Although not much of the Port of Indianola remains today, it is still considered to be the gem of the West. It was Prince Carl Solms of Braunfels Germany that selected this section of beach as a landing area for hundreds of German immigrants in 1844. The original 100 families that landed here built a city of tents, and the area soon became known as Karlshaven. Indianola was officially founded in 1846 on Matagorda Bay in Calhoun County as Indian Point by William Cook and Sam Addison White. That same year, Indian Point became a firmly established deep-water port during the Mexican-American War. In February of 1849 the name was officially changed from Indian Point to Indianola.
At one point, Indianola was known as the second largest port in Texas, with a population of 5,000 people, it was at the peak of prosperity and held this rank until the devastating hurricane of 1875. The low-lying city was almost completely destroyed. After being rebuilt on a smaller scale, the town was once again obliterated by the catastrophic hurricane of 1886 and the accompanying fire. Many years later, the city was moved inland to thrive off of the Guadalupe River. Having a great location near the mouth of the river, where the freshwater meets the Gulf of Mexico, Calhoun County has much to offer. Not only does this area have spectacular outdoor recreation, such as kayaking, fishing, and birding, it also boasts great dining and entertainment!
