Port O'Connor in Calhoun County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Port O'Connor Cemetery

Photographed By James Hulse, August 30, 2021

1. Port O'Connor Cemetery Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Late in the 19th century, a small settlement named Alligator Head, named for its particular landscape, developed on the coast of Matagorda Bay in Calhoun County. In 1910, the Calhoun County Cattle Company filed a plat for a town site and named it Port O'Connor in honor of Tom M. O'Connor of Victoria from whom the land was purchased. With the establishment of the town, a cemetery site was needed for the rapidly growing community.

The first known burial in the cemetery is that of Lola May McCarty in 1913. The oldest marked grave is that of Juan Pena (1851-1919) but it is highly likely that there are many unmarked graves. Located on the Texas coast, the cemetery is subject to the harsh effects of the elements. The hurricanes of 1919, 1942 and 1945 swept the town of Port O'Connor and damaged the cemetery. High winds and rain during these storms destroyed the cemetery and many grave markers were displaced.

The cemetery is the final resting place for many key members of the community. Members of several lighthouse keeping families of the Matagorda Island Lighthouse are buried here. Some graves from Saluria on Matagorda Island

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were reinterred here due to erosion. Arranged in an east to west formation, the gravestones are comprised of marble, wood, granite, plastic and concrete. Tombstone decorations include ships, anchors, shells and driftwood, reflecting the saltwater heritage of the town. This historic cemetery reflects the determination and survival spirit of Port O'Connor.
Historic Texas Cemetery - 2012

Erected 2012 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 17476.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical year for this entry is 1910.

Location. 28° 26.061′ N, 96° 26.697′ W. Marker is in Port O'Connor, Texas, in Calhoun County. Marker is at the intersection of Cemetery Street and Monroe Avenue, on the right when traveling north on Cemetery Street. The marker is located on the east side of the entrance to the Port O'Connor Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Port o Connor TX 77982, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Port O'Connor (approx. 2.7 miles away); Ed Bell (approx. 5.9 miles away); Site of the Town of Indianola (approx. 6.6 miles away); The Chihuahua Road (approx. 6.6 miles away); Calhoun County Courthouse

The Port O'Connor Cemetery Marker near the entrance to the cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, August 30, 2021

2. The Port O'Connor Cemetery Marker near the entrance to the cemetery

(approx. 6.7 miles away); Indianola Cemetery (approx. 7 miles away); Sgt. William Henry Barnes (approx. 7 miles away); Rene Robert Cavelier Sieur de la Salle (approx. 7½ miles away).

The view of the Port O'Connor Cemetery and Marker from the street image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, August 30, 2021

3. The view of the Port O'Connor Cemetery and Marker from the street

Credits. This page was last revised on September 28, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 27, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 139 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 28, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.