Mission Statement
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 County and as such passing this material culture on to future generations.
The Museum
The Calhoun County Museum is, at present, located in an add-on to the original jail building that was built in 1896 (shown here). Although the jail is gone now, the museum continues to grow and to serve the people of Calhoun County by keeping alive the history of one of the most prominent areas in Texas history. It was originally established in 1964 by the Calhoun County Commissioner’s Court under the auspices of the Calhoun County Historical Commission. The current Director of the museum is George Anne Cormier.
The Museum is located at 301 S. Ann, Port Lavaca, Texas. Next door is the Calhoun County Courthouse. Plans are underway to raise funds for the construction of a new museum and changes will be posted as they occur.
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.