Comfort and Port Lavaca Christmas parades. He’s also emceed the Port Lavaca Chamber banquets and has served as president too. He chaired the committee that put together Port Lavaca’s 150th anniversary celebration.

“That was a seven day event. I had to attend over 400 meetings. Can you imagine, it was insane,” he said. He also served as chairman of the Texas A&M Extension Service committee.

“It’s my life, now,” said Robinson. “I’m pretty darn old, seventy-eight, and very tired but the music inspires me. My daughter says it keeps me going and that’s true. I love to do it.”

Photo by DD Turner

Larry Robinson performs at the Hamburger Night at the VFW Hall in Port Lavaca.

Residents of Trinity Shores of Port Lavaca Assisted Living Center get into the groove as the Old Gray Haired Guys perform. The band, consisting of Larry Robinson, Roberto Reyes, Rex Bennetsen, Rod Taylor, Johnny Kisiah, Walter Spiller and on occasion Everett Ruddick, perform each Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the center.

“ I’m pretty darn old, seventy-eight, and very tired but the music inspires me. My daughter says it keeps me going and that’s true. I love to do it. ”

Loss transformed by local artist

BY DD Turner | dturner@plwave.com

SEADRIFT – Pain and loss have been turned into art.

Winter Storm Uri wiped out a lifetime of trees and palms in 2021 that Tom Kawana had been growing and taking care of more than 20 years. He lost 33 trees – queen palms, eucalyptus and citrus trees.

“That was my whole life. I’m done. I’m seventy-one and I won’t get that time back,” said Kawana. “I debated what I should do. I’m alone now and that whole thing is the story of how do we deal with losing a part of our life.”

The answer to his question came as he started pulling off the dead fronds and leaves. In them, he could see an animal or a face that tugged on his artistic temperament. He decided to pull out the form in the frond or pod and bring it to life once again.

“I’m an artist, all my life really and that’s what I’m going to do,” he said. He picked up the supplies his daughter had left when she went to college and used one of the Magic Markers on one.

The pieces of his lost trees are coated in polyurethane, which seals it before the paint is applied.

“If I didn’t do that it would absorb all the paint I put on it. I would take me twenty coats,” he said. “It also protects them.”

His workshop houses the bark and fronds waiting for him to find the hidden art in it.

“When they’re gone, they are gone. I got about twenty more that all died in the freeze,” he said. “The longest is nine-feet, I call them works in progress.”

Kawana remembers the plants, the sounds of the rustling leaves,

the shade it provided.

“It was a cool stand of eucalyptus. The one I cut off stood right here. I will never forget the sounds, the shade it provided. It was beautiful there,” he said.

Some of his pieces have made it all the way to Florida, Virginia and Massachusetts.

“I’ve given some to friends, to family members and my daughter has eight or ten of them. She lives in Austin and she loved them. I told her to choose which ones she wanted,” he said.

Kawana said she also provided ideas for him to make such as Santa Claus and the Grinch.

He has sold his work at market days in Seadrift and Port O’Connor but said “I didn’t realize the value of what I did.”

The pandemic, as well as Uri, was a time of loss for Kawana. “I went through personal loss, cancer, divorce,” he said, adding he planned at the time to work on a book of his adventures on the road during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. “I thought I would put down the hammer and pick up the pen but I was not ready to publish that stuff, I had a lot to deal with,” he said.

The carpenter said he decided to put his tools down after 50 years in the business so he buried himself in his art.

In the wood, the bark, the frond he has seen animals, faces or fish. “I’ve fished all my life in many places,” he said, pointing to one piece that looked like an alligator gar. “Some people see it, some people don’t but that’s what an art does – it looks at something and sees something or nothing.”

Each piece takes hours of

work – from cutting it down and storing it before applying the polyurethane in order to begin the painting. “There is five or six days of painting ten to twelve hours a day,” he said.

He now is beginning to look at the pieces of wood and trying to preserve its natural beauty.

“You can’t compete with that. But people want to see the colors – the blues, the greens, the yellows – all that happy stuff,” he said.

Some of his pieces have a darker tone created when he is in a down phase of bipolar. “I can spend four or five days painting and the irony is I could not stay in that mode,” he said.

He does not consider his diagnoses as a negative. “It is the agony and ecstasy. The greatest artist and creative people of all time deal with madness and manage it,” he said. “You can’t stay there and every moment is fleeting so you try to balance the two out always. I am acutely aware of the good days and the bad days so I do one of these guys and that’s enough.”

Kawana said he sees life as 50/50. “Without black there is no white, no contrast. That’s what life is about the joy, which is what I saw in all these things including the loss.”

He referenced a Jim Carrey movie, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” where all the bad memories are erased leaving only the good.

“Jim Carrey’s character wished he could forget all the sad parts of life. But I think that is necessary for you to get motivated.”

Photo by DD Turner

Tom Kawana holds a piece of eucalyptus bark from one of his trees that died in his shed at his home in Seadrift. Kawana has taken the pieces of his trees that died in Winter Storm Uri and brought them back as art.

Photo by DD Turner

Tom Kawana’s palm fronds, birds of paradise and eucalyptus are on display in his home in Seadrift. Kawana has taken the pieces of his trees that died in Winter Storm Uri and brought them back as art.

“ I debated what I should do. I’m alone now and that whole thing is the story of how do we deal with losing a part of our life. ”

FIND THE ANSWERS IN THE

Calhoun County Historical Museum

By DD Turner

Riddle me this: The coat I wore was shaggy/And the land where I lived was grassy./I’ve been on someone’s dinner plate/Being eaten was my fate./My head hangs high upon the wall/of America’s animals, there are none so tall.

Well, to find out the answer you will need to take a tour of the Calhoun County Historical Museum, 301 S. Ann St. in Port Lavaca, and play the I Spy game.

“We have different levels – pictures for children who can’t read yet to a really hard one for the high school kids,” said Museum Director Vicki Cox.

Cox said the former director, Georgeanne Cormier, started the project with the hard one.

“It was something she started several years ago and then Duke (Johnson) suggested, at one point, it would be a good idea to do, so I went online for some ideas for the easier ones. Most of the time they

get a big kick out of doing it.”

And, it’s not just kids enjoying the fun. Cox said over Spring Break, a family came into the museum and two kids did the easy one, one child the medium version and the grandparents and parents took on the harder version.

“It gets them interested in looking. Most of the time when doing a tour, kids lose interest fast so this gets them looking at the artifacts and, sometimes, asking questions,” she said.

The Fresnel lens that was part of the Half-Moon Lighthouse is one of the top three draws for the museum.

“A lot of people are interested in Indianola, La Salle or the lighthouse lens. Those are our three biggest attractions,” said Cox.

There is a secret in the museum – mast-

odon bones. “Not many people know about those and they think it is pretty neat that they were found here and not brought in,’ said Cox.

The newest exhibit at the museum was put up to honor Alice Wilkins, during Black History Month. The exhibit will stay up for an extended period of time, said Cox.

The “Sound of Education” pealed across the neighborhoods, reminding youngsters that it was time to head to Wilkins School for a day of learning and activities.

That bell has a new home inside an exhibit on the school at the Calhoun County Historical Museum in honor of Black History Month.

“We remember it,” said Deloris Jones White, who attended Wilkins School until

Photo by DD Turner The Fresnel lens that was part of the Half-Moon Lighthouse lights up the Calhoun County Museum.

1957 during integration. “It was loud. I could hear it on my own street and we lived about a block and a half from the school.”

White and Roberta Carter Hale worked with Calhoun County History Museum Director Vicki Cox and Duke Johnson, assistant to the director, to create the exhibit, which is now on display at the museum.

The exhibit is centered around a photo of Mrs. A.O. Wilkins, which presides over the “Sound of Education” and is surrounded by memorabilia that Hale and White recovered from the original building and gym.

Hale said it started in 2019 when they met with former Calhoun County ISD Superintendent Larry Nichols, who gave permission for the ladies to go through the building to find items that they would like to recover.

Joe Hernandez and his staff, Mr. Valdez, Ernest and Ray, helped with the project, said Hale.

The bell was one of the items they found and Hale said Mr. Valdez cleaned up the bell and mounted it for display. “Deloris came up with the sound of edu -

cation,” she said.

The display also shows off trophies won by the students, ribbons, one of the Red Jackets of the band, door numbers and more.

In addition to the display, there is a keepsake book on a podium across from the display. In it is the history of Wilkins School, which has a reunion every three years, a memorial to the late Theresa Hall-Hosey, who was known for her firsts as well as profiles on students, sports facts and more.

HISTORY

The first school for Black students was created in the late 1800s and started with 30 students for grades one through five in a one-room building. James Choice of Prairie View served as the first teacher.

In the early 1900s, the Rev. A.K. Black of Austin was the next teacher of the school. He stepped down because he felt heading a school and serving as pastor did not work well.

Alice Ora Crawford moved from Chicago to Victoria in 1907 where she sought employment in the school district but was

Samuel Kinlay shipped this Victorian Square Grand Piano to Indianola for his daughter, Freda Nugent Kinlay so she could teach music. The piano went through the 1875 and the 1886 hurricanes. It was wrapped in quilts and blankets in the only room of the house that survived.

Calhoun County Museum Director Vicki Cox stands by a buggy that’s part of the exhibits inside the museum.

“ It was something she started several years ago and then Duke (Johnson) suggested, at one point, it would be a good idea to do, so I went online for some ideas for the easier ones. Most of the time they get a big kick out of doing it.”

CALHOUN COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM

turned down because she was 16 years old.

She then came to Port Lavaca, where the Calhoun School District hired her to teach at the school.

Under her tutelage the school grew to 10th grade and she was promoted from teacher to principal.

The one-room school burned down and the school was moved to a site on the bayfront on property owned by the late Judge Howard Hartzog. Two small houses were purchased by the school district. Grades one through four were in one house and grades five through 10 in the other. Instructors were Alice Wilkins and Jennie Sayles. A new three-room Rosenwald school was built in 1923.

Wilkins piloted the school for 37 years before she collapsed in the classroom on April 26, 1942. She died two days later in Victoria.

In 1937, Dr. A.W. Jackson, prin-

cipal of Rosenburg Colored High School, recommended the district rename the school in her honor due to her abilities and concern for Black people. The first Wilkins High School students graduated in 1938. In 1951, competitive sports and interscholastic competitions were added.

Integration started in 1955 with a class a year being integrated until the last was moved in 1965.

The doors closed on Wilkins School in 1965.

The Wilkins Alumni Association was formed and a reunion is held every three years.

Wilkins is considered the “Mother of Black Education” in Calhoun County. In 1981, alumni and ex-students created the A.O. Wilkins Scholarship and in 1982, Mulberry Street was re-named in her honor. Her picture is in the museum and a set of books was donated to the Calhoun County Library in her honor.

In May 1910, the first class graduated with three students.

MUSEUM HOURS

Stop by the museum, 301 S. Ann St., to check out the Wilkins School exhibit. The museum is open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday; and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call 361-553-4689.

Several of the exhibits inside the Calhoun County Historical Museum.

Port O’

Connor

offers fun on and off the water

BY DD Turner

The ocean is a way of life down in Port O’Connor with beaches to play on as well as a vast watery playpen to swim or fish in.

Take for instance, King Fisher Beach, at the end of Hwy 185 in Port O’Connor, is the “it” spot in Port O’Connor. You can while away your hours on the beach area that boasts sandy shores, a fishing pier, boardwalk and pavilion.

But King Fisher is at the heart of Port O’Connor with most events in the town taking place in its space such as the annual Fourth of July celebration and annual Crawfish Festival and all other events in between.

Another favorite in the Port O’Connor area is Sunday Beach, which is only accessible by boat as it is about two miles off the shore near the west end of Matagorda Bay. It is a popular spot among residents and visitors alike as beach goers can experience the best of both worlds on the water. The bay side of the beach is calm, and only a short walk away, the Gulf of Mexico roars upon the shore, a true vision of Mother Nature and the surf she can produce.

Boggy Bayou is a well-known fishing spot in Port O’Connor. Flounder, red fish and trout are abundant when the tide is just right, and Boggy Bayou is great for wade or kayak fishing. The

area has been improved with cabanas, walkways and such.

Also, the Texas Gulf Intracoastal Waterway parallels the Gulf of Mexico at Port O’Connor. The GIWW is more than 400 miles long. It starts out in the Sabine River and ends near the Texas-Mexico border. It is marked with standard aides for navigation.

So with all that water around for some fun in the sun, there is a serious side to its beauty. Rip currents pull you away from shores and are a very strong current.

What do you do to get out of the No. 1 beach public safety risk?

You relax, according to researchers with the National Ocean Service, an office within the U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

So what you want to do is swim across the current in a direction following the shoreline, and when out, swim at an angle back to shore and away from the current. If you can’t escape, float or tread water and yell or wave for assistance if needed.

The best way to help someone caught in a rip current is to stay onshore and yell for help, toss them a floatation device, call out instructions to the swimmer caught in the current as well as call 911 for help.

Be Beach Smart by checking the weather and water conditions before heading out as well as during your stay on the beach.

King Fisher Beach, at the end of Hwy 185 in Port O’Connor, is the “it” spot in Port O’Connor. The beach offers swimming in the ocean, a mobility mat trail, playground, volleyball spot and picnic tables along with nice sandy beaches.

Boggy Bayou is a well-known fishing spot where flounder, red fish and trout have been reeled in. The area has been improved with cabanas, walkways and more.

Port O’Connor is at the end of State Hwy. 185 and everyone from fishermen to kayakers can find a warm welcome.

Lose yourself at the library

The Calhoun County Library System is made up of four libraries in Port Lavaca, Seadrift, Point Comfort and Port O’Connor. The main library is at 200 W. Mahan in Port Lavaca.

The library has over 70,000 books, 6,000 DVDS, 1,500 audiobooks and over 70 magazines available for checkout as well as subscriptions to the Port Lavaca Wave, Victoria Advocate, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Austin American Statesman, Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily and the Chinese World Journal.

The library offers a variety of services that include computers and laptops for public use, internet access, free Wifi, Faxing Service, Email Service, Black and White and Color copiers, 3D printer and one-on-one computer classes.

Interlibrary Loan is also available. Through Interlibrary Loan, you can borrow materials from libraries across the United States, all you do is pay for the return postage.

The Library also offers a Spanish and Chinese Language section.

The library subscribes to a variety of databases including Overdrive, a database that has a collection of eBooks, audiobooks, and videos that you can download to your phone, tablet or other device. In addition, the library has a variety of programs for adults and children.

MAIN BRANCH

200 West Mahan St. Port Lavaca 361-552-READ (7323)

Tuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Wednesday and Friday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

PORT O’CONNOR

5506 W Main St. Port O’Connor 361-983-4365

Monday & Tuesday: 9 a.m. 1 p.m., 2 - 6 p.m.

Wednesday: 1 - 6 p.m.

Thursday: Noon - 5 p.m.

Saturday : 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

SEADRIFT

502 S. 4th St. Seadrift 361-785-4241

Monday & Wednesday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 2 - 6 p.m.

Tuesday & Thursday: Noon - 6 p.m.

Saturday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

POINT COMFORT

1 Lamar St. Point Comfort 361-987-2954

Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m., 2 -6 p.m.

Wednesday & Thursday 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., 2-6 p.m.

Friday: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. – Noon.

A bird watcher’s paradise

Calhoun County known for its birding opportunities. Here’s a helpful checklist for the over 429 species that have been spotted in the area.

Key:

R=Rare, P=Pelagic/Offshore, H=Hypothetical, E=Extirpated/Extinct, I=Introduced or Exotic

___ Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

___ Fulvous Whistling-Duck

___ Greater White-fronted Goose

___ Snow Goose

___ Ross’s Goose

___ Cackling Goose

___ Canada Goose

___ Trumpeter Swan (E)

___ Tundra Swan (R)

___ Wood Duck ___ Gadwall ___ Mallard ___ Mottled Duck

___ American Black Duck (R)

___ Blue-winged Teal

___ Cinnamon Teal

___ Northern Shoveler

___ Northern Pintail

___ Green-winged Teal

___ Canvasback

___ Redhead

___ Ring-necked Duck

___ Greater Scaup

___ Lesser Scaup

___ Surf Scoter

___ White-winged Scoter (R)

___ Black Scoter

___ Harlequin Duck (R)

Jan. 29, 1945; Aransas NWR

(likely mislabeled to Aransas Co.)

___ Long-tailed Duck (R) ___ Bufflehead

___ Common Goldeneye ___ Hooded Merganser

___ Common Merganser (R)

Dec. 23, 1992

___ Red-breasted Merganser

___ Masked Duck (R) ___ Ruddy Duck ___ Northern Bobwhite

___ Greater Prairie-Chicken (E)

___ Ring-necked Pheasant (RI) ___ Wild Turkey ___ Red-throated Loon (R)

Dec. 19, 2004; Port O’Connor

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Least Grebe ___ Pied-billed Grebe

___ Horned Grebe

___ Red-necked Grebe (R)

___ Eared Grebe

___ Western Grebe (R)

___ American Flamingo (R)

___ Black-capped Petrel (PR)

___ Cory’s Shearwater (P)

___ Great Shearwater (PR)

___ Sooty Shearwater (PR)

___ Audubon’s Shearwater (P)

___ Leach’s Storm-Petrel (P)

___ Band-rumped Storm-Petrel (P)

___ Red-billed Tropicbird (PR)

___ White-tailed Tropicbird (HP)

Aug. 6-7,1937; Matagorda Island

___ Wood Stork

___ Magnificent Frigatebird

___ Masked Booby (R)

1st county record June 8,1885; Matagorda Bay

___ Northern Gannet (P)

___ Neotropic Cormorant

___ Double-crested Cormorant

___ Anhinga

___ American White Pelican

___ Brown Pelican

___ American Bittern

___ Least Bittern

___“Great White Heron” (R) A pure white phase of Great Blue Heron

___ Great Blue Heron

___ Great Egret

___ Snowy Egret

___ Little Blue Heron

___ Tricolored Heron

___ Reddish Egret

___ Cattle Egret

___ Green Heron

___ Black-crowned Night-Heron

___ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

___ White Ibis

___ Glossy Ibis

___ White-faced Ibis

___ Roseate Spoonbill

___ Black Vulture

___ Turkey Vulture

___ Osprey

___ Swallow-tailed Kite

___ White-tailed Kite

___ Mississippi Kite

___ Bald Eagle

___ Northern Harrier

___ Sharp-shinned Hawk

___ Cooper’s Hawk

___ Northern Goshawk (R)

Pre-1978 record; one in Port O’Connor 2009 reported

___ Harris’s Hawk

___ Red-shouldered Hawk

___ Broad-winged Hawk

___ Swainson’s Hawk

___ White-tailed Hawk

___ Zone-tailed Hawk (R)

___ Red-tailed Hawk

___ Ferruginous Hawk (R)

___ Rough-legged Hawk (R)

___ Golden Eagle (R)

Jan. 16, 1993; Mar. 3, 2000

___ Crested Caracara

___ American Kestrel

___ Merlin

___ Aplomado Falcon (I)

___ Peregrine Falcon

___ Prairie Falcon

___ Yellow Rail

___ Black Rail

___ Clapper Rail

___ King Rail

___ Virginia Rail

___ Sora

___ Purple Gallinule

___ Common Gallinule

___ American Coot

___ Sandhill Crane

___ Whooping Crane

___ Black-bellied Plover

___ American Golden-Plover

___ Pacific Golden-Plover (H)

___ Snowy Plover

___ Wilson’s Plover

___ Semipalmated Plover

___ Piping Plover

___ Killdeer

___ Mountain Plover (R)

___ American Oystercatcher

___ Black-necked Stilt

___ American Avocet

___ Northern Jacana (R)

Dec. 10, 1992-April 22, 1993

___ Spotted Sandpiper

___ Solitary Sandpiper

___ Greater Yellowlegs

___ Willet

___ Lesser Yellowlegs

___ Upland Sandpiper

___ Eskimo Curlew (E)

___ Whimbrel

___ Long-billed Curlew

___ Hudsonian Godwit

___ Marbled Godwit

___ Ruddy Turnstone

___ Red Knot

___ Sanderling

___ Semipalmated Sandpiper

___ Western Sandpiper

___ Least Sandpiper

___ White-rumped Sandpiper

___ Baird’s Sandpiper

___ Pectoral Sandpiper

___ Purple Sandpiper (R)

___ Dunlin

___ Stilt Sandpiper

___ Buff-breasted Sandpiper

___ Ruff (R)

___ Short-billed Dowitcher

___ Long-billed Dowitcher

___ Wilson’s Snipe

___ American Woodcock

___ Wilson’s Phalarope

___ Red-necked Phalarope (R)

___ Black-legged Kittiwake (R)

___ Sabine’s Gull (R)

___ Bonaparte’s Gull

___ Laughing Gull

___ Franklin’s Gull

___ Mew Gull (R)

Mar. 4, 2005; Magnolia Beach

___ Ring-billed Gull

___ California Gull (R)

___ Herring Gull

___ Thayer’s Gull (R)

___ Lesser Black-backed Gull

___ Glaucous Gull (R)

___ Great Black-backed Gull (R)

___ Sooty Tern (R)

___ Bridled Tern (P)

___ Least Tern (P)

Photo by Bill Harvey

___ Gull-billed Tern

___ Caspian Tern

___ Black Tern

___ Common Tern

___ Arctic Tern (PR)

Sept. 21, 1996

___ Roseate Tern (R)

Mar. 15, 1998

___ Forster’s Tern

___ Royal Tern

___ Sandwich Tern

___ Black Skimmer

___ Pomarine Jaeger (P)

___ Parasitic Jaeger (P)

___ Long-tailed Jaeger (PR)

___ Rock Pigeon

___ Eurasian Collared-Dove

___ White-winged Dove

___ Mourning Dove

___ Passenger Pigeon (?E)

___ Inca Dove

___ Common Ground-Dove

___ White-tipped Dove (R)

___ Monk Parakeet (RI)

___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo

___ Mangrove Cuckoo (R)

___ Black-billed Cuckoo

___ Greater Roadrunner

___ Groove-billed Ani

___ Barn Owl

___ Flammulated Owl (R)

___ Eastern Screech-Owl

___ Great Horned Owl

___ Burrowing Owl

___ Barred Owl

___ Long-eared Owl (R)

___ Short-eared Owl

___ Lesser Nighthawk

___ Common Nighthawk

___ Common Pauraque

___ Common Poorwill (R)

___ Chuck-will’s-widow

___ Eastern Whip-poor-will

___ White-collared Swift (R)

___ Chimney Swift

___ Vaux’s Swift (R)

Dec. 20, 2010; Port O’Connor

___ Black Swift (R)

Apr. 11, 2006; Port O’Connor

___ Broad-billed Hummingbird (R)

Dec. 5, 2010; Six Mile

___ Buff-bellied Hummingbird

___ Blue-throated Hummingbird (R) near Seadrift

___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird

___ Black-chinned Hummingbird

___ Anna’s Hummingbird

___ Costa’s Hummingbird (R) ___ Calliope Hummingbird (R) ___ Broad-tailed Hummingbird

___ Rufous Hummingbird

___ Allen’s Hummingbird (R)

Ringed Kingfisher (R)

Belted Kingfisher

Green Kingfisher

___ Red-headed Woodpecker (R) ___ Acorn Woodpecker (R) ___ Golden-fronted Woodpecker (R)

___ Red-bellied Woodpecker

___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

___ Red-naped Sapsucker (R)

___ Ladder-backed Woodpecker

___ Downy Woodpecker

___ Northern Flicker

___ Pileated Woodpecker

___ Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet (R)

___ Olive-sided Flycatcher

___ Eastern Wood-Pewee

___ Western Wood-Pewee (R)

Sept. 24, 2000; offshore oil rig

___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

___ Acadian Flycatcher

___ Alder Flycatcher

___ Willow Flycatcher

___ Least Flycatcher

___ Cordilleran Flycatcher (R)

___ Black Phoebe (R)

___ Eastern Phoebe

___ Say’s Phoebe

___ Vermilion Flycatcher

___ Ash-throated Flycatcher

___ Great Crested Flycatcher

___ Brown-crested Flycatcher

___ Great Kiskadee

___ Couch’s Kingbird

___ Western Kingbird

___ Eastern Kingbird

___ Gray Kingbird (R)

___ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

___ Loggerhead Shrike

___ White-eyed Vireo

___ Bell’s Vireo

___ Yellow-throated Vireo

___ Plumbeous Vireo (R)

___ Cassin’s Vireo (R)

___ Blue-headed Vireo

___ Warbling Vireo

___ Philadelphia Vireo

___ Red-eyed Vireo

___ Yellow-green Vireo (R)

___ Green Jay

___ Blue Jay

___ American Crow

___ Chihuahuan Raven (R)

___ Horned Lark

___ Purple Martin

___ Tree Swallow

___ Violet-green Swallow (RH)

___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow

___ Bank Swallow

___ Cliff Swallow

___ Cave Swallow

___ Barn Swallow

___ Carolina Chickadee

___ Tufted Titmouse

___ Black-crested Titmouse (R)

___ Verdin (R)

___ Red-breasted Nuthatch

___ Brown Creeper

___ Cactus Wren (R)

May 11, 2004; Port O’Connor

___ Rock Wren (R)

___ Carolina Wren

___ Bewick’s Wren

___ House Wren

___ Winter Wren

___ Sedge Wren

___ Marsh Wren

___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

___ Golden-crowned Kinglet

___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet

___ Eastern Bluebird

___ Mountain Bluebird (R)

___ Veery

___ Gray-cheeked Thrush

___ Swainson’s Thrush

___ Hermit Thrush

___ Wood Thrush

___ American Robin

___ Gray Catbird

___ Northern Mockingbird

___ Brown Thrasher

___ Long-billed Thrasher

___ Curve-billed Thrasher

___ European Starling (I)

___ American Pipit

___ Sprague’s Pipit

___ Cedar Waxwing

___ Lapland Longspur (R)

___ Chestnut-collared Longspur

___ Smith’s Longspur (R)

___ McCown’s Longspur (R)

___ Ovenbird

___ Worm-eating Warbler

___ Louisiana Waterthrush

___ Northern Waterthrush

___ Golden-winged Warbler

___ Blue-winged Warbler

___ Black-and-white Warbler

___ Prothonotary Warbler

___ Swainson’s Warbler

___ Tennessee Warbler

___ Orange-crowned Warbler

___ Nashville Warbler

___ Virginia’s Warbler (R)

Oct. 10, 1999

___ MacGillivray’s Warbler (R)

May 11, 2006; Port O’Connor

___ Mourning Warbler

___ Kentucky Warbler

___ Common Yellowthroat

___ Hooded Warbler

___ American Redstart

___ Cape May Warbler (R)

___ Cerulean Warbler

___ Northern Parula

___ Tropical Parula (R)

___ Magnolia Warbler

___ Bay-breasted Warbler

___ Blackburnian Warbler

___ Yellow Warbler

___ Chestnut-sided Warbler

___ Blackpoll Warbler

___ Black-throated Blue Warbler (R)

___ Palm Warbler

___ Pine Warbler

___ Yellow-rumped Warbler

___ Yellow-throated Warbler

___ Prairie Warbler

___ Black-throated Gray Warbler (R)

___ Townsend’s Warbler (R)

___ Black-throated Green Warbler

___ Canada Warbler

___ Wilson’s Warbler

___ Red-faced Warbler (R)

___ Yellow-breasted Chat

___ White-collared Seedeater (R)

___ Olive Sparrow

___ Green-tailed Towhee (R)

___ Spotted Towhee

___ Eastern Towhee

___ Cassin’s Sparrow

___ Chipping Sparrow

___ Brewer’s Sparrow (R)

___ Clay-colored Sparrow

___ Field Sparrow

___ Vesper Sparrow

___ Lark Sparrow

___ Black-throated Sparrow (R)

___ Lark Bunting (R)

___ Savannah Sparrow

___ Grasshopper Sparrow

___ Henslow’s Sparrow (R)

___ Le Conte’s Sparrow

___ Nelson’s Sparrow

___ Seaside Sparrow

___ Fox Sparrow (R)

___ Song Sparrow

___ Lincoln’s Sparrow

___ Swamp Sparrow

___ White-throated Sparrow

___ Harris’s Sparrow

___ White-crowned Sparrow

___ Dark-eyed Junco

___ Winter Tanager

___ Scarlet Tanager

___ Western Tanager

___ Northern Cardinal

___ Pyrrhuloxia

___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak

___ Black-headed Grosbeak (R)

___ Blue Grosbeak

___ Lazuli Bunting (R)

___ Indigo Bunting

___ Varied Bunting (R)

Apr. 27, 1999; Port O’Connor

___ Painted Bunting

___ Dickcissel

___ Bobolink

___ Red-winged Blackbird

___ Eastern Meadowlark

___ Western Meadowlark

___ Yellow-headed Blackbird

___ Rusty Blackbird (R)

___ Brewer’s Blackbird

___ Common Grackle

___ Boat-tailed Grackle

___ Great-tailed Grackle

___ Shiny Cowbird (R)

___ Bronzed Cowbird

___ Brown-headed Cowbird

___ Orchard Oriole

___ Hooded Oriole (R)

___ Bullock’s Oriole

___ Baltimore Oriole

___ House Finch

___ Pine Siskin

___ Lesser Goldfinch

___ American Goldfinch

___ House Sparrow (I)

___ Nutmeg Mannikin (I)

offers big bangs and fun

By Sherry Ficklen

Point Comfort T

he city of Point Comfort is the epitome of small-town community life. Tree-lined streets with modest homes portray a serene village-like atmosphere, which rests on the shores of Matagorda Bay.

However, that serene tranquility will put on a new face on Saturday, June 24, when residents deck out in red, white and blue and come out to celebrate Point Comfort’s Fourth of July Bash at the Bay.

Near the shores of Matagorda Bay, the small community will light up the sky with an array of colors and a few big bangs. Blasting off at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 24, the festival is free and open to all. The family friendly event is always a big hit, according to Point Comfort City Administrator Tammy Soliz.

“We chose the date at the end of June to avoid coinciding with other communities and their fes-

tivities,” said Soliz. “The firework show will last approximately 15 minutes.”

The event will take place at the Point Comfort City Park and the grassy area near the bayfront. There will be a live DJ, Ice Stage, who will provide entertainment throughout the evening, vendors and so much more. There will be activities for children such as bounce houses. A kiddie cart

tractor pull will take the young residents on a ride through the festival by none other than the Point Comfort Parks and Recreation Department and city council member George Hernandez.

Before the Bash at the Bay, bring the boat and launch at the fully operational Point Comfort Boat Ramp, which is available for public use at no charge.

No boat? No problem. At the

end of the main street in Point Comfort there is both a seawall and fishing pier near the boat ramp. A portion of one of the piers is currently undergoing some needed renovations, but is still operational for anglers and others.

The boat ramp is free for public use and features a quick means to access the Lavaca River and other great fishing spots in this area such as Swan Lake and Redfish Lake.

A tranquil paved gazebo sits near the operational boat ramp.

“There is no fee to rent the gazebo. Instead it is available on a first come, first serve basis,” said Hernandez. “We have even had two wedding takes place at the gazebo.”

A new playground at Point Comfort City Park promises to create many new memories at a place where magic happens. After more than two decades, Point Comfort City Park is proud to be the home to brand new playground.

“The old playground was corroded with rusty spots and we did not want to take a chance on kids getting hurt. We wanted a new playground, a safe place for children to play. We wanted a place for families to come and enjoy,” said Hernandez. “The old playground was there about 23 years.”

The new equipment includes two single straight slides, a figure climber, fireman’s pole,Dring challenge ladder, ship wheel, bongo and ADA Transfer Station.

Calhoun County Independent School District employee Amanda Massey said her three children Colt, Cory, and Caytln all enjoyed the old playground at Point Comfort Park. She said her family would go several times a week during the summer when her kids were younger. She recalled that spending time with her children at the City of Point

Formosa Plastics and our employees have an unwavering commitment to keep our environment clean. Our partnerships with the Alliance to End Plastic Waste and litter collection applications help us gather accurate data of our annual litter collection events.

Since 2021, Formosa employees have removed more than 90,000 pieces of litter from the environment.

For more information on our social responsibility initiatives, please visit our website at fpcusa.com/sustainability

Comfort Park created great, lifetime memories.

“When we first moved to Point Comfort, Colt was old enough to take his bike down to the park on his own to meet friends. We actually bought his first cell phone earlier than expected so we could keep in touch with him because he would stay down there for hours at a time,” said Massey. As Cory and Caytln got older, Cory would ride his bike and I would push Caytln in a stroller to visit the park. Cory always preferred the big playscape, but Caytln’s favorite was the swings. I liked it because they always had a baby swing that I felt more comfortable with her in. We had a lot of fun times there. Visiting the park was something the kids and I could do together that we all enjoyed.”

Massey said she thinks the new playground is a wonderful idea.

“A new playground will be a great, new addition for the children and family’s in Point

Comfort. It’s always been a well-kept area that even out-oftowners like to visit,” she said. “I enjoyed it as an adult after they added the new walking path. The kids could play safely while I got a nice 2-3 mile walk in. It was like going on a field trip. The kids enjoyed being outdoors and the playground was a great place to let out some energy.”

Hernandez, a resident of Point Comfort for 23 years and a reserve law enforcement officer, said his own children enjoyed the park when they were younger.

“We have a lot of memories there,” he said. “We also had birthday parties there. We have a lot of city things that take place at the park. The Fourth of July celebration draws a large crowd of people. We also have a Halloween parade and costume contest. We want families to enjoy the park and all it has to offer,” said Hernandez. “We want the park to create many memories to come.”