The Ghost Town of Indianola Texas

Some of the ideas for this video came from:

The Vanished Texas Coast
Marks Lardas
2021 The History Press

TSHA

#Texas #gulfcoast #hurricane #texashistory #historical #historic #texascoast #indianola #german #immigrants #ghosttown

[thGenNativeTexan]

My great-great-great grandfather arrived in Indianola in the fall of 1846, along with three small sons, one small daughter, his wife, and his mother. Conditions were horrible, and he, two of his sons, his daughter and his mother all died of cholera while traveling from Indianola to New Braunfels. Only his wife, my great-great-great grandmother, and one of his sons, my great-great grandfather, survived the trip.

[jennifergarrett]

A ghost town that is a true ghost town. So sad that it's nothing more than a name in history. Thank you for the tour.

[connie]

On one of our vacations to Rockport (around 1960), my father drove us to Indianola and related a story about his grandfather.... Capt. Roderick had told him many stories..one of which was about Indianola..where he brought supplies (including contraband during Civil War) to this port....Capt. Steele lived to be 104 yrs old retired from the sea in Port Arthur (after Sabine Pass was destroyed by hurricane) in a marine insurance business for ports of Orange, Beaumont, Sabine Pass and Port Arthur until his death in 1947. He maintained a suite at Sabine Hotel in Port Arthur where my father would visit for shrimp cocktails after Sunday Hotel is last building standing now..my brother and I visited hotel in early 1980's when it was being restored and saw coffee shop where he would have his breakfast of fried mackerel and 2 cold beers at 7 a.m., before going to his offices. Just a bit of lost

[toddbonin]

Hello Secrets of Texas. I’m back from my weeklong visit to central Texas that you inspired. I went to Washington-on-the-Brazos, Independence, Brenham, Huntsville, La Grange, Navasota … and I toured the painted churches. Had a wonderful time. I ate at two of the Czech bakeries you featured … delicious! When I was at the Wendish Museum in Serbin, the ladies asked me how I found them. I told them I found them by watching your videos, and they remembered you fondly. Thanks for the inspiration. It was a great adventure. Looks like I’ll be planning another … I love a good ghost town. Thanks!

[patrickhays]

Nice video. 17 homes from Indianola were moved to Cuero, Tx. They were tore down & each board numbered & moved by ox & cart. I own 1 of the 17 homes moved. Big house.

[olskooltomyheart]

I'M FROM PORT LAVACA! THIS IS MY AREA! I love that you did a video on it. I just can't understand why there isn't more videos, documentaries, dives, excavations, research of Indianola. It deserves so much more. The museum in Port Lavaca is super small but really good with Indianola history and displays. They found one of La Salles ships and it and all its artifacts were on display here in Austin museum. It was so awesome to see. Straight from Indianola.

[iztherelife]

This is our county. It’s got lots of hurricane scar. A grave is next to the bus stop I waited at as a child. It perplexed me as a child since it was a child buried there. How could a kid like me die? They stopped the train and buried her there. The rail is long gone and the highway marks the way to Indianola. In my teen years I rode the annual trail ride to Indianola and later became a reining trail queen for a few years. Small town stuff that I miss.
It’s got life as a fishing destination.

[derekkrause]

Great video. My great, great, great grandfather James L Allen was mayor of Indianola. He was also the last messenger of the battle of the Alamo. Lots of history there. And great food at the Indianola fishing marina.

[steflee]

Holy smokes! This makes sense. My great great uncle Frantizek Dudik came through Port Lavaca from Lipnik, Czechoslovakia in 1891 along with my great great grandfather Vincent Sofka from Austria. They would later settle in nearby German/Czech settlement of Halletsville and Shiner, Texas. The birthplace of my grear grandmother and grandmother. The exciting part is connecting all the dots and being able to see where they would have traveled and why. Dang that's neat!

[phyllismay]

My mother's ancestors were one of the original founding families of New Braunfels their last name was "Schaefer". They came with Prince Karl and the family transported the Bells in their wagon that now hang in the Protestant Church in New Braunfels. Thanks for the history video.

[ertatta]

I have strong memories of visiting my mom’s aunt when I was maybe 7 yrs old in port Lavaca & her taking us out to Indianola beach to see the ruins at the waters edge. The story about the lives lost really left an impact on me. Thank you for this wonderful and concise presentation.

[gatescompton]

If you’re a Texan you need to there and read all the markers. It’s like the Alamo, it’s a Texan thing. Go see it!🇺🇸🤠

[dhille]

I was able to visit an 1859 house from Indianola this weekend. It was an 1875 storm survivor and dismantled, and moved to Cuero. It was surreal

[DavidRice]

I was a Calhoun Co. deputy in the early 80s, and got bored while patrolling the beach at Indianola. I found a dirt road leading up a ridge, and discovered that cemetary. There was no State marker, and many of the graves shared similar dates of death. The thing I remember most from my 7yrs there was the excellent fishing!

[edithrodriguez]

Thank you for your video. This was my favorite place while living in the Port Lavaca and Port O’Connor area. Is a very peaceful place where I used to hang around. The food at the Marina little restaurant was very good all the time. For a strange reason going there (almost every day), was the most enjoyable solitude time I had. I I studied the town history and got completely fascinated.

[lindan]

What lovely memories your video brought back. I recalled my favorite things about Indianola, which were the small beach that wasn't sand but instead very small shells, that were not sharp, which we could walk barefoot on; and I will always recall the monument to LaSalle. Thanks again.

[CurtisTarwater]

Wow! Never knew the history of this German waypoint. My great great grandparents (Zander) came through Indianola in the 1840s and eventually settled in the sleepy town of Buckhorn, TX. Thanks for sharing!

[ggkings]

I love reading about Texas history during the 1840s to 1880s. Interesting trivia - During the summer months, a mysterious disease would kill many people along the coast. It was thought that vapors from the ground were responsible. At first frost, this disease would vanish. It was later learned that mosquitoes were the source of the killer illness and the first frost killed all the mosquitoes. If, and when, the firsts frost occurred was always a big topic back then.

[JR-zefv]

Thank you. Blows my mind to think of everything that went down in the past on the ground we walk on all of the time.

[kathleenkirchoff]

As kids my Dad nearly backed a pop up trailer into the bar ditch to read the historical marker there. We camped on the beach and I found lots of bits of blue and white pottery as I collected shells. It looks like the past few storms have eroded the beach alot since the 1960s when we were there.