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From: "Sarah Reveley" <>
Subject: [GERMAN-TEXAN] Repeat hurricane dooms Indianola
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:28:16 -0500


Repeat hurricane dooms Indianola

On this day in 1886, the town of Indianola suffered through the second day
of a devastating two-day hurricane. The settlement, on Matagorda Bay in
Calhoun County, was founded in August 1846 and named Indian Point. It was
renamed in February 1849 and soon became the second busiest port in Texas
(after Galveston). Indianola was the county seat of Calhoun County from 1852
to 1886. With a population of more than 5,000, the town was at the peak of
its prosperity when a hurricane struck in 1875, causing great loss of life.
The community rebuilt on a smaller scale, but then was almost obliterated by
the hurricane of August 19-20, 1886, and the accompanying fire. By 1887 the
site had been abandoned.

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[A centennial marker honors Indianola. A few years ago it was threatened by
a tasteless black marble bench disrespectfully placed next to it. An
internet email campaign by members of the Rootsweb German-Texan mailing list
convinced the owners to remove it]

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