Calhoun County Museum

The Calhoun County Museum was established in 1964 by the Calhoun County Commissioner's Court.The mission of the Calhoun County Museum is the acquisition, documentation, preservation, study and exhibition of artifacts relating to the history, natural history and maritime history of Calhoun Countyand as such passing this material culture on to future generations.

Some of the outstanding exhibits include the Fresnel Lens from the 1852 Matagorda Island Lighthouse, an 8-foot diorama of the town of Indianola, a collection of items from the Belle in an exhibit entitled the La Salle Odyssey and many more items dealing with the life and times of Calhoun County.

The Museum collection deals with the early native residents of the County and the immigration of the groups that followed. Museum exhibits include early prehistoric Native American points and tools and an exhibit on the Karankawa Indians. Also on display are items from the Belle, La Salle's shipwreck of 1686 and the power struggle that came from his incursion into Spanish territory. Exhibits include a diorama of the port city of Indianola and the immigration of the Germans in the 1800′s through Indianola to west Texas. The museum also has information on Calhoun County schools and the towns of Port Lavaca, Port O'Connor, Point Comfort, Seadrift, Olivia and others. One of the museums most impressive pieces is the lens from the Matagorda Island Lighthouse on long term loan from the U.S. Coast Guard.

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