HISTORIC LANDMARKS

Matagorda Island Lighthouse

The Matagorda Lighthouse is significant because it is the first lighthouse built on Matagorda Bay.  It was built in 1852, a 79 foot tower was in place, stationing the Third Order lens 96 feet above sea level.  It was constructed on cast-iron.  The tower had a unique color scheme for the Gulf Coast, with black, red and white horizontal bands.  The revolving light, showing a flash every 90 seconds, was visible for 16 miles.

The Rebels attempted to blow the cast-iron tower up but only several plates were broken.  In 1865, the Rebels stole the lens and clockwork from the tower.  Due to neglect during the Civil War, the sea eroded the tower and it had to be dismantled in 1876 to prevent its collapse.  The lens and clockwork were recovered and placed in the present tower built with its original cast-iron.

The lighthouse board decided that a light similar to that at Bolivar Point in Galveston Bay should be erected.  After considerable delay in acquiring the site, the light was rebuilt by July 1873, on the west side of Pass Cavallo, Two miles from the original site.

Lighted on September 1, 1873, the lantern showed a flash every 90 seconds from 91 feet above sea level.

On August 19-20, 1886, a "Severe storm raged at this station.  The water rose to an unusual height and stood some four feet deep in the tower."  The storm swept away everything on the station grounds except the tower itself, and the keeper's quarter.

There were calm days, too.  On October 12, 1918, it was calm and not a bit of air, and the bugs got to thick that they obscured the light.  The next morning, the keeper climbed the spiral staircase armed with a shovel to scoop the dead insects from the lantern and gallery.

The light is still in full use, on the west side of Pass Cavallo, visible for 25 miles to sea.  The paint scheme is now black.  

Source: Transcription from the document, National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, prepared by R. J. Barker on 17 April 1978; located on the website, Texas Historical Commission (http://thc.texas.gov), accessed on 20 July 2023.