Calhoun County Life Winter 2023

Greetings

Fall and winter in Calhoun County may not always bring the type of weather that comes to mind during the holiday season in some parts of the country, but events and activities in the area can certainly give you a taste of it.

From lighted Christmas parades, to snowball fights and sledding down and icy slopes, the Calhoun County has a lot to offer during this time of year.

Where else can you toss a snowball on Saturday, then put your flip flops on and head to the bay for warm breezes the very next day?

Not many places.

In the following pages, you can read about what this unique corner of Texas has to offer. Both to newcomers, and long-time residents alike.

Just as it is across the state, people moving to Calhoun County to not only experience the unique freedoms

and way of life that the Lone Stat state provides, but also for some of Texas’ best fishing and saltwater recreation.

And since Calhoun County features an endearing mixture of natives and transplants, most everyone seems to welcome newcomers as if they are old friends.

Perhaps that’s why this publication is always so much fun for us to put together – because it’s largely about our neighbors and the friendly confines of this corner of Texas that we call home.

We invite you to pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee or a pina colada if you’re so inclined. As you thumb through the following pages, follow us on a journey through Calhoun County: Where our life meets yours!

JT Strasner is publisher of the Port Lavaca Wave.

STAFF

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

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: Nautical Landings Marina on a cloudy winter night.

Visit us online at www.portlavacawave.com or email us at publisher@plwave.com.

Copyright 2022

JT STRASNER Publisher

Keri Wildes takes advantage of Port Lavaca’s one-mile walking and biking path at Bayfront Peninsula Park.

Jamesyn Bartels plays near the water’s edge at Bayfront Peninsula Park.

Area sees influx of rental property supply, demand

By JT Strasner

Rising a couple of stories high, adjacent to the bay on Austin Street in Port Lavaca, a trio of buildings under construction popped up in late October.

At the site of buildings that were damaged in Hurricane Harvey, an arrangement of two-story apartments now sit.

It’s the brainchild of locals Nancy and Jerry Smith, and the apartments are a welcome sight in a county that has struggled with a supply of affordable housing for industrial workers and young families for years.

Nancy explained that the project is partially funded by the Texas general land office (GLO), because it aligns with Hurricane Harvey recovery.

“It's for multi-family housing,” she said. “They had this grant money available. So we looked it up and applied for one. We’re lucky and this has been a fouryear process. We started in 2018 to apply for the grant.”

The facility features 13 apartments total. The Smiths say they plan to live on site, serving as managers “to help keep it nice and clean.”

“My husband grew up in this area,” Nancy said. “They actually had their shop right next door and his mom still lives next door. We bought a house from her and then we bought an apartment back here that was an impacted from the hurricane. We had the double-wide that we rented out that we bought here and it was destroyed by the hurricane. The

Growth can be seen all over Calhoun County and you don’t have to venture far to see it.

old Ladybug daycare was on that corner. We bought that because we wanted the waterfront.”

The Smiths said they hope to have construction finished by spring 2023.

“We’re trying to build our neighborhood up, and [the apartments] provide more tax base while providing housing that people can afford, which can be very difficult to find,” Smith said. “It won’t be plant worker housing, It's gonna be more family housing. So there'll be one, two and three bedroom units, and we will have handicap accessible units and then we'll just go from there.”

The site will feature a common area, as the Smiths hope to have a sense of community, with sidewalks all the way around.

Because the project is partially funded by the government, stacks of paperwork and swimming through regulations were required at times.

“We submitted our paperwork, and there’s an interesting story about it,” Nancy said. “The name of the project is Connor's Court. Connor's my son, and was in a motorcycle accident at the same time we were in the process of getting the paperwork ready to submit to the state the same day. My son was airlifted to San Antonio. He had eight fractures in his skull and broken bones. It was pretty harrowing, but he's a walking miracle and is perfectly normal now. To no surprise, [our grant administrator] couldn't get ahold of us that day, and one of

the requirements was that it had to be named. So, she named it Connor's Court.”

Nancy said trying to find a crew to build such a substantially sized project has its own set of challenges.

“They have to fall under all kinds of requirements,” she said. “No. 1, we have to be windstorm certified, which is expensive itself. No. 2, we have to be energy star certified. The hardest thing was the line of credit, because we had to provide a $1 million line of credit. So you get hardworking individuals like us and it's hard. It's not an easy process. But I'm excited to see it finished.”

Nancy said the design will feature a “coastal kind of aesthetic to it.”

“This will be nice for families especially, because they have good-sized bedrooms, and

I insisted they have a pantry,” she said. “I can't stand it to not have any room in your kitchen to put anything … They all have a pantry; they all have washer and dryers.

It's exciting and everybody will have their own little deck.”

Local realtor Russell Cain said he’s glad to see more rental availability coming to a county that badly needs it.

He added that rising interest rates create a situation that not everyone can afford to buy homes and pay mortgage payments any longer, causing even more of a need for rental properties.

“I had two houses sold recently,

and the families ended up not being able to buy them in the end because interest rates made the payments too high for them,” Cain said. “I have since sold two others and the people were able to make the payment. But to a young family with children right now, it’s hard. You’ve got to watch your money. The Colonial Arms

had units available recently, but they’re filling up now. I think the demand for rentals remains high right now.”

He added that an 85-unit hotel is set to be constructed on Hwy. 35 near Whataburger.

“Growth is happening all over the state and we see it here locally,” he added.

Get lured away to the bay

By CJ Vetter

As Texas continues to grow and more and more people flood into the state, it can be a challenge to find places that have held onto that authentic, special feeling that you only find in small towns. Places where you can slip away to and immerse yourself in a more relaxed, down-to-earth, and peaceful atmosphere where the fishing is good, the people are friendly and life is more relaxed.

But Port Lavaca has continued to maintain its easy-going yet vibrant atmosphere for many years and counting. It’s a place where people fishermen can be found scattered about on the shoreline and pears in the early morning, and families can enjoy the well-maintained Lighthouse Beach. However, its also a place where people can enjoy live music at Bayside Peninsula Park or get a drink and watch the game at the local sports bar on the bay, Scully’s.

The scenic vistas on Lavaca Bay offer the greatest opportunities to those looking to appreciate or engage with the outdoors and nature. The most accessible and leisurely of Port Lavaca’s locales, Lighthouse Beach, offers a perfect place for children to play, as the ocean leading up to the beach offers a comfortable depth, rarely reaching up to your waist until miles out. Built directly into the beach is also a dedicated playground and numerous canopies and picnic areas for those wishing to pack a lunch.

Less than a mile away, areas for RVs and campers are available for rent, giving easy access to the Formosa Wetlands Walkway and the Alcoa Bird Tower. This display of Texas’ natural beauty allows visitors to birdwatch and view coastal wildlife while remaining effortlessly close to civilization and Highway 35. Head down the path, and you’ll find yourself back at Lighthouse Beach, and beyond that, one of Port Lavaca’s piers and boat ramps, perfect for those fishermen ready for to catch a big one on the bay.

Heading further into town, you can come face to face with many local favorites, such as Texas Traditions or El Patio, offering authentic locale tex-mex. But these are just a few of the different restaurants and food places on offer. In addition to the food, Port Lavaca also serves as a venue for numerous different festivals, such as the Calhoun County Fair, as well as more local celebrations, such as the Flip-Flop Festival or the Bayfront

There are many things that set Port Lavaca apart from other cities in Texas, with much of it having to do with the spirit and integrity of the town itself. Having borne the brunt of Hurricane Carla and Hurricane Harvey, the city has recovered time and time again, pushing forward past the destruction, championed by the resolute and community-driven people of Port Lavaca.

An aerial view of the Formosa Wetlands Walkway and the Alcoa Bird Tower at Lighthouse Beach Park.

Beats music nights hosted at the Bayfront Peninsula Park, which also offers a playground for children, and an American Disabilities Act compliant pier complete with a fish cleaning station and lights for night fishing.

There are many things that set Port Lavaca apart from other cities in Texas, with much of it having to do with the spirit and integrity of the town itself. Having borne the brunt of Hurricane Carla and Hurricane Harvey, the city has recovered time and time again, pushing forward past the destruction, championed by the resolute and community-driven people of Port Lavaca. You can find evidence of it in all the local restaurants and stores, and with all the people within them.

Port Lavaca is also known for its rich history as well, once featuring the world’s longest fishing pier or the nearby Matagorda Lighthouse, one of the oldest in Texas. Also nearby is the ghost town of Indianola, which was once the county seat, before being swept away by two hurricanes and passing the honor

onto Port Lavaca. Also of considerable note is the Halfmoon Reef Light, the last surviving screw-pile type lighthouse left on the Texas Gulf Coast. It now rests right next to the Bauer Community Center, a large convention center suitable for large gatherings. For those serious history buffs, the town also offers a museum dedicated to the history and culture of the town, the Calhoun County Museum. Finally, Port Lavaca Main Street Theater has a long history of putting on plays featuring both local actors and those from afar in its vintage hall.

Port Lavaca has a little bit of everything for everyone and is ready to cast its charm on anyone who visits its enchanting bayfront. For more information about the activities and amenities available, visit portlavaca. org.

Rich in history, Port Lavaca attracts people from a variety of places for a stop at Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse, which sits at the corner of SH 238 and SH 35.

The D-head fishing

pier, located at Lighthouse

Beach

Park,

is a great place to cast a line and is a favorite among fishermen.

By CJ Vetter

Calhoun County opens new boat launch at Chocolate Bayou

One thing that the Golden Crescent has in abundance is natural beauty; whether it be bays or bayous, you’d be hard-pressed to find a place along Calhoun County not filled with coastal charm. Chocolate Bayou Park and its neighboring boat ramp are prime examples of the county’s recreational opportunities.

Located on the bayou, the boat launch offers a place well-suited for fishing. It is equipped with green lights for those who enjoy casting a reel at night, while its close proximity to the Chocolate Bayou Park allows for quick travel between the two features during days out with family.

Also featured at the park

Night owls gather around the boat ramp after dark, utilizing the ramp’s green light lamps and pole holders to facilitate their late-night fishing.

are ponds with small decks for fishing, as well as playground equipment, barbecue grills and a community garden.

The ramp is accompanied by a newly paved area for parking alongside a small area for picnics and barbecues, alongside a historical marker noting the Battle of Noris Bridge. Accessible parking for those with mobility impairments is also available, ready to accommodate any and all who enjoy boating or fishing.

“We’ve really gone in there and shaped the place up, so it’s a real place to park and fish,” Commissioner David Hall said. “Believe it or not, we have a lot of retired people that are handicapped that like to fish with a boat.”

As part of a series of renovations to the county, the boat launch was originally brought up five years ago in 2017 and went through many different stages of approval and development.

The current boat launch was built over a previous launch that was in disrepair and was completely overhauled.

Both projects faced increasing challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and had to be re-bid due to rising material costs.

However, the county continues to work on, maintain and improve the public features, with a new well being dug in to provide water for the ponds.

“We completed the playground [at the park] which was a twophase community development grant from disaster recovery, and there were a lot of metrics we had to go through to qualify for these grants,” Hall said. “You take a 2x4, and instead of being three dollars, it’s six. We had to scrap our first bids because of price overages.”

Overall, the projects serve as a way to provide residents of the county and visitors with pleasurable amenities and improved quality of life.

It also acts as a way to help those new to the area see the best that Calhoun County has to offer.

“If you had never been to the coast before and you put Magnolia Beach in your GPS, your first

vision of the coast is this boat ramp, and it was really dilapidated before,” Hall said. “It's like a first impression on our community and our county.”

Joe Ronny, Barbra Rieck and Fred Rieck traveled from Floresville to tryout the new ramp.

As part of the county’s effort to cater to families, Little Chocolate Bayou Park received new playground equipment, as shown here.

“Believe it or not, we have a lot of retired people that are handicapped that like to fish with a boat.”

2nd

8 Years In A Row

Seadrift

The quaint coastal town known as Seadrift might first bring to mind the sea breeze gently blowing from San Antonio Bay and the sound of sea gulls singing in the air. Founded in 1848 and located approximately 15 miles from Port Lavaca, the small town atmosphere where everybody knows your name is a perfect to get away from it all and enjoy the benefits of the small fishing and shrimping community.

A little known fact about Seadrift is that it was once named “Driftwood” and later changed to Seadrift. The small community welcomes visitors to escape the sights and sounds of the big city and enjoy the small town atmosphere of hospitality, fresh, clean air and cool breeze.

Have a birthday party, family reunion or any other festive occasion planned? Why not bring the gang to Seadrift Bayfront Park, where there are plenty of outdoor activities to keep the party hopping. Located off of Bay Street in Seadrift, the park is a great place to host an event. Right on the shores of San Antonio Bay, the park features picnic areas, public restrooms, a volleyball court, play areas and so much more for families to enjoy. Watching the shrimp boats come into the dock with loads of the days catch is a welcomed sight for many. Home to numerous festivals throughout the year, such as the infamous Shrimpfest, there is also a large covered pavilion next to the shore, complete with electricity, to accommodate larger crowds.

Don't forget to bring the fishing gear and cast out a line or two off of the seawall in hopes of reeling in the big one right from the the shore. Grownups (and children) will enjoy fishing off of the seawall of San Antonio Bay. Live and dead bait are abundantly available throughout the community. Big fish tales will be at an all time high as professional and amateur anglers test their skills and luck for a chance to reel in the big one. Redfish, trout and drum and so much more are waiting to feast on your hook and help anglers meet the legal fishing limit. Better yet? Look no further to launch the boat as a public boat ramp is located right off the seawall.

Test your skills on the Seadrift Paddling Trail with 20 miles of paddling along the Guadalupe River and across the San Antonio Bay and Guadalupe Bays. Beginners and professional paddlers will have a chance to brave

the waters with an exhilarating aquatic experience.

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. An unusual museum created by Dieter Erhard, of Nuremberg, of Germany, the gallery features sculptures from the artist himself and occasionally hosts 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.

On the last Saturday of every month, Seadrift offers its 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.

Just in case you want to sit back, relax and read a book while visiting Seadrift, the Calhoun County Library Seadrift Branch is located at 502 S. 4th St. in Seadrift. Library hours are 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

After a good read, take in a little shopping and have lunch during the Seadrift monthly 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, home made pasta, wine, clothing, fresh eggs, lotions, fresh produce, bows,

Continued

Weedhaven

Sporting Goods, LLC

1703 State Hwy. 35 N., Port Lavaca, TX 77979

Open Tuesday - Saturday. Closed Sunday & Monday

Firearms • accessories

Hunting • FisHing • camping

sHooting • arcHery • training • rentals

Old School Service & State-Of-The-Art Merchandise

361-893-5210 | Cell: 361-920-2384 | weedrguns@gmail.com www.weedhavensportinggoods.com |

The Donut Palace

Where

Fresh Donuts, Breakfast Tacos, Croissants, Pigs-In-A-Blanket

Fresh Coffee, Cappuccino, Hot Chocolate

OPEN 6 DAYS A WEEK

Mon.-Sat. 4:00 am-Noon

Closed Sunday

Call in advance for large orders! 361-552-0936 1400 N. Virginia, Port Lavaca, TX

Continued from page 19

earrings, jewelry, art/paintings and more,” she said.

Even though business picks up in the fall and winter months, the market days offer the same type of vendors year-round. November and December market days are in the planning stages of being held together with a Nutcracker Market at the beginning of December.

Johnson said the community is

always looking for new vendors. Booth spaces are only $10 for Seadrift Chamber members and $20 for non-members. For more information, visit the website www.seadriftchamber.com and click the market days tab for the vendor form or call or text Johnson at 361-746-8488.

Christmas activities are in the planning stages

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.

361-552-2303

411 State Highway 35 South

Port Lavaca, TX 77979

2nd Place: Amanda Martinez

New playground set to create memories

By Sherry Ficklen

A new playground will soon be home to many fond memories in the making at a place where magic happens; a place where life lessons will be learned and lifelong friendships are born. Imaginary worlds will be visited to be remembered and cherished forever.

After more than two decades, Point Comfort City Park will be home to a brand new playground. The park has long been the epitome of family life in the small community and surrounding areas. New play equipment will continue to bring families together for many special occasions or an after-school day at the playground.

The new equipment will include two single straight slides, a figure climber, a fireman’s pole as well as a D-ring challenge ladder, a ship wheel and bongo as well as an ADA Transfer Station.

Point Comfort Parks and Recreation Department and City Council Member George Hernandez said the current play equipment has been in place more than 20 years. The new

equipment will be similar to the old but a brand new version.

The current playground became rusty and corroded with age and was no longer as safe for children to play.

“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 playground has been there about 23 years. So far, the regular swings, baby swings and slide have already been replaced. There are new barbecue pits and everything that could be has been repainted.”

Hernandez, a resident of Point Comfort for 23 years and a reserve law enforcement officer, said his own children, now ages 34 and 26, also enjoyed the park when they were younger.

“We have a lot of memories there,” he said. “We also had birthday parties there.”

Hernandez said a paved gazebo sits near the Point Comfort Boat Ramp on the shore of Matagorda Bay and is available for public use, complete with barbecue pits and tables. Along with two public piers and boat ramp, there are also numerous picnic tables along the waterfront for families to take advantage of.

“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.”

Longtime Calhoun County resident and Calhoun High School graduate Judy Drury Marek spent a big part of her childhood at the Point Comfort City Park and enjoyed every minute of it.

“Me and my best friend, Susan Larkin, spent a lot of time at the playground. The slide was my favorite part. It was metal. I remember it being really tall and had a bump in the middle of it,” she said. “There was a merry-goround, too. We would run along side it until it was going very fast and jump on it.”

Marek said she and Larkin

rode their bikes to the playground daily with no fear of crime.

“I wish my grandkids could have enjoyed the Point Comfort Park playground as much as I did,” she said.

Marek said Larkin passed away from breast cancer last December.

Calhoun County Independent School District employee Amanda Massey said her three children Colt, 22, Cory, 17, and Caytln Massey, 15, all enjoyed the 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 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 has 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 families in Point Comfort. It’s always been a well-kept area that even out-of-

towners 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 our some energy.”

“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 want families to enjoy the park and all it has to offer,” said Hernandez. “We want the park to create many memories to come.”

“I wish my grandkids could have enjoyed the Point Comfort Park playground as much as I did.”

The Heritage Center caters to senior citizens

By Sherry Ficklen

When away from home, there is nothing better than to find a place to greet, mingle and be. That place is the Heritage Center, where old friends meet and new friends gather. The Calhoun County Senior Citizens Association has a place for all in Calhoun County.

Located at 2104 W. Austin Street in Port Lavaca, The Heritage Center offers a wide variety of activities for all senior citizens within the county and visitors to the city.

According to the Heritage Center Executive Director Rebecca Jernigan, “The mission of the center is to provide social interactions, meals, and activities to better the quality of life of our seniors residing in Calhoun County.”

Hot, nutritious Lunch

The center offers a daily congregate meal from 11:30 to 12:30, Monday through Friday. The meal is available to anyone, 60 years of age or older, whether a resident of Calhoun County or not. The meals are all home-cooked here in the center’s commercial kitchen.

“The meal is free, while we do suggest a $5 donation if possible. These funds go directly into providing a balanced meal to those who may not otherwise have one. We

are currently serving about 1500 meals a month here at the center,” said Jernigan.

Executive administrative assistant Carrie Harlan oversees the lunch menu. The meals are well balanced and contain vegetables, protein and more to create a perfectly proportioned meal to help provide nutrients to make the body work effectively.

“I receive a menu from our nutritionist in Victoria Golden Crescent and use it for guidelines for our monthly menu,” said Harlan. “Meal favorites

are meatloaf, beef pot roast, pork loin and chicken with dressing.”

Meals on Wheels

The center also offers and supplies meals through the Meals on Wheels program. Anyone 60 years or older who is homebound can receive services.

“Anyone can pick up an application here at the center or online at calhounseniors.org under services.  There is a questionnaire on how well

Victor Herrera, Patsy Fric, Val Torres and Frank Torres enjoy some salad in the Heritage Center cafeteria.

you can basically live your daily life, said Harlan. “If you qualify I can add to the Meals on Wheels Program. We now have six routes but no routes yet in the Seadrift, Port O Connor, Point Comfort or Port Alto area.  Our Board has recently agreed for us to open a Seadrift- Port O Connor Route.”

Volunteers deliver more than 1200 meals a month to those who might otherwise not be able to have a good meal.

Special events

Special events are often held at the center. This year Calhoun County Senior Citizens has teamed up with Texas Chrome Hero's Foundation to hold a senior citizens' and first responders' Thanksgiving lunch at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, at the Port O’Connor Community Center. RSVP is required as seating is limited. Please call Pat Ekstrom at 432-553-2290, Kassie Smith at 512-844-5862 or call CCSCA at 361-552-3350. Those 60 and older who live in Port O’Connor and Seadrift are welcome along with first responders.

This annual Calhoun County Senior Citizens Annual Thanksgiving Lunch will be held

Thursday, Nov. 17, at The Heritage Center. There will be two different sittings at 11:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. RSVP is required this year by calling 361-552-3350 to be added to the list of attendees. Seating is limited and available to those 60 years old and their spouses.

RTransit program

Need a ride to a doctor’s appointment? The RTransit program provides transportation to any citizen in the community.

“We can take you to appointments, grocery shopping, etc, and we do travel out of the area. We have assisted in getting people as far as Houston and Austin to get the care they are required,” said Jernigan.

Fun for grown-ups

Just for fun and fellowship, the center offers Bingo every Monday and Wednesday and the second and fourth Thursday of the month. Game day is every Thursday with activities such as Skip Bo and other card games, Dominoes and, of course, good, old-fashioned board games.

Regular client Jean Mills said the Heritage Center is a wonder-

ful place to go.

“The food is good. The staff is good,” she said. “ It is a great place to enjoy friends and sit and talk. I met a new friend who just moved to Alamo Beach. I introduced her to JC Melcher and she learned all about the history of our community. People get to visit and it just makes the day brighter.”

The Outpost Resale Shop

Looking for that special piece of treasure, which might be trash to someone else? Visit The Outpost resale Shop.

Located right next to the Heritage Center at 2110 W. Austin St. in Port Lavaca. Gently used household items, clothing, jewelry, shoes, holiday décor, electronic devices, exercise equipment are just some of the many treasures to be found inside the store at a drastically discounted price.

Good, clean gently used

items are always in need at The Outpost and can be dropped off between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. each business day.

Volunteers are always needed to help sort and work The Outpost. One does not have to be a resident of Calhoun County to volunteer services. Funds will benefit the Calhoun County Senior Citizens Association.

Hours of operation

The Heritage Center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The transportation service is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Outpost resale Shop is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. all entities are available Monday through Friday. Hours are adjusted accordingly for holidays.

According to Jernigan, anyone can attend all events free of charge, except for the $5 lunch donation. The only requirement is to be at least 60 years old. Schedules are subject to change.

Tammy Amaimo searches through glassware at The Outpost Resale Shop.

Gathered around a table, Judy Brach, Barbra Sander, Doris Harvey and Beth Woodall get together be for a fun afternoon.

“The mission of the center is to provide social interactions, meals, and activities to better the quality of life of our seniors residing in Calhoun County.”

Moving foward while honoring the past with new museum director

By DD Turner

rganizing and cleaning has been on Vicky Cox’s checklist since she took over as director of the Calhoun County Museum.

Cox, who formerly served as the assistant to the director, was hired in May by the Calhoun County Commissioners’ Court as museum director. She is replacing George Anne Cormier, who retired earlier this year.

“I’m still trying to navigate it all and organize and find items that have been donated,” said Cox.

But it hasn’t all been clearing up. Cox and Duke Johnson, assistant to the director, put together an exhibit on Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts put together with items from two separate donations to the museum.

One donation was from Nancy Dorries of uniforms and medals and a second of pictures and plaques the First United Methodist Church of Port Lavaca.

The idea came from the need to fill an empty case in the museum and Cox said she was looking through the backroom and found the donations of the Scouting memorabilia.

Some of the patches date back to 1961 and the exhibit also include a Brownie uniform, a Cub Scout uniform and a Den Mother’s shirt as well as pictures, patches and awards.

Cox said it took a couple of hours to put the exhibit together. The longest thing to do was to iron all the uniforms, which Johnson completed.

Johnson, who did most of the research on

the two donations, said it not just what you see in the exhibit.

“There’s a whole lot,” he said. “Some of it’s as small as a little pin to clothes and a Navy cap.”

The exhibit is more than just the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts memorabilia.

“The real story is where they came from and who owned it,” said Johnson. “The family, he was a chiropractor here for 50 years and you look at that – every thing you touch is like history. Somebody wore this, it belonged to somebody, it meant something to somebody. If you donate something, you don’t really die, you stay alive in the minds of people.”

And that legacy lives on, said Cox.

INSIDE THE MUSEUM

Cox said the exhibits she finds most interesting are the ones about the doomed town of Indianola and the La Salle Odyssey, which tells the tale of the ill-fate expedition of French explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle.

The history inside the building at 301 S. Ann St., that used to be home to the Calhoun County Library, includes a Fresnel lens from the Halfmoon Beach Lighthouse that was purchased after the Civil War.

There are items from Indianola and a diorama showing how life was in the city.

There is display for Judge Howard Hertzog Sr. He established the museum and got the funding to build in the current courthouse.

Mastodon bones found in the county along with an arrowhead display and an exhibit on the Karankawa Indians are all on show at the museum.

And then there are the items of the La Salle exhibit that were recovered in the bay in 1995. The museum is a part of the La Salle Odyssey, seven museums that house the treasures recovered from La Salle’s ship, the Belle, that went down in Matagorda Bay. The ship was discovered in 1995 and a multitude of historical artifacts were recovered.

GOALS

Visibility is one of Cox’s main goals.

“I want to get the name out so more people know we have a museum,” said Cox. “I hear people say all the time that they grew up here and didn’t know we had a museum so I want to get the name out and increase traffic of people coming into learn history.”

Cox worked at the museum for 12 years before being hired as director.

Another goal is to change out some of the exhibits as well as re-establishing school tours that were stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I want the public to know this is a good place to bring visitors to learn the history of the county,” she said.

The museum, 301 S. Ann St., 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. Call 361-5534698 for more information.

Lose yourself at the library

he 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. to 1 p.m., 2 to 6 p.m.

Wednesday: 1 to 6 p.m.

Thursday: Noon to 5 p.m.

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

SEADRIFT

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

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

Tuesday & Thursday: Noon to 6 p.m.

Saturday: 10 a.m.. to 2 p.m.

POINT COMFORT

1 Lamar St. Point Comfort 361-987-2954

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

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

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

Saturday: 9 a.m. to Noon.

Port O’Connor Community Service Club members work hard for their community

By DD Turner

PORT O’CONNOR –From the building of the Community Center to keeping the beaches clean, the ladies of the Port O’Connor Community Service Club have their hands on so many improvements around the community.

“These are some of the hardest working ladies I have ever met,” said Alane Haardt. “They will do everything and anything for the community. It’s a wonderful, wonderful club.”

Pat Ekstrom kept up her membership from Colorado by paying the at-the-time $1 membership fee.

“This is a great organization with lovely women,” said Ekstrom.

“Husbands help too,” interjected one member. “They do anything we tell them too.”

Marie Hawes joined the group in 1990 when the way to make money was to sell fruit pies.

The first time she tried her hand at making pies, the “older ladies said no one was going to eat it. I asked why and they said I had kneaded the dough so much it was going to be tough. So I quit and asked to be the one who puts it in a bag. I’ve been here ever since,” she said.

Currently the group is raising funds for improvements to the community center that includes creating a caterer’s area in the pavilion, upgrades to the bathrooms and to the center itself. The center, itself, and pavilion were completed with funds raised by the club from 1998-2003. .

“We make a mark on this community,” said Hawes. “Right now we’re working on a facelift for the community center – it will probably take more than one year – but we’ll have another, smaller project that will be beneficial to the townspeople and the tourists that come here. We like to benefit those who live here all the time and the people who come to visit.”

HISTORY

The club was founded in 1980 when the Calhoun Home Extension Club was disbanded. Members voted to rename the club – Port O’Connor Community Service Club. The club received 501(c)(3) status in 2014 one year after the club incorporated with the state of Texas and a tax-exemption approved.

Marie Hawes, president

Over the years, the club members have been in a wide range of projects all with the club’s mission in mind: “To provide support and funds for programs and events for the betterment of the community.”

Among those are:

The Senior Citizens Christmas Luncheon is on the first Friday of December. This was started in 1980 and is still going strong. This year’s event will be Dec. 2. “We cook for them and there are door prizes and Christmas,” said Mary Wygrys.

The first End of the Road cookbook was published in 1983. There have been two follow up recipe books. Copies are still available for purchase from club members and at the monthly Farmers Market. If the books sell out, a member has promised to put together a fourth edition of

the recipe book.

In 1984, the club helped to bring the Federal Food Distribution Program to the town.

The first library was established in the Fire Station space

and was open for two days a week. Now, the town has its own branch of the Calhoun Public Library but it all started with the little library in 1985.

The group secured a grant

and raised funds for the Cemetery Chapel and archway leading into it.

Down at King Fisher Beach, the club has worked to improve and repair the picnic tables, put up a new flagpole and provided Doggie Bag Cleanup stations. The picnic table project was suggested to the club, which they adopted, explained Nan Burnett, treasurer. “We raised the funds and donated it to the county,” she said. “They did the work of renewing the picnic tables.”

A sign welcoming people into town, a locator map at the beach, the sign at the Port O’Connor Volunteer Fire Station, the Community Bulletin Board at the U.S. Post Office and the sign at the community center were all projects the club undertook.

Pickleball courts at the community center pavilion. “We put in the courts so people could play pickleball,” said Burnett.

When asked, Burnett said it is only the fasting growing sport in the country.

Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton and pingpong and is played on a badminton court inside or outside.

And that, folks, is just the tip of the iceberg of what this club and its supporters have accomplished.

In 1986, the club began awarding scholarships to graduating seniors who call Port O’Connor home.

Provides Christmas for several names from the Angel Tree at POC Hardware.

Lines the highway with flags for Warriors Weekend.

Provide a stipend for Port O’Connor School teachers to prepare their classrooms for the upcoming year.

Provide recognition for each A grade achieved during each grading period at the school. Makes bi-annual donations to the Benevolence Fund to make Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets.

FUNDRAISERS

The monthly Farmers Market offers a variety of things from baked goods, plants – a bit of everything.

“You meet so many people, said Susan Wallace. “We have one man come and waits for the raisin bread.”

Wygrys said at the last Farmers Market, a lap quilt made by a member was raffled off, raising $415 for the club.

The Farmers Market is the second Saturday of each month. It runs from 8 a.m. to noon at King Fisher Beach Pavilion.

Twice a year, the club has its famous Garage Sale at the Pavilion on the first Saturday of November and April.

This year, the club added something new – the first annual POC Clay Shoot. The plan is to make it an annual event for the club.

“The service club ladies always pull together and make stuff happen,” said Maeghen Strahm, a club member, said following the October event.

“We plan to make it an annual fundraiser for the service club for anything that needs doing in the community.”

The event drew 15 teams with great prizes from Duck Camp for the winners. Raffle prizes included two GlowRow tickets from the Friends of the Port O’Connor Library.

“It’s been fantastic, better than expected for its first year,” said Strahm following the event. “We may be short of our goal but for year one it was amazing.”

But, as with anything the club does, it touches on the community.

“Everything we make goes back into the community,” said Hawes.

25080

Hwy.

172, Olivia, Texas

Yourbaysidetoday.com | | yourbaysidetoday@gmail.com

Who We Are

Community Church | Our Daily Bread Food Pantry | Certified Red Cross Shelter | Iron Men Women of Bayside | Counseling services and referrals partnering with STCH Ministries

BCC Resource Center - Home School Group

BCC Resource Center, Tuesdays & Thursdays from 8:45 am to 2:30 pm & Year round program, 8 week schedule with 1 week of intercession. This is a one-room school house approach to learning. We are committed to empowering parents to home school their children which will bring families back together and strengthen Biblical family values. We offer two days a week of combined learning, mentoring and socialization in a group setting. We have a certified curriculum director and a retired superintendent that will help establish a program and curriculum that is unique to your child’s learning style and one that you and your child can work with and excel through together. As a ministry, Bayside Community Church will provide the curriculum, a lunch and snacks on meeting days, quarterly field trips and volunteer opportunities.

Services Events

Sunday School: 9:00 am

Sunday Worship: 9:50 am

Weekly Bible Study: Wednesday 6:00 pm

Ignite Youth Group: Wednesday 6:00 pm

REAL Group Meetings: Sundays at 4:00 pm in Olivia, Port Lavaca, Boca Chica & Ganado

Easter – Son rise service at the bay

July – Celebrate Freedom fellowship, fireworks and music

October – Fall Festival

December – Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve

March – April: Herd Starter Kit Raffle

June – Annual Cole Family Memorial Fishing Tournament

Both fundraisers benefit our building fund project

From kayaking to fishing, visitors can enjoy the waters around town

By DD Turner

With the horizon before you and the land behind, you take your paddle in hand and head out across the water.

“It’s relaxing on the water,” said Allen Berger, a resident of Port O’Connor who has been paddling for about 25 years. “I fish out of my kayak at least two times a week. A lot of people down here go fishing with their kayaks.”

Port O’Connor is one of the nine areas on the Texas Paddling Trail. Berger said it was the first one built by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. A Seadrift trail was added in 2018.

The Port O’Connor trail is six interconnecting trails over 40 miles, according to the Texas Paddling Trail website, https://tpwd.texas.gov/ fishboat/boat/paddlingtrails/coastal/port_oconnor/. It ends near the picnic near Matagorda Island, which is a TPWD Wildlife Management Area.

There are three access points to the trail: Little jetties at the corner of South Washington and Commerce streets where Washington Street dead ends into the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

The Fishing Center, 303 W. Water St. at the corner of South 13th Street. The center is a privately-owned boat ramp and bait stand. According to the website, the center offers the closest access to Marker #1 at Fisherman’s Cut that provides access to the back bay system. 16th Street Launch, which also dead ends into the intracoastal waterway, is the closet free launch site for Marker No. 1 at Fisherman’s Cut. Kayakers are advised to be cautious because of concrete rubble that is at the water’s edged and submerged.

The six trails are Matagorda Island Trail, 25 miles long; Pass Cavallo/J-Hook Trail, 11 miles long; Barroom Bay Trail, eight miles

long long; Mules Slough Trail, 13 miles; Fish Pond Trail, 16 miles long; and Big Pocket Trail, 17 miles long. Each of the trail include a smaller round-trip trail of varying lengths.

“Being outside is an obvious reason to paddle,” said Berger. “You get can get closer to the bids by paddling than walking or driving.

“It’s relaxing on you the water. You don’t have to paddle if you don’t want but drift with the wind. And, it’s good exercise.”

Best Kept Secret

/nity and linked it to New Orleans and Corpus Christi.

Hurricanes in 1919, 1942 and 1945 damaged the town but Hurricane Carla in 1961, which came ashore at Port O’Connor, leveled the town taking with it a five-block downtown area. The town’s location near the Matagorda Air Force Base helped it to recover and grow, according to the website.

Port O’Connor is a thriving resort town that hosts several major fishing tournaments each year as well as hosting a Fourth of July event, Christmas boat parade and many other events.

Port O’Connor has 26 miles of family beaches with King Fisher Beach the jewel in the crown. The beach is a draw year around with a lighted fishing pier. There is also a playground area for the children to enjoy along with the beach. It is also the site of the an-

nual Crawfish Festival, Fourth of July Fireworks and much more.

For naturalists and people who enjoy a good nature area there is the Boggy Bayou at the end of Third Street. It is a hidden jewel that the Calhoun County Park Board is continuing to work to improve.

The land was donated to the county in 2006 to be used as a park and wetlands wildlife habitat and for public access to Boggy Bayou and Matagorda Bay. It is used for hiking and kayaking.

With Espiritu Santo Bay, Matagorda Bay, San Antonio Bay access as well as Matagorda Island serving as a barrier island, fishing is big in Port O’Connor. The Fishing Center, Froggie’s Bait Dock as well as Clark’s Bait Shop are well known for getting you set up to catch fish. There are public and private boat launches to get you on your way.

The Port O’Connor Public Library, which is a branch of the Calhoun County Library system, was given a new home in 2018 thanks to the Friends of the Port O’Connor Library.

In 2014, Friends of the POC Library was formed with the goal of constructing a new building for the library. With 12 board members and officers the group raised over $750,000 and received an additional $150,000 to $175,000 in in-kind services.

The building includes stacks for books and movies but also a multi-purpose community room for gatherings during hours or

after-hours.

It is here where the Mah Jong group plays weekly, a Community Coffee is hosted monthly and you can check out a book as well.

ALSO TO DO

The POC Farmers Market monthly on the second Saturday at the King Fisher Park Pavilion from 8 a.m. to noon. The next market is set for Nov. 12.

The annual Lighted Boat Parade will be Dec. 3 starting at 6 p.m. along the Intracoastal Canal.

The party at the end of the highway never ends in Port O’Connor.

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)

Proudly serving Port Lavaca & Texas since 1905.

101 Calhoun Plaza, Port Lavaca, TX 77979 361.552.7523

Pharmacy: 361-552-4563

Capt. Kenny Wood Toll Free: 888-309-3442 Phone: 361-785-4335 604 W. Broadway Seadrift, Texas www.reeltimelodging.com

LODGING & GUIDE SERVICE: Daily or weekly lodging. Each room is equipped with minifridge, microwave, flat screen TV and FREE WiFi. Book a fishing trip and enjoy a day of fun and relaxation on San Antonio Bay.