Calhoun County, Texas Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Calhoun County
U.S. county
Calhoun County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1846
Named for	John C. Calhoun
Seat	Port Lavaca
Largest city	Port Lavaca
Area
• Total	1,033 sq mi (2,680 km²)
• Land	507 sq mi (1,310 km²)
• Water	526 sq mi (1,360 km²) 51%%
Population (2020)
• Total	20,106
• Density	39.7/sq mi (15.3/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	27th

Calhoun County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2020, about 20,106 people lived there. Its main town, or county seat, is Port Lavaca. The county is named after John Caldwell Calhoun, who was the seventh vice president of the United States. Calhoun County is part of a larger area that includes Victoria.

History of Calhoun County

Calhoun County has a long and interesting history. Many different groups of people have lived here over time.

Early Inhabitants and Explorers

Long ago, Paleo-Indians and later Native American tribes like the Comanche, Tonkawa, and Karankawa lived in this area.
In 1685, a French explorer named René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle landed near Powderhorn Lake. France claimed the land for a short time.
Spanish explorers, including Alonso De León, explored the future county in 1689.
In 1825, Martín De León from Mexico started a ranch near the old French fort.
The first Anglo settlement was Linnville, started in 1831 by John J. Linn, an Irish merchant.
In 1840, Comanche warriors attacked and looted Linnville.

Settlement and County Formation

From 1842 to 1847, Henri Castro helped Alsatian immigrants from France come to Texas. They used Port Lavaca as a stop before moving to settle Castroville.
In 1845, many German immigrants arrived at Indianola on Matagorda Bay.
Calhoun County was officially formed in 1846. It was created from parts of Victoria, Jackson, and Matagorda counties. It was named for John C. Calhoun. Lavaca was the first county seat.
In 1852, Indianola became the county seat. Ships regularly traveled from Indianola to New York City.
Poles began arriving in Indianola in 1854.
The Half Moon Reef Lighthouse was built in Matagorda Bay in 1858.

Civil War and Natural Disasters

By 1860, the county had 2,642 people, including 414 enslaved people.
In 1861, Calhoun County voted to leave the Union and join the Confederacy. Fort Esperanza, on Matagorda Island, was built by Confederate forces using enslaved labor.
Union ships attacked Port Lavaca in 1862.
A hurricane caused great damage to Indianola in 1875.
Another powerful hurricane destroyed Indianola in 1886.

Modern Development

The Lutheran community of Olivia was founded by Swedes in 1892.
Port O’Connor was established in 1909.
Port Lavaca built a seawall in 1920 to protect against hurricanes.
The Lavaca Bay causeway was built in 1931.
Oil and natural gas were found near Port Lavaca in 1934-1935.
Alcoa opened a factory at Point Comfort in 1947.
Union Carbide opened a factory near Seadrift in 1952.
In 1961, Hurricane Carla, a very strong storm, hit the area.
Since 1983, Matagorda Island State Park has been managed for wildlife and recreation.

Geography

Calhoun County covers about 1,033 square miles. About 507 square miles is land, and 526 square miles (51%) is water. It is located next to the Gulf of Mexico.

Neighboring Counties

Jackson County (north)
Matagorda County (east)
(Gulf of Mexico) (southeast)
Aransas County (southwest)
Refugio County (west)
Victoria County (northwest)

Protected Areas

Part of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is in Calhoun County.

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	1,110	—
1860	2,642	138.0%
1870	3,443	30.3%
1880	1,739	−49.5%
1890	815	−53.1%
1900	2,395	193.9%
1910	3,635	51.8%
1920	4,700	29.3%
1930	5,385	14.6%
1940	5,911	9.8%
1950	9,222	56.0%
1960	16,592	79.9%
1970	17,831	7.5%
1980	19,574	9.8%
1990	19,053	−2.7%
2000	20,647	8.4%
2010	21,381	3.6%
2020	20,106	−6.0%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2020

2020 Census Details

In 2020, there were 20,106 people living in Calhoun County. The population included people from many different backgrounds.

**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.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	10,774	9,794	8,374	52.18%	45.81%	41.65%
Black or African American alone (NH)	521	519	361	2.52%	2.43%	1.80%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	55	36	34	0.27%	0.17%	0.17%
Asian alone (NH)	665	943	1,112	3.22%	4.41%	5.53%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	7	4	0	0.03%	0.02%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	16	15	56	0.08%	0.07%	0.28%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	161	148	311	0.78%	0.69%	1.55%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	8,448	9,922	9,858	40.92%	46.41%	49.03%
Total	20,647	21,381	20,106	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

Education

All schools in Calhoun County are part of the Calhoun County Independent School District. The county is also served by Victoria College. Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic School, which teaches students from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade, has been open since 1996.

Transportation

Main Roads

U.S. Highway 87
State Highway 35
State Highway 185

Airport

The Calhoun County Airport is a general aviation airport. It is located northwest of Port Lavaca.

Calhoun County, Texas facts for kids

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