LeSalle discovered Matagorda Bay in 1685, the deepest water on the Texas coast and the news traveled fast. This soon became one of the most important ports in the US. The decade of the 1850's brought lots of changes: the 1st newpaper, railroad constuction began, the community was incorporated, the county seat was moved, and the camels landed. In the 1880's, Indianola became a cosmopolitan port city and developed into a wholesale center. Wharves were at capacity and sailing vessels and steamers tied up bow to stern. This was one of the biggest point of entry. The Morgan line ran from Indianola to New York, New Orleans, Pesacloa, Cuba and other foreign countries. The oxen wagons were lined up for a mile and would then haul the goods to all parts of the US and Old Mexico. Trade in cattle, hogs and lumber was carried on in South America as well. The fish and oyster industry of course was one of the largest. Town lots sold as high as $400.00. The mosonic Lodge, Court House and Jail would compare with any in the states. The three shell carriage drives, any of which was far superior to the famous beach drive at Galvestion and equal perhaps to any in the world. This Texas town of Indianola was born 1844 as a tent camp and flourished as a port and then disappeared when a monster hurricane struck.
This large port city is no more, and no hope of her resurrections but the memory of those who peopled this city, many of whose last resting place is beneath the sea, will never die. Daylight, Thursday the 16th of Septemer 1886, dawned upon this stricken town and its now anxious citizens. The gale had become a hurricane and the waters of the bay raced to fury and rushed angrily westwood over the town and far out into the prairie beyond. During the afternoon most of the buildings along the bayfront had succumed to the fury of the storm. The horrors by night fall can scarsely be imagined. Hundreds of deaths, many never found. Many homes, businesses, wharfs, ships and schooners all destroyed. By 6 o'clock on Friday morning the streets were free of water. The first gleam of coming day shone down on the pitiful sight of a wrecked town. A thriving city with its handsome residences and happy homes, its warehouses stored with products, its costly churches and splendid marts of businesses, streets, pavements and gardens all shattered and a unsightly ruin. This second hurrican dealt a final blow bringing death and destrction, a scene of devastation until not a building was left standing. A raft 17 miles long composed of pianos, dishes, dead and mained poeple, cows, horses, ships, houses, concrete pillars. In one area of 13 city blocks some 116 buildings completely washed away, 90 damaged beyond repair. Railroad cars had been bodily moved as far as 1/2 mile. Boats were blown high and dry onto the prairie some 4 and 5 miles inland. The city Indianola , will be no more. We now know some of the early settlers didn't figure the sea level when they picked the location of this town.