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A Texas Ghost Town
2/13/2009
For several years now, I’ve been fascinated with and researching an old ghost town. She was once a thriving seaport along the Texas Gulf Coast. Her life was brief; spanning only forty-two years, but her legacy to Texas was gigantic.
She was known as the “Dream City of the Gulf”, “The Mother of Western Texas” and “Galveston’s Sister.” I am a native Texan and had never heard the name of this old town until a few years ago, when I stumbled across her, quite by accident, while surfing the web.
Her name changed several times over her short life, like a woman widowed and remarried more than once. She was born with the German name, Karlshaven (meaning Carl’s Harbor) in honor of Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels. But she also became known as Indian Point and eventually Indianola. (That even sounds like a woman’s name, doesn’t it?)
As an infant, Karlshaven opened her empty arms to German immigrants landing on Texas soil in the early 1840’s. The Adelsverein (Germany’s society of nobility) promised German citizens wishing to settle in Texas, transportation, a protected colony and housing. An average household was required to deposit 600 gulden (approx. $240) and single persons 300 gulden. Half of their money would be used for expenses for promised items, while half would be placed on a line of credit in the new colony. The credit could be drawn on for food, tools and farming equipment.
The Adelsverein, however, sent the first shiploads of immigrants westward before the colony was ready. When the voyagers landed along the swampy Texas coast, they had more of an adventure than they expected. The colony was non-existent. There was no housing. And the line of credit had evaporated like the dew on a hot Texas morn.
Many immigrants didn’t make it past the first two to three years. Cholera, typhoid fever and starvation were just a few of the enemies found in this new land. Of those who survived, many moved inland. But some stayed along the bay waters deficient in trees, shelter and income. They worked hard. They wouldn’t give up. They placed their trust in “der liebe Gott” to see them through.
The “Dream City of the Gulf” was born.
Over her short life span, she would see floods of immigrants, American settlers, invasion of U.S. military troops, hordes of camels and prosperity. She would become the County seat, the home of a famous shoot-out in one of Texas’ most notorious feuds and the target of wind-ravaging hurricanes.
I’ve read and studied about my old friend, Indianola, for quite some time now. Tomorrow, we shall meet for the first time. She rests only a short two to three hour drive from my home. My husband and I will rise early in the morning and travel to visit the ghost of a civilization that once thrived in history.
I promise to take pictures, to report to you what I find and to share more with you in future blogs about “The Mother of Western Texas.”
Sketch of Indianola c 1850.
