1852 Indianola becomes the county seat. The Morgan steamship lines [10] runs regular service from Indianola to New York City. Slave trading peaks at Indianola.[11]
1858 Half Moon Reef Lighthouse is constructed in Matagorda Bay.[12]
1860 County population is 2,642, including 414 slaves.[3]
1861 Calhoun County votes 276-18 for secession from the Union. Contributes volunteer companies to the Confederate cause.[3] Fort Esperanza, on Matagorda Island, is constructed by Confederate forces using slave labor.[13]
1961 Category 4 Hurricane Carla makes landfall between Port Lavaca and Port O’Connor.[19]
1983 Matagorda Island State Park and Wildlife Management Area is run by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department under an agreement between the United States Department of the Interior and the state of Texas.[20]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,033 square miles (2,680 km2), of which 507 square miles (1,310 km2) is land and 526 square miles (1,360 km2) (51%) is water.[21] It borders the Gulf of Mexico.
U.S. Decennial Census[22] 1850–2010[23] 2010–2020[1]
2020 census
Calhoun County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the census[27] of 2000, there were 20,647 people, 7,442 households, and 5,574 families living in the county. The population density was 40 people per square mile (15 people/km2). There were 10,238 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (7.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 78.04% White, 2.63% Black or African American, 0.49% Native American, 3.27% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 13.19% from other races, and 2.32% from two or more races. 40.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 11.4% were of German, 9.4% American and 5.5% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 67.9% spoke English, 29.1% Spanish and 1.2% Chinese as their first language.
There were 7,442 households, out of which 35.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.10% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.50% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,849, and the median income for a family was $39,900. Males had a median income of $35,957 versus $19,772 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,125. About 12.70% of families and 16.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.30% of those under age 18 and 11.70% of those age 65 or over.
^"Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
^ abcdefghiKleiner, Diana. "Calhoun County". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
^Little, Carol Morris (1996). A Comprehensive Guide to Outdoor Sculpture in Texas. University of Texas Press. pp. 358–359. ISBN978-0-292-76036-3.
^Wade, Marian F and Don E; Hester, Thomas R (2002). The Native Americans of the Texas Edwards Plateau, 1582-1799. University of Texas Press. p. 145. ISBN978-0-292-79156-5.
^Roell, Craig H. "John Joseph Linn". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
^Roell, Craig H. "Linnville Raid of 1840". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
^Morgenthaler, Jefferson (2009). Promised Land: Solms, Castro, and Sam Houston's Colonization Contracts. TAMU Press. p. 135. ISBN978-1-60344-119-3.
^ abc"Indianola". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
^"MORGAN LINES". tshaonline.org. June 15, 2010. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
^Obedele-Starks, Ernest (2007). Freebooters and Smugglers: The Foreign Slave Trade in the United States after 1808. University of Arkansas Press. p. 119. ISBN978-1-55728-858-5.
^Townsend, Stephen A (2006). The Yankee Invasion of Texas. TAMU Press. p. 28. ISBN978-1-58544-487-8.
^"Port Lavaca". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
^Norcross, Bryan (2007). Hurricane Almanac: The Essential Guide to Storms Past, Present, and Future. St. Martin's Griffin. pp. 38–39.
^"Oliva, Texas". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
^"Port O'Connor". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
^"Point Comfort". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
^Michaels, Patrick J (2005). Meltdown: The Predictable Distortion of Global Warming by Scientists, Politicians, and the Media. Cato Institute. p. 112. ISBN978-1-930865-79-2.
