Port O'Connor, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Port O'Connor, Texas
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 Port O'Connor, Texas
Location in Texas
Port O'Connor, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Calhoun |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.3 sq mi (16.4 km2) |
| • Land | 4.0 sq mi (10.3 km2) |
| • Water | 2.3 sq mi (6.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 7 ft (2 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 1,253 |
| • Density | 314/sq mi (121.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
77982
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| Area code(s) | 361 |
| FIPS code | 48-58952 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2586973 |
Port O'Connor is a small community in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. It is located near the Gulf of Mexico coastline. This area is between the cities of Galveston and Corpus Christi. In 2010, about 1,253 people lived there. Port O'Connor is part of the larger Victoria, Texas area.
Contents
History of Port O'Connor
Port O'Connor started as a fishing village in the late 1800s. It was first called "Alligator Head." As more people moved there and tourists visited, it grew into a proper town. In 1909, it officially became known as Port O'Connor.
The town was named after Thomas M. O'Connor. His father, Thomas O'Connor, owned a very large amount of land, about 70,000 acres (283 square kilometers). Besides fishing and raising cattle, the town also grew figs and citrus fruits.
Early Growth and Challenges
Port O'Connor grew a lot between 1909 and 1919. Special trains ran on weekends to bring visitors to the town. It is thought that about 10,000 tourists came every summer.
However, Port O'Connor has faced many strong storms. Four major hurricanes have hit the town since it was first settled. The 1919 Florida Keys hurricane caused a lot of damage and stopped the town's early growth.
The town slowly rebuilt. But then, hurricanes in 1942 and 1945 hit again, making it hard for the community to recover. In 1961, Port O'Connor was growing once more. This was because more military people were stationed at the nearby Matagorda Island Air Force Base.
That same year, Hurricane Carla destroyed the town again. But the people of Port O'Connor showed they were determined to rebuild. The town kept going thanks to tourism, commercial fishing, and the oil and gas industry. Hurricane Harvey also struck the town in 2017.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 954 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 |
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This section tells us about the people who live in Port O'Connor. It includes information from the 2020 United States census.
2020 Census Details
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 790 | 82.81% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 1 | 0.1% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 3 | 0.31% |
| Asian (NH) | 1 | 0.1% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 2 | 0.21% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 22 | 2.31% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 135 | 14.15% |
| Total | 954 |
According to the 2020 census, there were 954 people living in Port O'Connor. These people lived in 433 households, which are like homes or families living together. There were also 331 families.
Education
The schools in Port O'Connor are part of the Calhoun County Independent School District.
Because Port O'Connor is a small town, it has only one school. This school is Port O'Connor Elementary School. The mascot for the school is a dolphin.
Port O'Connor Elementary School teaches students from prekindergarten up to fifth grade. After fifth grade, students take a bus to nearby towns to continue their education. They go to Seadrift or Port Lavaca for sixth through 12th grades. The middle schools that serve Port O'Connor are Seadrift Middle School and Travis Middle School. For high school, students attend Calhoun High School.
Images for kids
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A friendly robot, representing learning and technology.
See also
In Spanish: Port O'Connor para niños
