BlockFrom the record
14 National Register listings published here.
Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service
Matagorda County, Texas
69 topographic sheets cover 34 settlements here, and 14 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Research this county
What the record shows
- 291 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
- 14 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 11 buildings, 2 districts and 1 object.
- 1 of the 14 listings was added during the 1970s.
- The Geographic Names Information System records 34 populated places in this county; 34 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.
Places on the National Register
14Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
| Photograph | Property | Type | Listed | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Bay City Post Office | building | 2009 | 09000307 |
 | Bay City USO Building | building | 2006 | 06000512 |
 | Blessing Masonic Lodge No. 411 | building | 2011 | 10001222 |
 | Christ Episcopal Church | building | 2012 | 12000196 |
 | Hensley-Gusman House | building | 2006 | 06000927 |
 | R.J. Hill Building | building | 2009 | 09000840 |
 | Judge William Shields Holman House | building | 2011 | 10001223 |
 | Hotel Blessing | building | 1979 | 79002993 |
 | Luther Hotel | building | 2010 | 10000251 |
 | Matagorda Cemetery | district | 2006 | 06000511 |
 | Matagorda County Monument | object | 2018 | 100002351 |
| Palacios Colored School | building | 2025 | 100011777 | |
 | Price-Farwell House | building | 2009 | 09000841 |
| South Side Residential Historic District | district | 2007 | 07000496 |
Bird's-eye views and land ownership maps
1Drawn when these were printed as single large sheets: the town seen from the air, and the county divided into its farms with every owner named. Each opens the original at the Library of Congress.
The county from the air
48 shownFlown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 2,636 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 48 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.
Weather records
9 stations, 4 gagesThe thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.
- BAY CITY WTR WKS 1909 to 2026, hottest 42.8 C, coldest -13.9 C
- MATAGORDA #2 1910 to 2018, hottest 40.0 C, coldest -12.8 C
- COLLEGEPORT 1912 to 1914, hottest 37.8 C, coldest -6.7 C
- PALACIOS MUNI AP 1943 to 2026, hottest 43.9 C, coldest -17.1 C
- BAY CITY 2 N 1948 to 1951
- BAY CITY 1.6 NNE 2005 to 2006
- BAY CITY 1.0 NE 2007 to 2009
- BAY CITY MUNI AP 2011 to 2026, hottest 44.4 C, coldest -17.7 C
- PALACIOS 11.5 NNE 2015 to 2026
- Colorado Rv nr Bay City, TX 1948 to 2026
- Big Boggy Ck nr Wadsworth, TX 1970 to 1977
- Tres Palacios Rv nr Midfield, TX 1970 to 2026
- Caney Ck at SH 35 nr Van Vleck, TX 2020 to 2026
The 1950 census, district by district
35 districtsWho lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.
- 161-1Justice Precinct 1: Bay City: Bay City - That part Bounded by City limits City limits 11th, Sycamore, 12th Ave. H
- 161-2Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by City limits; Ave. H; 12th; Ave. D, Grace, Ave. C, City limits
- 161-3Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by City limits; Ave. C, Grace, Ave. D; 11th; City limits
- 161-4Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by 11th; Ave. D; 7th; City limits
- 161-5Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by 12th; Ave. H; 7th; Ave. D
- 161-6Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by 12th; Cottonwood; 7th; Ave. H
- 161-7Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by 12th, Sycamore, 11th; City limits; State Highway 35, 7th; Cottonwood
- 161-8Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by 7th, State Highway 35; City limits; City limits; Nichols, 4th, Cypress
- 161-9Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by 7th; Cypress; 4th Ave.; J
- 161-10Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by 7th; Ave. J; 4th; Ave. D
- 161-11Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by 7th; Ave. D; 4th; City limits
- 161-12Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by 4th; Ave. E; 1st; City limits
- 161-13Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by 4th; Ave. J; 1st Ave.; E
- 161-14Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by 4th; Nichols, City limits; Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, Cottonwood Creek, 1st; Ave. J
- 161-15Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by 1st, Cottonwood Creek, Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway; City limits; City limits; Cottonwood Creek, Ave. K, Austin, Ave. J
- 161-16Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by 1st; Ave. J, Austin, Ave. K, Cottonwood Creek; City limits; City limits, Ave. F, Austin, Ave. D
- 161-17Justice Precinct 1: Bay City - That part Bounded by City limits, 1st; Ave. D, Austin, Ave. F; City limits; City limits
- 161-18Justice Precinct 1 - That part east of Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway outside Bay City
- 161-19Justice Precinct 1 - That part west of Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, outside Bay City
- 161-20Justice Precinct 2: Justice Precinct 2 - That part north of Matagorda Bay and north east of Boggy Lake and Big Boggy Creek
- 161-21Justice Precinct 2 - That part south and west of Big Boggy Creek and Boggy Lake, including Matagorda Peninsula, and all islands in this enumeration district
- 161-22Justice Precinct 3: Palacios town: Palacios town - That part Bounded by Town limits; Town limits; Ritchie Ave.; Texas and New Orleans Railroad
- 161-23Justice Precinct 3: Palacios town - That part Bounded by Town limits; Texas and New Orleans Railroad; Ritchie Ave.; Town limits
- 161-24Justice Precinct 3: Palacios town - That part Bounded by Ritchie Ave.; Texas and New Orleans Railroad; Town limits; Town limits
- 161-25Justice Precinct 3: Palacios town - That part Bounded by Ritchie Ave.; Town limits; Town limits; Texas and New Orleans Railroad
- 161-26Justice Precinct 3 - That part east of Texas and New Orleans Railroad, outside Palacios town
- 161-27Justice Precinct 3 - That part west of Texas and New Orleans Railroad, outside Palacios town
- 161-28Justice Precinct 4: Justice Precinct 4 - That part south and east of Texas and New Orleans Railroad
- 161-29Justice Precinct 4 - That part north and west of Texas and New Orleans Railroad
- 161-30Justice Precinct 5: Justice Precinct 5 - That part north of St. Louis, Brownsville & Mexico Railway, southeast of State Highway 35 and east of Ashwood - Pledger Rd.
- 161-31Justice Precinct 5 - That part west of Pledger - Ashwood Rd. and north of State Highway 35
- 161-32Justice Precinct 5 - That part south of St. Louis, Brownsville & Mexico Railway
- 161-33Justice Precinct 6, including all islands in this Justice Precinct
- 161-34Justice Precinct 7, including all islands in this Justice Precinct
- 161-35Justice Precinct 8
Wildfire, 1993 to 2020
219 firesEvery wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 219 of them, burning about 16,232 acres. 8 started naturally and 5 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 108 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 47 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 20 |
| Smoking | 11 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 9 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 9 |
| Natural | 8 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 5 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 1 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 1 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. One of them was set deliberately.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 October 2017 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3,888 acres | San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge | 2018 SARGENT NORTH WF |
| 19 August 2013 | Debris and open burning | 2,500 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | RUNNELS RANCH |
| 21 June 2008 | Natural | 1,765 acres | San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge | SMITH MARSH 2008 |
| 25 August 1999 | Natural | 1,319 acres | Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge | CACTUS |
| 5 January 2007 | Debris and open burning | 1,200 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 30 October 1993 | Arson/incendiarism | 535 acres | San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge | LEWIS |
| 25 January 1993 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 531 acres | Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge | FLATRIDGE |
| 4 April 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 500 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | LAKE AUSTIN FIRE |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
Storms, 1954 to 2025
60 of 219 shownThe NOAA Storm Events Database holds 219 reports for this county, causing 7 deaths, 35 injuries and about $7,632,250 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 92 |
| Tornado | 47 |
| Hail | 34 |
| Flash Flood | 30 |
| Funnel Cloud | 14 |
| Lightning | 1 |
| Flood | 1 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1967 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | 4 killed, 7 hurt, $25,000 | no account filed |
| November 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | not stated | 2 killed, 2 hurt | no account filed |
| November 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | not stated | 1 killed | no account filed |
| April 1969 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | 13 hurt, $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| February 2017 | Tornado (EF1) | Van Vleck | 6 hurt, $900,000 | This EF-1 tornado touched down on the west side of Van Vleck and moved east- northeast through a residential area. It crossed Highway 35 and then dissipated soon after. There was significant damage to two houses, and there were also trunks of hardwood trees snapped. Estimated peak winds were 100 mph. |
| September 1998 | Tornado (F0) | Sargent | 5 hurt, $15,000 | Brief tornado touchdown in Sargent. Five minor injuries from flying debris. |
| December 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Palacios | 1 hurt, $150,000 | TV tower fell on trailor. |
| June 2007 | Lightning | Matagorda | 1 hurt | A 52 year old male was struck by lightning and injured while lying on the beach a few miles southwest of the Colorado River mouth. |
| December 1995 | Tornado (F0) | Markham | $1,000,000 | Five to seven houses with major roof damage, one trailer destroyed, several trees and light poles down. |
| August 2017 | Tornado (EF1) | Sargent | $500,000 | A brief yet strong tornado moved onshore along the coast in Sargent causing significant damage to one home and overturning a motor home. Numerous trees were snapped and/or downed along the path as well as minor roof damage to several homes and businesses. |
| September 2002 | Flash Flood | Sargent | $500,000 | Water in homes in Sargent. |
| April 1992 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| April 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Austin | $200,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed trees and damaged a number of roofs on Chinquapin Road. |
| July 2003 | Tornado (F1) | Palacios | $150,000 | Tornado in the eye wall of Hurricane Claudette damaged a couple buildings at the Baptist Youth Camp in Palacios. |
| December 1995 | Tornado (F0) | Blessing | $150,000 | Many trees were blown down and roofs were torn off. |
| December 1995 | Tornado (F0) | Collegeport | $100,000 | Witnesses report seeing a tornado. Numerous trees and light poles blown down especially near the college. |
| September 2002 | Flash Flood | Bay City | $75,000 | Water in homes in Bay City. |
| September 2002 | Tornado (F0) | Van Vleck | $60,000 | Tornado destroyed a storm on FM 457 between Van Vleck and Cedar Lane. |
| September 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Midfield | $57,000 | Wind gusts damaged fire station and blew off the top of the pavillion at the community center. |
| April 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bay City | $50,000 | Power poles were knocked down in Bay City with thousands of homes losing electricity, numerous trees were down around the county, and a Chemical plant south of Bay City received minor siding damage. |
| August 2001 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $50,000 | High water on several roads throughout county. |
| December 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bay City | $50,000 | Police report utility poles blown down, windows blown out, and roof damage. |
| March 1993 | Tornado (F1) | Collegeport | $50,000 | Texas Department of Public Safety reports a tornado damaged one home, destroyed one carport and three barns, knocked down numerous trees, and caused power outages over a wide area. |
| November 2003 | Tornado (F0) | Clemville | $30,000 | Tornado touched down in town of Clemville damaging the roofs of two homes. |
| September 2003 | Flash Flood | Matagorda | $30,000 | Flooding in and around Matagorda, three homes flooded on South 60. |
| September 2002 | Flash Flood | Bay City | $30,000 | Flooded roads in Bay City and Cedar Lane due to training cells. |
| June 2004 | Flash Flood | Bay City | $25,000 | Several roads flooded in and around Bay City. |
| April 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bay City | $25,000 | Patio roof torn off and tree down. |
| December 1999 | Hail | Sargent | $25,000 | no account filed |
| April 1992 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| December 1984 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| September 1976 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| March 1972 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| March 1972 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| September 1962 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 1955 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| April 1954 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 2006 | Hail | Bay City | $20,000 | Hail from quarter size (1.00") to golf ball size (1.75"). |
| November 2002 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $20,000 | Numerous roads closed due to high water on extremely saturated grounds. |
| September 2001 | Flash Flood | Northwest Portion | $20,000 | Sheriff's office reported flooding on Highway 111 and FM 456. |
| May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sargent | $20,000 | State of Texas Department of Transportation personnel at the barge bridge in Sargent reported 60 to 70 mph wind gusts and an outbuilding blown into the water. |
| April 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bay City | $15,000 | Trees down between Ashwood and Pledger which damaged automotive windshield. |
| February 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wadsworth | $15,000 | Barn and powerpoles blown down. |
| May 2000 | Hail | Bay City | $15,000 | no account filed |
| October 1996 | Flash Flood | Matagorda | $15,000 | no account filed |
| May 2006 | Hail | Bay City | $12,000 | Quarter size hail across the city. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Palacios | $10,000 | Power lines down in Palacios. |
| May 2001 | Tornado (F0) | Matagorda | $10,000 | Army Corps of Engineers reported a large waterspout moved onshore near the Matagorda Locks and lifted trees. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Midfield | $10,000 | Large tree limbs down.A rare mid summer cold front combined with extreme instability to produce a severe squall line which pushed through southeast Texas on the afternoon and early evening of July 23rd. The storms resulted in numerous reports of wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph producing widespread wind damage. Hail of dime to golfball size was also reported in a few areas. |
| February 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sargent | $10,000 | Wind damage to beach houses in the Caney Creek Estates. |
| May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bay City | $10,000 | Local sheriff reported a roof blown off in Bay City and trees down in the city. |
| May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bay City | $10,000 | Local sheriffs reported a roof blown off in Bay City and trees down in the city. |
| February 1999 | Hail | Bay City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| February 1999 | Hail | Bay City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| May 1999 | Hail | Bay City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| May 1999 | Hail | Sargent | $10,000 | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Markham | $8,000 | A couple of vehicle awnings blown down. |
| June 2004 | Flash Flood | Bay City | $8,000 | Flooded roads in southeast side of Bay City along FM 457 and FM 2540. |
| May 2004 | Flash Flood | Markham | $7,000 | Lake View, Blue Jay and Oak Drive roads under water off of FM 1468. |
| March 2003 | Hail | Midfield | $7,000 | no account filed |
Mines and quarries
3 recordedThe Survey's mineral resources record lists 3 workings inside this county. 1 still produces and 2 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.
| Commodity | Workings |
|---|---|
| Sulfur | 1 |
| Halite, Limestone, Ultra Pure | 1 |
| Halite | 1 |
| Salt | 1 |
The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf Hill Mine | Sulfur, Halite, Limestone, Ultra Pure | Past Producer | 1902, 1919, 1970 | |
| Markham Mine | Halite | Past Producer | 1908 | |
| Texas Brine Corp Salt Plant | Salt | Producer |
Every populated place in the county
34Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.
-
Ashby
Tidehaven census division · 77465 · On Wilson Creek · Blessing SE quadrangle
8 sheets, 1952 to 1995
-
Camp Hulen
Palacios census division · 77465 · On Turtle Creek · Palacios quadrangle
9 sheets, 1952 to 1995
-
Caney
Bay City census division · 77414 · On Hardeman Slough · Bay City NE quadrangle
7 sheets, 1951 to 1974
-
Chinquapin
Matagorda-Sargent census division · 77483 · On Live Oak Bayou · Lake Austin quadrangle
7 sheets, 1951 to 1974
-
Chinquapin Landing
Matagorda-Sargent census division · 77414 · On Live Oak Bayou · Dressing Point quadrangle
6 sheets, 1951 to 1974
-
Collegeport
Palacios census division · 77428 · Near Pepper Hill · Palacios quadrangle
9 sheets, 1952 to 1995
-
Gainesmore
Matagorda-Sargent census division · 77414 · On Dead Slough · Cedar Lane quadrangle
9 sheets, 1951 to 1974
-
Gulf
Matagorda-Sargent census division · 77457 · On Little Boggy Creek · Matagorda quadrangle
9 sheets, 1951 to 1974
-
Hawkinsville
Matagorda-Sargent census division · 77414 · Cedar Lane quadrangle
9 sheets, 1951 to 1974
-
Matagorda
Matagorda-Sargent census division · 77457 · Near Baxter Island · Matagorda quadrangle
9 sheets, 1951 to 1974
-
Rugeley
Bay City census division · 77414 · On Wildcat Slough · Bay City NE quadrangle
7 sheets, 1951 to 1974
-
Simpsonville
Palacios census division · 77465 · On Johnsons Timber Slough · Blessing SE quadrangle
8 sheets, 1952 to 1995
-
Sugar Valley
Bay City census division · 77480 · On Snead Slough · Ashwood quadrangle
11 sheets, 1950 to 1984
-
Tin Top
Palacios census division · 77465 · On Johnsons Timber Slough · Blessing SE quadrangle
8 sheets, 1952 to 1995
Provenance
- Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
- Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
- Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
- Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
- Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
- Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.