Calhoun County Life Fall/Winter 2021

Calhoun CountyLife Where your life meets ours

A guide for Visitors and Newcomers

FEATURING PORT LAVACA · POINT COMFORT · SEADRIFT · PORT O'CONNOR WINTER 2021

Complimentary Copy - Take One!

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

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AT HOME

OR ON THE ROAD

We’ve got you covered.

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Join Our Family & Enjoy Our Full Range Of Services A Few Of Our Products & Services

Savings Accounts • Checking Accounts • Certificate Accounts • Money Market Accounts • IRAs • Club Accounts • Internet Banking • Electronic Bill Pay • Direct Deposit • Payroll Deduction • Mobile Banking • Money Orders Vehicle Loans • RV Loans • Motorcycle Loans • Boat Loans • Personal Loans • Home Mortgage Loans • Visa/MasterCard • Member Telephone Service • Debit/ATM Cards • Notary Service • Western Union Wire Transfers • Safe Deposit Boxes

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1401 N. VIRGINIA PORT LAVACA, TX 77979 361-552-7476 4

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

3802 N. NAVARRO VICTORIA, TX 77901 361-572-3369

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2055 State Highway 35 North, Port Lavaca, TX 77979 Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

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What’s Inside ...

On The Cover

Page 10: Port Lavaca • Page 18: Seadrift Page 31: Point Comfort • Page 37: Port O’Connor

Bring Your Ho Ho Ho Along Page 8

Good Sweets With A Twist Page 12

Are You Ready To Walk?

Fish?

Page 34

We Will Rock Fest You!

TANIA FRENCH Interim Publisher Staff Writers:

Creative Services Director: Advertising:

Graphic Designer:

Page 38

Getting Along With The Gators.

Page 44 6

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

Special Contributors:

Sherry Ficklen DD Turner

DD Turner

Christy Aguilar

DD Turner Bill Harvey John Foester

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

Copyright 2021

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 semiannually. Additional copies available by contacting the Port Lavaca Wave. For advertising information, call 361-552-9788.

ON THE COVER: The new D-head pier at Lighthouse Beach as seen in this photo by Bill Harvey.

ABOVE: The D-head pier at Lighthouse Beach is open to the public. Photo by Bill Harvey.

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www.fnbportlavaca.com Bank by Phone Bank by Internet Mobile Banking Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

7

Forget The Bah, Bring Along The

Ho

BY Sherry Ficklen lifestyle@plwave.com The streets of Port Lavaca will once again be lit up with merry festivities to kick off the holiday season. Sponsored by The City of Port Lavaca and the Port Lavaca Chamber of Commerce, several events are lined up to enhance your holiday spirit.

“Christmas is a special time, and it seems just a little more special in Calhoun County,” Port Lavaca events coordinator Tania French said. “There are so many family-friendly holiday events around the county that both locals and visitors won’t want to miss. Be sure to visit portlavacachristmas.com for all the happenings around the area.”

The annual Festival of Lights Parade will take place at 6:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 3. Colorful, lighted floats, cars and trucks, and more will ease down the streets with none other than the big guy himself, Santa Claus. This year’s theme is “Christmas in Texas,” selected by Calhoun County Future Farmers of America. The lineup will begin at Bayfront Peninsula Park, and the parade will end at Sandcrab Stadium.

The festivities will continue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4, with Merry on Main, where the Festival of Lights Parade winners will be announced. There will be a variety of vendors with shopping and food to delight the tastes of everyone. There will be a cocoa cookie jingle, and Christmas photos will be available.

Port O’Connor’s annual Lighted Boat Parade will take to Don’t go too far because a pajama party and a movie in the park will follow at 6:30 the water Dec. 7. (Wave photo) p.m. Everyone is welcome to come in comfy PJs to enjoy a holiday movie.

The annual food rally will take place Monday, Dec. 13, at H.E.B., where community organizations will team up to compete in an amazing supermarket showdown to help benefit local charities.

All residential and commercial properties will compete for the most festive holiday lighting display. The contest runs from Nov. 29 through Dec. 20.

For more information, visit portlavacachristmas.com or email christmas@ portlavacaevents.com.

The quaint Port O’Connor community will host its annual toy drive Saturday, Dec. 4.

Always a treat for everyone, the Intracoastal Waterway will be lit up after dusk with the annual lighted boat parade. Sponsored by the Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce, community members, vacationers, and participants from Freeport to Port O’Connor illuminate their vessels to collect toys as they make their way down the Intracoastal Waterway. Awards are given for numerous categories.

The City of Point Comfort will host its Christmas lighting competition. New this year is a lighted Christmas parade that will sure to brighten everyone’s holiday.

The City of Seadrift will celebrate the season with activities throughout the after- Santa will once again visit Point Comfort for its annual noon, Saturday, Dec. 18. tree lighting ceremony. (Wave photo) The Seadrift Chamber of Commerce will host its annual golf cart scavenger hunt, where local teams take to the streets in a holiday scavenger hunt. There is a fee for mas goodies for sale. There will also be photos with Santa, hot cocoa, and a tree lighting ceremony. The ceremony will be topped off with a lighted Christteams to enter the hunt. Proceeds will benefit the City of Seadrift.

A Nutcracker market is sure to delight all with numerous vendors with many Christ- mas parade. All events will take place in Seadrift on the Bayfront.

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

HoHO

Calhoun County lights up for Christmas Merry On Main Street Port Lavaca

Lighted parade kicks off festivities Dec. 3 that continue on to Dec. 4

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

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PORT LAVACA A SLICE OF PARADISE

From birding enthusiasts, to fishermen, to families with children, Port Lavaca has something to offer everyone.

Visitors find Port Lavaca a great place to fish with many attractions.

The city recently opened it’s new fishing pier at Lighthouse Beach Park. Bayfront Peninsula Park features a marina, a fishing pier, splash pad and a walking trail along the waterfront. In 2022, the city will add a skatepark at the Wilson Sport’s Complex.

A trip downtown will find quaint shops on Main Street, a brewery that overlooks the waterfront that regularly has food trucks with Cajun food and shrimp boils. From the fourth of July through Labor Day, there are weekend concerts on the waterfront.

Lighthouse Beach and Lighthouse Beach Park are adjacent to Highway 35, just north of the causeway bridge.

Entrance to the park is at the intersection of Broadway Street and Highway 238, near Half Moon Reef Lighthouse and the Bauer Community Center.

There is a modest fee to enter the park, which features white sand, picnic areas, and a bird walk with a large pavilion. A short walk from the pavilion sitting on the sand is a bright and colorful playground with a variety of slides, ramps, and climbing areas that will surely attract any child.

Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse, located on the corner of SH 238 and SH 35, once sat on Half Moon Reef in Matagorda Bay near Palacios and served seafarers from 1858 until 1942 when it was decommissioned.

The structure was salvaged from the bay and donated to the Calhoun County Historical Commission in 1978. In 1979 it was restored as an Eagle Scout service project and was placed atop its current position in 1985, just outside the Bauer Community Center.

Halfmoon Reef is the last remaining hexagonal screw-pile lighthouse built on the Texas Gulf Coast.

About two miles down Broadway Street from Lighthouse Beach

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

and Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse is Bayfront Peninsula Park, which is home to the Calhoun County Veteran’s Memorial. The park is near the Nautical Landings marina at the end of Highway 87. The memorial is a peaceful place to remember and pay tribute to all who served, anyone wishing to honor a veteran can purchase memorial bricks. More information is available at Port Lavaca City Hall, located at 202 N. Virginia St. The peninsula also has two larger covered pavilions, restrooms, a newly re-constructed lighted fishing pier, and a boat ramp for those looking to head out onto the water.

The Port Lavaca Main Street Theatre, located at 315 E. Main St., showcases local acting talent in a variety of live productions throughout the year. The highlight of the summer is the annual children’s production.

-The theatre thrived in the 1930s and 1940s and was remodeled and opened its doors for fresh, live theatre in 1994. The PLMST also hosts a variety of events such as the Mister and Miss Calhoun County Pageants, live entertainment, and more throughout the year.

Additionally, the Port Lavaca Art Guild is a local resource for artists of all levels.

Members work in a variety of media and offer frequent classes and workshops. The art guild also sponsors a summer art camp, which fosters interest in the arts and cultivates talent.

A short distance away from the art guild is the Calhoun County Museum, located at 301 S. Ann St. The museum was established in 1964 and continues to bring history to life today. The Calhoun County Museum does this through the exhibition of artifacts relating to the history of the community. Hours of operation are 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. Saturday.

The main branch of Calhoun County Library is at 200 W. Mahan St. and is filled with something for everyone. For children, an annual summer reading program kicks off at the end of the school year and continues through August.

Lighted pier, 55 RV sites with full utility hook-ups, including cable TV, picnic areas, playground, white sandy beach, lighted pavilion and children’s splash pad. From beach to birds, your next trip to Port Lavaca will be one you will not forget!

Port Lavaca City Parks & Recreation Department

361-552-5311 and 361-552-3347

Reserve your RV or campsite online at www.portlavaca.org Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

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Willy Wonka meets Mad Batter Cheesecakes blends ‘a whole lot of quirky with a little bit of class.’

BY TANIA FRENCH In the wee hours of the morning, one light is already shining brightly as the people inside are preparing for the day ahead.

On any given day, owner Brittani Riccio and the Mad Batter Cheesecake team can be found long before most people are rolling out of bed.

Soon, customers begin dashing in to pick up a sweet or savory treat to start the day or share at the office.

On this crisp morning, Chrissy Amerson rushed in to pick up a variety of items as she prepared to host a speaker at a nearby Bloomington school, where she is a counselor.

As Amerson walked through the door, Riccio greeted her from across the store.

“You look extra adorable today,” Riccio said.

“Oh, thank you. We have a speaker coming to our school. So, yesterday I was a nerd,” Amerson replied. “Today, I decided to be a professional. Okay. We have the Sheriff’s Department coming, and I don’t know if they would want breakfast or if they would want sweets.”

“They will always want sweets,” another customer chimed in.

“You know? And I’m thinking they might want both,” Amerson said with a laugh.

“Let me grab some boxes while you’re looking,” Riccio replied.

In addition to delectable delights, it’s this kind of customer service and relaxed atmosphere that for which Mad Batter Cheesecakes has become known.

“Let’s go ahead and do five pigs,” Amerson contemplated. “Or six pigs.

Just regular pigs, and then I’m going to do some sweets. Tell me about these muffins.”

Mad Batter Cheesecakes was started on a shoestring in a home kitchen as Riccio followed her passion and God on a path that led to the current storefront location. But, to get to the full story, you have to go back to Riccio’s childhood, where you find history already in the making.

“Growing up, you don’t think about it, but then looking back, my favorite after-school snack was crackers and cream cheese,” Riccio shared. “My favorite foods always had cream cheese in them. Cherry cheesecake, like the old, no-bake one was my favorite.”

“It was my favorite dessert. And then my aunt, when I was in junior high, took me to The Cheesecake Factory,” Riccio reminisced. “I was the happiest child in the whole wide world. And I was like, wait, what? I was already a baker, and I didn’t know what bad desserts were. Then I started playing with cheesecakes when I was in high school, I did them a lot, and I would do like tons of different flavors.”

Before long, Riccio realized there just might be a market for her cheesecakes.

“In my senior year I decided that I wanted to go on a mission trip to Lima, Peru when I graduated,” Riccio said, “and, so, I baked cookies and cheesecakes every day to raise over $5,000 to go spend two weeks in Peru.”

And that was the start, but it would be many years before Riccio could truly realize her dream.

“I wanted to go to culinary school, and my parents took me, and it was $45,000 for a year program back then,” she said. “They did the math and statistics, and they were like, “you’re not in the one percent that’s going to make really good money doing this. You’re going to college, and you’re going to get a real job.

We’re not paying for that because there’s no financial aid for that kind of tech school.”

“I knew that it’s what I wanted to do, but because it doesn’t fall under cottage law, it was like, how do you do it? How do you have the money to do this?”

Riccio married her high school sweetheart, Paul, and went to work for the Port Lavaca Post Office.

And then Paul lost his job.

“Paul lost his job in 2016,” Riccio said. “I was working part-time with the post office, and we decided to put him back in school. So, we put him through school.

Nearing the two-year mark, with Paul still in school, Brittani working part-time at the post office, and the holidays rapidly approaching, finances were starting to get tight. And then she sprang into action.

“I thought ‘maybe three to five of my friends and family will buy cheesecake from me, but probably not because I’m not that person’,” she said. “Like, I could host a Pampered Chef party all day long, and nobody will come, and nobody will buy anything.”

As it turns out, nothing could have been further from the truth.

“I posted eight cheesecake flavors on social media and two weeks later, 30 cheesecakes. I was like, oh, just kidding. I have to get legit,” Riccio said. “And then I did 60 in December. And then in January...”

Paul was a bit skeptical. Both Riccios follow Dave Ramsey’s plan, and going into debt to fund a business was not an option.

“We were already almost two years into Paul’s layoff. And I am wondering how I am going to do this. Maybe I’ll start a food truck,” she said. “And he’s like, ‘what are you doing? We don’t have any money. I’m still not working. You can’t start a business.’ But something just kept telling me to do it.”

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

Audrey Hepburn

In the end, that “something” did come in the form of a food truck.

It was 2018. Harvey had hit a few months before, and much of the area was in recovery mode.

“My neighbor had had a food truck doing burgers but, because of Harvey, it was done. So, he had this food truck sitting there, and I was going to rent, and Paul’s like, ‘you can’t do this,’” she said. “So, I marched my little butt back over there to the neighbor and said, ‘my husband thinks that we should wait till we’re in a better position financially.’”

“And he looks at me and said, ‘No. I don’t accept that. I’ve heard really good things about your cheesecake. Just pay me 15 percent of what you make every month till you can pay the whole thing.’”

“So, I turned around, and I marched back home, and I looked at my husband and said, ‘I’m sorry, God said I have to do this.’

Because when God’s screaming in your face like that, you shut up and you listen.”

“I was sitting there and going back and forth. Do I listen to God? Do I listen to my husband? And is God telling me to be an obedient wife, or is God telling me to trust him? So, anyways, I was in a food truck for four months, and that was immediately too small. That wasn’t going to work because I had an instant business.”

Riccio soon became known as “The Cheesecake Lady,” and God didn’t stop sending messengers as she grew her business one cheesecake at a time.

Riccio secured a storefront location with plans to work on it several months before moving in. Then the pandemic started.

“I tried to quit when COVID happened because I had no other options. I’m very good at quickly figuring out my options. And I was out of them because where I was working at, they decided the week COVID happened to put the house on the market and said, ‘when’s your spot going to be ready?’” she said.

“So, I couldn’t stay where I was at. And this [the store] was nowhere near ready. I had planned on spending six months building, finishing this out while I was over there paying for it, debt-free because that’s the only way my husband let me do this, and he doesn’t financially support this.

It’s completely separate. So, I had no kitchen, no way to produce income. And I had quit my job four months before COVID happened.”

As Riccio was preparing to call it quits, other local small business owners propped her up and said, “Whoa, not so fast.”

“I started selling off my stuff. I had less than two weeks to pay rent or get out of here,” she said. “And Sasparilla and Little Lace Boutique came in here and locked the doors, kicked everybody out, and asked, ‘What the hell are you doing? You’re not doing this.’”

“They get Cheri [Walleck] from Rusty Hook on the phone and asked, ‘what do we do?’

And Cherie responded, ‘I can’t open anyways. They’ve got me shut down. Come use my kitchen rent-free until you can finish your kitchen bare minimum enough.’”

And Riccio did just that.

By the end of March, Riccio was back up and running at Rusty Hook, and by May, she was in transition. Her employees hung with her and worked for vacation days.

“We were baking over there and topping over here,” Riccio. “By the end of May, we were in here, but it was bare minimum for six months. I don’t know how we were functioning. I mean, it was just crazy. But we got in here, and we did it, and it helped Cheri, too. I had watched over $60,000 fly out the window and cancellations with my corporate events and my weddings.

And not to mention the stuff I would’ve normally booked in that time, too. So, what we did, was on Fridays, we would do cheesecake and wine, curbside pick-up. And they’d pull through her little circle drive, and we’d ask, ‘What wine can we get you? And here’s your cheesecake box, and here’s your danishes. It was really great for both of us, because she was in a pickle too.”

Before long, Riccio was able to finish her kitchen, debt-free, and move into the store’s current location at 1 Virginia Place, Suite A, Port Lavaca.

Over the past two years, Mad Batter Cheesecakes has continued to evolve. Today, the bakery also houses Weed’s Sweet Shoppe, featuring cookies, pies, cupcakes, and the likes.

In addition to selling three sizes of cheesecakes, Riccio takes custom orders and offers catering.

“I do the charcuterie boards and even more, in addition to the traditional style appetizers and stuff,” she said.

Never afraid to shy away from a challenge, 2021 found Mad Batter Cheesecakes offering daily lunch specials, in addition to a variety of handmade breakfast items. Mad Batter often has special lunch events and hosts a monthly farmers market on the third Sunday of the month. Mad Batter Cheesecakes can also be found in a variety of coffee shops and wineries across the region.

A trip into the Mad Batter Cheesecake store may make you feel like you’ve gone back to a simpler time.

“The way I like to describe it is, think Willie Wonka meets Audrey Hepburn, a whole lot of quirky with a little bit of class,” Riccio shared.

As the interview finished, Amerson tied up her shopping, likely with probably more than she needed.

“Okay, let’s go ahead and do those three blueberries,” Amerson said. “I don’t even know how many people are coming, I think it’s only three, and I’m probably going to buy enough to feed a hundred. Now, I need a box of these,” she continued as she pointed to the counter.

“Well, we grew up in the South. You don’t want anybody to go hungry,” Amerson explained.

If you find yourself in Port Lavaca, stop by Mad Batter Cheesecakes where you will discover “a whole lot of quirky with a little bit class” and great desserts. Mad Batter Cheesecakes is located at 1 Virginia Place, Suite A. For current store hours, visit @madbattercheesecake on Facebook or call (361) 935-2253.

Brittani Riccio packages Chrissy Amerson’s selections.

Weed’s Sweet Shoppe offers a variety of cupcakes within the Mad Batter Cheesecake store.

Mad Batter offers cheesecake in a variety of sizes and flavors.

Brownie Stuffed Cookie Sammies are just one of the many treats to be found at Mad Batter Cheesecakes.

Center: Brittani Riccio enjoys a taste of her cheesecake.

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

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Coastal Treasures For You & Your Home!

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

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“Let us show you what coastal living is all about!”

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1211007 211007 1211007

Randy’s

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

7 Years In A Row Best Crawfish 2nd Place: Best Seafood, Best Shrimp Best Oysters, Best Wings 1142 State Highway 185 East, Seadrift, TX 77983

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

17

Float on in to

Seadrift And see the beauty of San Antonio Bay The city of Seadrift is a fishing and oystering community on San Antonio Bay. It is home to several attractions aside from the great fishing.

Bay Front Park & Pavilion is on the bay and has a main covered pavilion with electricity, smaller covered picnic areas, volleyball facilities, public restrooms, and the seawall to fish and enjoy water activities.

You can also visit the harbor and watch the ships unload their catches.

ART CENTER SEADRIFT The Art Boat, created by Dieter Erhard of Nuremberg, Germany, houses a studio and gallery in a 60-foot steel hull of a shrimp boat. The Art Boat is located on State Highway 185.

A pipe sculpture, “Los Vigilantes,” is on the Highway 185 triangle next to the art center. It was dedicated in 1999 and created by Juan Pablo Duran, a student at the University of Guanajuato, Mexico, who was a student of Erhard. The three pipes are representations of fire, water, and wind said to watch over the harmony of the people.

SHRIMPFEST The festival is celebrated each year in June. It was started by a group of women to raise money and community support for their husbands, who were shrimpers and whose livelihood was imperiled by state legislation.

LIFE IN SEADRIFT The town has survived several natural disasters and is

18

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

currently working on projects to rebuild and improve the town.

Seadrift Mayor Elmer DeForest, a longtime Seadrift resident, talked about what makes the city unique from any other small town in Texas.

“I think that we’re unique in that we don’t have a high demand for resort property like other places do, which gives us that small-town flair,” Deforest said.

DeForest said there’s good fishing and oystering in Seadrift, and it’s in a great spot on San Antonio Bay for people who like that kind of stuff.

“It’s tranquil. The property on the bayfront has been there for a long time, and it’s got the park (Bayfront Park) out there,” DeForest said.

DeForest said the park stretches almost the entire length of the Bayfront, with exception of the harbor.

“That’s something that people like,” DeForest said.

Seadrift Chamber President Tracey Johnson said that Seadrift is a community “where everyone looks out for each other.”

“Take a tour. Meet folks. You will fall in love just as we all have,” Johnson said. “Come see for yourself. You’ll not be disappointed.”

Johnson stated that Seadrift is an amazing place to grow a family, and she added they have generations of families that date back to when Seadrift was founded.

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19

Seated from left, Carly W. Wall and John Villafranco.

Standing, from left, Sandra Witte, David Roberts and Anne Marie Odefey.

A Vacation For Your Pet!

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■ Laundry Facilities ■ Restrooms w/Showers ■ Fitness Center ■ Children’s Playground ■ Bark Park ■ Casita Rental

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

Welcome to Port O’Connor’s premier RV resort where luxury meets RV living!

At R&R RV Resort & Casitas, we pride ourselves on top-of-the-line facilities throughout the park as well as a friendly, caring management team. We offer over 80 spacious, fully concrete RV sites complete with full hook-ups and wireless Internet. In addition, we have three spacious lakeside casitas available for rent.

While here plan to take advantage of Port O’Connor’s laid back lifestyle, incredible birding and fishing opportunities, and beautiful beaches. We look forward to seeing you soon!

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randrrvresort.com

Mon.- Fri.: 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sat.: 7:30 a.m. 4 p.m.

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

21

1 Wildlife Circle Austwell, TX 77950

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The Donut Palace Where the customer is still KING!

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

POC RENTALS ON

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GINNY’S PLACE

3/2 up, 1/1 down, sling and directly on the ICW

GONE COASTAL

1 block to King Fisher Beach, 5 bedrooms, 3 baths.

PIRATE COVE

3 bed, 3 bath; pool, boat slip. Units 1, 5, 7, 9, 11, 15, 17.

LA PESCA LODGE

24 rooms, 7 full baths, and two bay boat slings on the IWC.

DOLPHIN POINT, 11TH STREET

4 bedroom private waterfront house with 1 boat sling.

LAFITTES LANDINGEAST & WEST

3 bed/3 bath.

Boat Slip/Sling.

PIRATE COVE

2 bed, 2.5 bath; pool, boat slip. Units 2, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 20.

CANNAH HOUSE 4 bedroom house with a game room and boat sling

503 S. 12TH STREET

4 bedroom waterfront house with 2 boat slings and separate 1/1 apartment.

BIG BLUE, – 1405 W. MAPLE. Upscale Barnonimium a block to Fishing Center Boat Ramp. Sleeps 13.

BAGBY HOUSE

3 bedroom, 4 bath, updated after Hurricane Harvey, unobstructed water view.

BAYER HOUSE

4 bed/2 bath house with 2 boat slings and a private boat ramp.

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Brenda Carter, Licensed Realtor ◆ Russell Cain Real Estate 361-983-4371 ◆ WWW.POCRENTALS.COM P.O. Box 161, Port O’Connor, TX 77982 Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

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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.

24

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

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

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.

55

Lavaca Bay

46

44 45

28

35

1593

10

Point Comfort

172 2143

1090

87

4

3084

24 25 9

2433

87

Port Lavaca

238 1090

Lavaca Bay

1679

185

19 20 35

51

57

58

52

48

67

2541

21 26 59 64

17

238

11

1289

Matagorda Bay

23

50

2235

35

32

31

35

27 36

62

54 65 22

56 37

185

63 43

Port O’Connor

185

Seadrift

185

39

42 San Antonio Bay

29

1090

35

40

12

3084

18 34

238

38

13

41

2

14

7

5 53 60 61 87

35

1

6

16

33 35

8

47

30 3

15 35

49 66 1090

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

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EGGS & PANCAKES TO STEAK & SHRIMP BREAKFAST & LUNCH BUFFET WITH FULL SALAD BAR Come Check

HOURS:

Out Our New Menu Items

Sunday: 7 a.m. - 2 p.m Monday - Thursday: 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Friday & Saturday: 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.

2021 BEST BREAKFAST Runner Up Best Buffet

2090 State Hwy. 35 N. • 361-551-2009 (Formerly SkilletS)

Miller’s Seafood

Specializing in fresh Gulf coast seafood (oysters & shrimp).

Miller's seafood processes oysters daily in its own health department certified oyster house.

Live Here .....

Work Here .....

Play Here ......

Serving Calhoun County ......

• Exposure in both Houston area Realtors MLS & our local MLS

1102 Broadway, Port Lavaca, TX 77979 361-552-6423

• Ask us about our negotiable listing commissions

Monday - Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sunday: Closed

• Buyers remember – our services are at no cost to you

Hours:

Billie Edgett Realtor® RSPS, ePRO®

Give us a call, let us know how we can help you!

361-746-1124 | 512-228-9106 billie@texascoastalbayrealty.com

If your property is currently listed with a Realtor, please disregard this notice.

It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other Brokers.

26

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

Come down and watch the boats unload their catch.

Then come on down to 1102 Broadway to get some of that catch!

Nielsen Family Dental

Gentle Dentistry For Your Whole Family • Teeth Whitening • Smile Makeovers • Crowns & Bridges • Root Canals • Extractions • Dentures

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Experienced & Highly Educated ——— Veteran owned & operated ——— Interest Free Financing Available Rhonda Nielsen, DDS

361-552-6814 Monday-Thursday: 8-5:30

621 N. Virginia Street, Port Lavaca

John B. Wright, MD Timu N. Kwi MD Destiny Ibrom, FNP-C Michael Caughron, FNP-C

Internal Medicine

Leigh Ann Falcon, MD

Pediatrics

Jeannine Griffin, MD John Clinton, MD Henry Salinas, FNP-C

Port Lavaca cLinic associates 1200 N. Virginia • Port Lavaca, TX 77979

Monday-Friday: 7:45 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Saturday: 8 a.m. to Noon

361-552-6721

portlavacaclinic.com

TELE-HEALTH NOW AVAILABLE FOR OUR PATIENTS Caring For Our Community ...

One Heartbeat At A Time!

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

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2

3

4*

5

1

A

6

B

7

8

C

D

9 10

D

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

Take Me To The Ocean A. Lighthouse 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.

B. Magnolia 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.

C. Indianola 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.

D. King 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.

E. Seadrift 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.

Public Boat Ramps 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.

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

29

Thank You, Calhoun County!

Non-Profit

THE HARBOR Children’s Alliance & Victim Center

children are people too

Crisis Hotline

552-HELP If someone has HURT you, let us HELP!

Confidential ServiCeS Provided • 24 Hour Sexual Assault Center • 24 Hour Crisis Intervention With Hospital Accompaniment • Advocacy With Law Enforcement • Community Education • Children’s Advocacy Center

‘Children Learn What They Live’

361-552-1982

215 W. Railroad, Port Lavaca, TX 77979

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

o T e lcom

We

t n Poi fort Com

Point Comfort offers a homey way of life Change has come to the small community of Point Comfort, but the town just over the causeway from Port Lavaca still retains all its small-town charm.

As for camping, there will be nine numbered sites for tents, but no campers or RVs, that include a barbecue pit and covered picnic table. The fee is $25 per night with a limit of two nights. An alcohol fee will be required if it will be consumed at the site. A wooden pier and a dock are available for free, are open 24/7, and have electricity and water at the cleaning table.

Permits can be obtained at Point Comfort City Hall, 102 Jones St. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon on Friday. Call 361-987-2661 for more information.

The park will be closed at 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and at midnight on Friday and Saturday. It reopens at 6 a.m. each morning. For early morning joggers, as long as they are on the track, there should be no problem.

--Point Comfort was built by Aluminum Company of America, now ALCOA, Inc., in 1948 and was incorporated in 1953. Point Comfort is home to industrial plants, an international port, and many families and retirees that seek a quiet lifestyle in a close-knit community.

The Port of Point Comfort is one of the busiest ports in the state of Texas. The Calhoun Port Authority operates the port that is served by the Matagorda Ship Channel and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

Recreation is a large part of the community. On either side of the boat ramp on Lamar Street are two lighted piers. The piers are open to the public free of charge 24 hours a day. One of the piers is handicapped accessible, and the other has a fish cleaning station.

The causeway bridge is also a popular spot for fishermen. People line the bridge day and night to take advantage of the hot spot. Redfish, trout, and

Cabanas along the bay in Point Comfort. flounder are caught there regularly. Fishing is a major attraction to the community as is Calhoun County, where there is fishing protected from open surf, drawing tourists all year long.

Point Comfort also boasts an outstanding city park with 10 cabanas, each with a picnic table and barbecue pit and a larger center gazebo in the middle. The park features walking/running trails and a playground for children.

Additionally, the baseball park is undergoing upgrades thanks to a grant that was applied for a few years back and is ready to host games.

Point Comfort also hosts a large July 4 celebration at its community park to which all are invited to attend. There are vendors and locals in attendance, and all activities are family-friendly. After the event, there is a major fireworks display over the water for all to enjoy.

In 2019, Formosa Plastics hosted its first annual Formosa Hook and Cook for Charity at the Point Comfort Bayfront Park. The event was organized by the Sportsmen For Charity Club to raise funds for United Way of Calhoun County.

And for more than 40 years the Boy Scouts of

American’s FishORee has been held at the bayfront. This year’s event drew more than 100 boy and girl scouts to catch fish and win prizes.

The town community center is named in honor of former Point Comfort Police Chief Rick Brush, who died in the line of duty.

The Point Comfort Branch of the Calhoun County Library is in the Point Comfort Business Center. The library is open five days a week and a form of it has existed since 1955.

On the corner of Lamar and State Highway 35 are two staples of the Point Comfort community and the plant workers.

Village Grocery is a hot spot at lunchtime for the plant workers because of the convenience and hot food. The Hard Hat Café in the Point Comfort Business Center provides breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday.

Churches of all denominations including the Assembly of God, Baptists, Catholics, Church of Christ, Lutherans, and Methodists offer services.

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

31

T

P

O Y B B R O O & AI Tackle In Smith Harbor across from Nautical Landings Marina

361-552-1504

400 E. Live Oak St. Port Lavaca, TX 77979

Owner:

Captain LenCho

HOURS:

Monday - Saturday: 5 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Sunday: 5 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Two Locations To Serve You! 306 Highway 35 361-552-7300

Inside Walmart (on Highway 35) 361-552-6073

BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Fish & Feast While Enjoying Our Coastal Way Of Life!

Fresh Table Shrimp Live Bait

•Automotive & Heavy Duty Truck Parts CUSTOM •Batteries - Oil - Tires •Welding Supplies •Lawn Mower Accessories: Belts, tires, tubes •Marine Accessories: For your boat & trailer •Mechanic Garage State & DOT Inspections Hydraulic Hoses & •24 hour Towing Service •Unlocking Vehicles Assemblies Available

Tri Wholesale Co. HOURS OF OPERATION

8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

2705 S. Hwy 35 • Port Lavaca, TX 361-552-3772

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

Step into another world at the library The 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 Chinese World Journal.

The Library also offers a Spanish and Chinese Language section.

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.

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 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.

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.

In addition, the library has a variety of programs for adults and children.

Head On Down MAIN BRANCH

200 West Mahan St., Port Lavaca, 77979 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.

POINT COMFORT

1 Lamar St., Point Comfort, Texas 77987, 361-987-2954 Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., 2 - 6 p.m.

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

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

Saturday: 9 a.m. – Noon.

SEADRIFT

502 S. 4th St. Seadrift, Texas 77983, 361-785-4241 Monday & Wednesday: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., 2 - 6 p.m.

Tuesday & Thursday: Noon - 6 p.m.

Saturday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

PORT O’CONNOR

506 W Main St., Port O’Connor, Texas 77982 (361) 983-4365 Monday & Tuesday: 9 a.m. 1 p.m., 2 - 6 p.m.

Wednesday: 1 - 6 p.m.

Thursday: Noon - 5 p.m.

Saturday — 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

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702 N. Virginia, Port Lavaca, TX 552-1679 Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

33

Get your fishing poles prepared Photo by Tania French

And your walking shoes on

Lighthouse Beach pier ready to use and city continues work on walking trail

BY DD TURNER dturner@plwave.com

Two hurricanes have changed the face of the fishing pier at Lighthouse Beach in Port Lavaca.

Originally it was part of the causeway that spanned Lavaca Bay between Port Lavaca and Point Comfort.

Hurricane Carla delivered the first hit, destroying the center point of the causeway. After the new causeway was opened, what was left of the old causeway was converted into a 3,200-foot fishing pier by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, according to interim City Manager Jody Weaver.

It was known as the “World’s Longest Fishing Pier.”

A couple of fires damaged the pier, and 900 feet of it was reconstructed using Texas General Land Office grants, she said. The reconstruction was completed in 2016.

Then came Hurricane Harvey in 2017. This storm destroyed all 900 feet of the reconstructed pier and left the T-head undamaged 900 feet from shore, said Weaver.

“After a lengthy FEMA Public Assistance grant process, the 900 feet of

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

the pier was rebuilt at a cost of over $2 million. FEMA approved a couple of improvements to reinforce the new pier against future storms,” said Weaver.

The improvements included raising the level of the pier by five feet, doubling the number of support bents to 10 feet on center rather than 20 feet, and using all stainless steel bolts and fasteners.

Since the T-head was not eligible for funding and was five feet lower than the new pier, the city decided to demolish it and construct a larger D-head with stainless steel shade structures, noted Weaver.

The pier is lighted for night fishing, complete with a fish cleaning station, and is American Disabilities Act compliant.

WALKING TRAIL In 2019 the city received a TPWD Trails Grant that will be used to develop a one-mile walking trail along Bayfront Peninsula Park.

“After waiting a year on the environmental clearance from TPWD, there was another year’s delay while the state brought online a new grant portal program, but recently, we finally received approval to go out for bids for this project,” said Weaver.

The project will pick up where Phase 1 left off and go around Veterans Memorial, then along the wetland bulkheads and back to the park entrance with a 10-foot wide solar-lighted concrete walking and biking path.

“The project also includes a bike rack, drinking fountain, and park benches overlooking the wetlands. The city has allocated additional general fund dollars to include parking and other pavement improvements,” said Weaver.

Photo by Tania French

Walking Trail At Bayfront Peninsula Park

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

35

CBD Items ComIng soon to All loCAtIons

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

PORT O’CONNOR Life Beside The Sea Not just a tiny fishing village, Port O’Connor is all about getting outdoors, no matter the temperature or time of year.

King Fisher Beach, located at the end of Hwy 185 in Port O’Connor, is a quaint and quiet beach complete with sandy shores, a fishing pier, boardwalk and a pavilion for family get-togethers. The beach is family friendly, clean and hosts a huge grassy area for play. Parking is onsite, and one can easily spot hermit crabs and other sea life amongst the shore.

Another favorite in the Port O’Connor area is Sunday Beach, located about two miles off of the shore near the west end of Matagorda Bay. Only accessible by boat, Sunday Beach is a popular spot among residents and visitors alike and is considered one of Port O’Connor’s best-kept secrets. What makes Sunday Beach spectacular is beach goers can experience the best of both worlds on the water. The bay side of the beach is calm, and only a short walk away, the Gulf of Mexico roars upon the shore, a true vision of Mother Nature and the surf she can produce.

Big fish tales are not few and far between in the coastal community of Port O’Connor. Boggy Bayou is a well-known fishing spot in Port O’Connor. Flounder, red fish and trout are abundant when the tide is just right, and Boggy Bayou is great for wade or kayak fishing. Spend some time out in the bayou and one might even spot a dolphin or two, but caution is always recommended the ground may live up to its namesake with different types of sediment. Some places are “boggy” and soft and unsuitable for vehicles. Grab a pair of waders and have fish for dinner.

In addition to the bayous, the Texas Gulf Intracoastal Waterway parallels the Gulf of Mexico at Port O’Connor, providing ample opportunity for fun on the water. The GIWW is more than 400 miles long. It starts out in the Sabine River and ends very near the Texas/Mexico border, trekking through Port O’Connor.

It is marked with standard aides for navigation.

When residents and visitors are not on the water, they are often found ashore at one of the many festivities celebrated in the tiny port city. Port O’Connor hosts more festivals throughout the year than any other community in Calhoun County. From crawfish festivals and cook-offs to music festivals and numerous fishing tournaments, Port O’Connor never lacks for fun and entertainment. On almost any given weekend, there is something to do in Port O’Connor. Some are invitational only and others are open to any fisherman.

Port O’Connor is known for its annual Independence Day Festival. One of

the busiest weekends in POC, people from all over Texas line the streets at dusk to view what some say is one of the most spectacular firework displays. After a long summer day of craft and food vendors, snow cones, funnel cakes and more at King Fisher Beach, the fireworks display is a perfect way to end the Fourth of July holiday.

One of the last festivities of the year is the lighted boat parade. The annual event kicks off the holiday season with brightly decorated watercraft cruising down the GWII. This year, the event is slated for Dec. 4 and set to begin at dusk.

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021 37

WE WILL

Practice your rock skipping for Rock Festival 2022 “If you can’t beat them, join them,” the saying goes.

And join them is what the City of Port Lavaca did.

It started this past May with a Facebook post and a photo of some children throwing rocks in Lavaca Bay. The problem was, these weren’t just any rocks; they were landscape rocks enhancing a newly renovated area of Bayfront Peninsula Park.

The post was initially met with some backlash, but the tides quickly turned, and the community banded together to embrace children being children while also using it as an educational opportunity and a chance to highlight the newly enhanced park features and showcase plans for the future.

38

Banding together and making the most of every opportunity is something Port Lavaca does well.

Striking while the iron was hot, volunteers mobilized to put together an impromptu festival in eight days.

“This created quite a level of excitement in our community,” said Port Lavaca events coordinator Tania French. “So, we decided why not have some fun with it? One of our team members came up with a great idea, and we ran full steam ahead.”

The city wanted to highlight and educate the community about the Bayfront project during the rock festival with a presentation, rock toss contests, a Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson look-alike contest, and

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

a drive-in movie.

The city did not use the park’s new limestone rocks; instead, a truckload of rocks was donated specifically for the event by the parents of the children that threw the first stones. Hand-painted rocks embellished with “Rock Festival ‘21” were placed throughout the park to be picked up as souvenirs.

“I was excited to see the community band together to celebrate the improvements that the City is making to our Bayfront Peninsula Park and recognize that all of us, citizens and City staff alike, have a part to play in keeping these improvements maintained and contributing to our quality of life,” said Port Lava-

YOU!

Calhoun County Sheriff Bobbie Vickery teaches youngsters how to skip rocks during Rock Festival 2021.

ca City Manager Jody Weaver.

Eight days of planning and community support paved the way for a festival unlike any other. While community support is not new to Port Lavaca, the city didn’t plan on making headlines and news broadcasts across the country as major news outlets quickly

picked up the story, paving the way for Rock Festival 2022.

Bayfront Peninsula Park is located where Hwy 87 ends in Port Lavaca.

For more information about this event, contact French at 361-9209788 or tania@portlavacaevents.com.

Rock Festival 2021 attendees get what they need at the Rock Quarry for skipping or painting.

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

39

who’s who AROUND TOWN A GUIDE TO NEWCOMER INFORMATION

ELECTRICITY AEP (877) 373-4858 Reliant Energy: (866) 222-7100 TXU: (800) 818-6132 Victoria Electric Co-op: (361) 573-2428 NATURAL GAS CenterPoint Energy centerpointenergy.com or (800) 427-7142 TELEPHONE Frontier Communications Residential: 855-345-9338 AT&T Residential: (800) 222-0300 Commercial: (800) 222-0400

WATER AND SEWER Port Lavaca Service Billing and Connects 202 N. Virginia (361) 552-9793,ext. 236 Port Lavaca Maintenance and Repair 800 N. Commerce (361) 552-3347 Seadrift Service (361) 785-2251 Point Comfort Service (361) 987-2661

VOTER REGISTRATION Calhoun County Elections Office 211 S. Ann (361) 553-4440

RECYCLING Calhoun County Recycling Center (361) 552-7791 GARBAGE COLLECTION Allied Waste Services (800) 640-2014 DRIVER’S LICENSE Calhoun County Courthouse Annex 201 W. Austin (361) 552-5046

ANIMAL CONTROL 201 Stringham Drive (361) 552-5726 VEHICLE REGISTRATION Tax Assessor and Collector Office 211 S. Ann; (361) 553-4433

CALHOUN COUNTY EMERGENCY TELEVISION Sparklight: (361) 552-9621 Direct TV: (888) 777-2454 Dish Network: (866) 271-3005

Medical Service (EMS) (361) 552-1140

Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department 333 S. Benavides, (361) 553-4646 Port Lavaca Fire Department Station #1, 800 N. Hwy. 35, (361) 552-4620 Station #2, 1501 W. Austin Street, (361) 552-3241 Port Lavaca Police Department 201 N. Colorado; (361) 552-3788

INTERNET Sparklight: (361) 552-9621 TISD.NET: (361) 552-2000 Time-Warner: (877) 646-8994

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Point Comfort Police Department, Point Comfort (361) 987-2345 Seadrift Police Department, Seadrift (361) 785-2069

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

SCHOOL ENROLLMENT PORT LAVACA Calhoun High School, Sandcrab Blvd., (361) 552-3775 Hope High School, 900 N. Virginia (361) 552-7084 HJM Elementary Complexes (361) 552-5253

Jackson-Roosevelt Elementary, 1512 Jackson (361) 552-3317 Travis Middle School, 705 N. Nueces (361) 552-3784 OUR LADY OF THE GULF CATHOLIC SCHOOL 301 S. San Antonio St. (361) 552-6140

PORT O’CONNOR Port O’Connor School (361) 983-2341 SEADRIFT Seadrift School (361) 785-3511

EMERGENCY NUMBERS All emergencies should be reported by using 9-1-1. However if a particular department is needed not regarding an emergency use the following numbers. The county has the Enhanced 911 system. This allows dispatchers to see the location and phone number of the person placing the call. You must still give them this information when you call.

Melstan, Inc. Feed & Hardware

Family Owned & Operated Personal Service Lawn & Garden, Pet & Hardware Supplies

111 N. Ann • 361-552-5441 Join Us For Mass Monday-Friday 8:05 a.m.

Saturday: 5:30 p.m.

Sunday 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m.

12:00 noon en Español CONFESSIONS Saturday 4:00 -5:00 p.m.

FIRST SATURDAY TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS 9:00 a.m.

Confessions at 8:30 a.m.

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

41

Have fun & be safe at the beach

Have fun at beach but know the dangers so you can come back.

The number one danger is drowning, ranking fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States. Constantly watch children when swimming or playing near water. They need a certified lifeguard or responsible adult within reach. Children under the age of 14, and all weak or non-swimmers should wear U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets. Rafts, inner tubes, water wings, floaties and other inflatable items are NOT proper safety devices.

LEARN TO SWIM Never swim alone. Even the best swimmers occasionally need help.

If you get a leg cramp or find yourself in some kind of difficulty, you will be glad there is someone around. When possible, swim where trained lifeguards are on duty. Swimming from unguarded beaches is not always dangerous; it only means you must be more responsible for your own actions. Do not overexert yourself. Swimming when you are tired is asking for trouble. Do not overestimate your swimming ability. Also keep Rip currents are powerful currents of water moving away from shore.

They can sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea. in mind that distances on water are deceiving; the other side of the swim area is farther away than it looks. Learn about the local area before you go swimming. You may be an expert in a swimming pool, yet could find • Do not swim in water more than waist deep; stay in even shallower yourself in a potential drowning situation in the surf when confronted water if you can’t swim. with rip currents, sand bars and deep holes.

• Do not swim if you’re tired, sick, or if you’ve been using alcohol or RIP CURRENTS drugs.

A rip current is a powerful, narrow channel of fast-moving water that • Do not swim in boating areas or near boat ramps. can move up to eight feet per second. Swimmers can be quickly pulled • Do not swim during thunderstorms or in strong wind. offshore, suffering fatigue when they fight the current trying to swim • Stay at least 100 feet away from rock jetties, groins and piers. straight back to the beach. Once fatigue sets in, the risk of drowning Strong currents form there, and they cut deep holes in the bottom. increases because the swimmer is unable to keep themselves afloat or • Be alert for sea animals that may stick, bite, sting, cut or even shock swim to safety. Many people have died trying to rescue rip current vic- you. Get out of the water if you encounter one and seek immediate tims. If you see someone in trouble, yell instructions on how to escape, medical attention if you are injured. throw the victim something that floats and have someone call 9-1-1.

The ships traveling up and down the Matagorda Ship Channel can cause dangerous currents for swimmers, particularly at Magnolia Beach near Indian Point. Always be aware of boating and shipping traffic when visiting any beach by a navigation channel.

STINGS, BITES AND CUTS Shark bites are rare events and headline news. On the Texas Gulf Coast there is a greater chance of winning the lottery or being struck by lightning than being bitten by a shark. Stinging jellyfish are a much greater danger. The severity of the sting depends on the species of jellyfish and the reaction of the victim to the toxin. Stingrays often frequent shallow waters and can thrust a sharp shaft into a foot or ankle when stepped on. One good preventive action is to shuffle your feet while wading to scare the stingray away. Broken glass and sharp shell pieces are everywhere. To prevent unnecessary cuts, swimmers, particularly children, should always wear some type of footwear because shoes no not bleed.

GOOD RULES A few good rules to follow anywhere along the beach include:

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

Dr. Bill McClellan D.V.M. Port Lavaca Veterinary Clinic

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

43

Getting Along With Gators 101

Q: Why shouldn’t you taunt an alligator?

--Resilience and adaptability are two characteristics that have kept the alligator family, Crocodylia, around for at least 84 million years. And over that time, the apex predator hasn’t changed all that much.

It still likes marshes. It still likes swamps. And it still likes rivers and lakes. And, it also likes to hang around in the canals and even swimming pools.

“They are cool and have been around a long time,” said Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Game Warden Chelsea Bailey. “They are prehistoric, and it is neat to see that and know they are still out there.”

That is now. There was a time when the alligator was on the brink of extinction and was declared an endangered species in 1967, and in 1969 Texas protected the reptile.

In 15 years, through the combined efforts of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Department and TPWD, the alligator made its comeback and was taken off the endangered species list by 1987.

In Texas, harvesting of wild alligators began in 1984 under a program monitored by TPWD. The season is in September and requires the hunter to obtain a Convention

on International Trade in Endangered Species tag.

“They like to live near marshy areas,” said Bailey. “It’s their habitat, and we’re in it. Normally, they avoid humans but can become a nuisance if people feed them. They will keep coming back and cause problems.”

It is illegal to feed an alligator, which can lead to the creature becoming a nuisance. It is a Class C misdemeanor.

Bailey said alligators become a nuisance for different reasons, including hanging around where fish are cleaned or people feeding them, but “They come back for the easy food. We try to move them, but that’s not to say that another won’t come and take its place. They like fish so you can’t blame them”.

“We definitely don’t want to kill them, especially if it is human’s fault we have to move them in the first place,” said Bailey. She noted that they often move them into areas away from people.

DOS AND DON’TS FOR LIVING WITH ALLIGATORS

Don’t - kill, harass, molest or attempt to move alligators.

State law prohibits such actions, and the potential for being bitten or injured by a provoked alligator is high.

Do - call your TPWD regional office if you encounter a nuisance gator that has lost its fear of people.

Don’t - allow small children to play by themselves in or around water.

Do - closely supervise children when playing in or around water.

Don’t - swim at night or during dusk or dawn when alligators most actively feed.

Do - use ordinary common care. Swim only during daylight hours.

Don’t - feed or entice alligators. Alligators overcome their natural shyness and become accustomed or attracted to humans when fed. It is now a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500, to intentionally feed an alligator.

Do - inform others that feeding alligators creates problems for others who want to use the water for recreational purposes.

Don’t - throw fish scraps into the water or leave them onshore. Although you are not intentionally feeding alligators, the result can be the same.

Do - dispose of fish scraps in garbage cans at most boat ramps or fish camps.

Don’t - remove any alligators from their natural habitat or accept one as a pet. It is a violation of state law to do so.

Alligators do not become tame in captivity and handling even small ones may result in bites. In particular, never go near baby alligators or pick them up. They may seem cute and harmless, but mama alligator will be nearby and will protect her clutch for at least two years.

Do - enjoy viewing and photographing wild alligators from a safe distance of at least 30 feet or more. Remember that they’re an important part of Texas’s natural history, as well as an integral component of many wetland ecosystems.

--A: It might come back to bite you in the end.

Part of the Community.

Six Calhoun County volunteer fire departments purchase trucks through Formosa grants.

Formosa-Tejano Wetlands/Bill Harvey

Photo by Steve Marwitz

Formosa Wetlands Walkway Lighthouse Beach, Port Lavaca

Photo Courtesy Jody Weaver

44

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

Sunset over Point Comfort/Steve Marwitz

LaVaca BBQ makes the cut

It’s all about family – and brisket – at LaVaca BBQ. The restaurant is run by the Lupe, Christine, and Kelli Nevarez family and populated with their Calhoun County family that awarded them 16 Best In Calhoun County awards for the 2020 competition hosted by The Port Lavaca Wave.

The list of awards has now grown tremendously as LaVaca BBQ now holds the status as one of Texas Monthly’s “The 50 Best BBQ Joints 2021”.

According to Lupe Nevarez, the list comes out every four years. Texas Monthly’s Official barbecue editor, Daniel Vaughn, and his 34 helpers traveled tens of thousands of miles to every corner of Texas. All their visits to LaVaca BBQ were unannounced, with several taking place before the editor verified the first visitors’ scores.

“We were chosen for having the best BBQ in Texas,” said Lupe. “Female pit master Kelli’s brisket and all our menu had to be perfect to compete at this level. Christine’s unique “smoked in the pit” tamales are causing a stir in Texas BBQ now. Our business now has national exposure. Many travel to eat Top 50 BBQ. We will be doing online shipping for those that want to try our BBQ nationally without traveling. Port Lavaca is becoming a BBQ destination.”

Locally, residents voted LaVaca BBQ as the first-place winner for Best Restaurant, Best Barbecue, Best Overall Service, Best Restaurant Service, Best Family Dining, Best Tortillas, Best Gumbo, Best Tamales, Best Ice Cream/Yogurt, Best Catering, Best Iced Tea, Best Waiter, Best Sandwiches/Subs, Best Birthday Party Place, Best Date Spot, and Best Venue. It took second place for Best Place to Work Under 100 Employees and Best Waitress.

LaVaca BBQ opened on Nov. 16, 2019, in what used to be a gas station at 532 N. Virginia St. “That’s my birthday,” said co-owner Lupe Nevarez, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Christine, and daughter Kelli Nevarez.

“Kelli was teaching, but we brought her into the business and made her an owner,” he said.

While the restaurant was catching the public’s attention with its brisket that brought it an excellent Texas Monthly review, 2020 burst onto the scene, bringing with it the novel coronavirus which overshadowed the year, but it gave Team LaVaca BBQ a chance to take a break and regroup.

“Actually, COVID wasn’t a big issue for us as we did several things to accommodate the disease,” said Lupe Nevarez.

This included adding a driveway for pickup as well as tables outside the building to adjust to the 25 percent capacity ruling.

“COVID-19 gave us an opportunity to improve our brisket,” said Lupe Nevarez.

That improvement meant staying with the higher-priced brisket cuts during the meat shortage that occurred. Instead of using inferior cuts, Lupe Nevarez paid more for the brisket, which allowed him to keep his spot in the supply chain.

“We moved up the chain and kept it,” said Kelli Nevarez.

And brisket is the name of the game at LaVaca BBQ. The family’s priorities prominently displayed on the building are “Jesus. Texas. Brisket.” Another priority is giving back to the community that thoroughly enjoys the food they serve.

This includes 10% off with a church bulletin each Sunday, a Labor Day giveaway of a Yeti cooler, ribs, and brisket as well as feeding more than 600 people over the Labor Day weekend to thank first responders and essential workers.

“We do our own thing, but it all goes back to quality,” said Christine Nevarez. “Our sausage is homemade, and everything is natural, hormone-free, and gluten-free as much as possible.”

The family has a second restaurant barbecue in Bay City and will soon open a third location in Victoria..

Kellie Nevarez wanted to stay local when she accepted a job teaching at HJM Elementary School and now works at the restaurant. She said it wasn’t an immediate thing, noting she could watch the construction from the edge of the school’s hallway.

She also worked with her father and mother on the barbecue competition circuit, and “I would act as his sous chef, helping him remember the recipes and special sauces.”

And now she joins the ranks of pit masters, a level few women reach in Texas and will slice it up for serving.

Great customer service, coupled with great food and great customers, is a recipe for success. “We are very appreciative of the community that has welcomed us with open arms,” said Christine Nevarez. “We’re not from here and didn’t know many people. But now we are starting to know everyone and to feel like part of the community. When people come in now, we know a lot of them personally, and they have become friends and like family.”

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45

Journey with LaSalle

The map of French explorer Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle route covers three shelves in the Calhoun County Museum.

County museum takes you on a trip to the area’s beginnings; showcases pieces from LaSalle’s voyage

It’s 2021 right now but step through the doors of the Calhoun County Museum and be transported to the time of the mastodon and other stops along the historical path.

In 1964, the Calhoun County Commissioners’ Court created the museum, which was first housed in the 1896 Jail building then the Calhoun County Annex before moving to its present location at 301 S. Ann St. And, it’s often a surprise to visitor and resident alike that there is a museum in Port Lavaca.

“Museums are important to learn about the area and its history,” said George Ann Cormier, director of the museum.

The collection, said Cormier, is unique.

How unique you might ask?

Well ….

The ship the French explorer ReneRobert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle rode was discovered in Matagorda Bay in 1995 with more than 2 million artifacts recovered.

“There was not a museum large enough to be a repository for all of it,” explained Cormier about the LaSalle Odyssey that takes visitors to museums around the area.

“It’s an incredible collection,” she said, noting pieces of wool cloth were found, pieces of leather and so much more. The silt in the bay is dense due to oysters and creates anaerobic conditions that allowed the artifacts to survive. Take the sevenmuseum odyssey starting with the Birth of an Expedition at the Corpus Christ Museum of Science and History, then check out Daily Life on the Belle at the Texas Maritime

46

Museum in Rockport, see the Native Americans who watched French Come Ashore at the Texana Museum in Edna, relive the clash of empires in 17th-century North American at the Calhoun County Museum in Port Lavaca, visit La Salle’s doom colony on the Texas Coast at the Museum of the Coastal Bend in Victoria, check out the extraordinary excavation that uncovered the Belle at the Matagorda County Museum in Bay City and end it all at the fullyfunctioning seagoing replica of the Belle, named La Petite Belle, at her homeport in Palacios and the Palacios Area Historical Museum.

The rise and fall of Indianola, once a bustling seaport that was reduced to remnants following two hurricanes, is showcased as well. The museum is home to an Emerson square grand piano that was owned by Freda Nugent Kinlay, who taught music in Indianola. You can see where it sat in water following the hurricane. It survived both storms and was found on the living floor, which was all that remained of the house following the 1886 storm.

There is a diorama of the port city complete with the piers that were serviced by trains. Camels came through the city that had rebuilt itself following a hurricane in 1875 only to be totally razed by a second, stronger, hurricane in 1886. The former county seat could not recover from that one.

The museum also tells the stories of the settling of Calhoun County, Port Lavaca, and Linnville.

You can find a third-order Fresnel lens

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

that was used in the Matagorda Island Lighthouse after Confederate soldiers removed the original lens. It was first lit in 1872, after replacing the lens that was removed in 1862. “It’s an art object all its own,” said Cormier of the multi-part lens that was hand-ground.

The history of lighthouses in the area can be found at the museum, as well, including the Lighthouse at Pass Cavallo and the Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse, which top of which can be found on the grounds of the Bauer Community Center.

Karankawa Indians and how they lived along the coastline. There also is a cabinet devoted to arrowheads collected in Calhoun County that is part of the Charles Husak Collection.

The museum is open Tuesday & Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday and Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 361-553-4689 for more information or visit the museum’s website at calhouncountymuseum.org.

Part of the LaSalle Collection. The Calhoun County Museum is part of the LaSalle Odyssey.

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300 N. VirgiNia St. • 361-552-5400

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

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A helpful checklist for birders COMPILED BY BRUSH FREEMAN

PHOTO BY BILL HARVEY

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)

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Just as Calhoun County attracts visitors from all over, it also hosts a variety of avian species. The bird watching opportunities are sure to please even the most experienced wildlife seekers.

There are several options for those interested in watching the wildlife. Visit the Port Lavaca Lighthouse Beach and Bird Sanctuary, Magnolia Beach or even Matagorda Island State Park.

According to Brush Freeman, coauthor of The Texas Ornithological Society Handbook of Texas Birds, 429 species have been recorded in the county or

___ 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

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

the counties’ offshore waters, although many of those were single occurrences, or once in a lifetime finds, that will likely not be repeated any time soon.

Some of the more popular birds in the area include roseate Spoonbills, reddish egrets, white-tailed hawks and whooping cranes. Use the list below to see what species you can find during your stay in Calhoun County. Special thanks to Brush Freeman for his help with the following listing of bird species that have been previously spotted in Calhoun County.

___ 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) ___ 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)

Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

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Small Animal Practice 1015 State Hwy. 35, Port Lavaca, TX 77979

361-552-4526

Voted Best Veterinary CliniC three years in a row!

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Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

Japanese specialties, hibachi in kitchen. Seafood, noodles, soup, meats in a family-friendly atmosphere

Noodles Seafood Teriyaki Hibachi Sushi Miso 915 State Hwy. 35 North, Port Lavaca, TX 77979

361-482-0459

HOURS Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m.–2:45 p.m. 5–8:45 p.m.

Friday & Saturday: 11 a.m.–2:45 p.m. 5–9:45 p.m.

Sunday: Closed Calhoun County Life • WINTER 2021

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Melissa Sterling — Manager LaVon Garcia • Joey Gregory Debbie Baldera • Sariah Flores Missie Landry • Michelle Grubert Sheila Benitez • Hahly Baldera 2121 Sailboat • Port Lavaca, TX Phone: (361) 551-2300  Fax: (361) 551-2312