Bay City in Matagorda County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Bay City Post Office

Photographed By Gregory Walker, July 28, 2016

1. Bay City Post Office Marker

Inscription. An election in the fall of 1894 resulted in the relocation of the Matagorda county seat from the city of Matagorda to Bay Prairie (now Bay City). D.P. Moore, the postmaster at the nearby small town of Elliott, owned property in the new town and moved his dry goods store to Bay City in 1894. His nephew, Joseph D. Moore, became Bay City's first postmaster. In 1912 D.P. Moore sold his property to the United States government for a new post office building.

Contractor W.B. Lovell broke ground for the post office in 1917 and the building opened to the public on May 15, 1918. An addition built in 1958 provided extra working space and a loading dock at the rear of the structure. This building continued to serve the Bay City community as a post office until 1989. During that time it also served as a town meeting place, the site of the Selective Service Board during World War II, a Civil Defense fallout shelter, and a place of refuge from storms and hurricanes.

On October 30, 1990, after several months of negotiations with the United States Postal Service, the Matagorda County Museum Association purchased the building to house the Matagorda County Museum.

Erected 1992 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 339.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Postal Mail and Philately series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1894.

Location. 28° 58.971′

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N, 95° 58.214′ W. Marker is in Bay City, Texas, in Matagorda County. Marker is at the intersection of 7th Street (State Highway 35) and Avenue F (State Highway 60), on the right when traveling east on 7th Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2100 Avenue F, Bay City TX 77414, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Sugar Cane Mill (a few steps from this marker); Old Bay City Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); Ira Ingram (within shouting distance of this marker); Matagorda County (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Matagorda County (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Matagorda, C.S.A. (about 300 feet away); Matagorda County Confederate Memorial (about 400 feet away); Austin Building (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bay City.

Also see . . . Matagorda County Museum. (Submitted on August 1, 2016.)

Location of Bay City Post Office Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Gregory Walker

2. Location of Bay City Post Office Marker

Bay City Post Office image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brian Anderson, July 21, 2018

3. Bay City Post Office

Credits. This page was last revised on January 20, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 30, 2016, by Gregory Walker of La Grange, Texas. This page has been viewed 450 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 30, 2016, by Gregory Walker of La Grange, Texas. 3. submitted on July 24, 2018, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.