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Aug 23, 2021
Fort Bend County Libraries (FBCL) will present an online Texas-History program, “The Story of Indianola,” on Monday, August 23. This video will be pre-recorded so that it can be viewed from the comfort of home at any time after the scheduled date.
In this video episode in FBCL’s “Genealogy & Local History” series, Carol Beauchamp will share a history of the once-thriving and prosperous coastal city of Indianola.
A port that at one time rivaled Galveston, Indianola began as a landing place for German immigrants headed to West Texas. It eventually grew to become the county seat of Calhoun County from 1852 to 1886.
Indianola managed to survive bombardment and occupation by Union forces during the Civil War, but it was eventually destroyed by two hurricanes. The first hurricane struck in 1875 when the city was at its peak with a population of more than 5,000 people. The city was rebuilt on a smaller scale, but was later destroyed once again by another hurricane in 1886, from which it never recovered.
Presented by FBCL’s Genealogy & Local History Department at George Memorial Library in Richmond, the video can be viewed on the Fort Bend County Libraries website – www.fortbend.lib.tx.us -- by clicking on the “Classes and Events” tab and selecting “Virtual Programs,” and then finding the programs on the date listed.
Anyone interested in more local-history or genealogy resources is encouraged to join the Family-History Research FBCL Facebook group page. Managed by the Genealogy & Local History department at George Memorial Library in Richmond, the group page is an interactive, online forum for sharing genealogy tips and resources, as well as local-history stories.
For more information, call the Fort Bend County Libraries’ Communications Office (281-633-4734).
The H. Runge and Company's bank, store, and warehouse in Indianola, TX, after the August 20, 1886, hurricane that destroyed the city. The building still standing is the bank. Photo courtesy of Victoria Regional History Center, Victoria College/University of Houston-Victoria Library.
The H. Runge and Company's bank, store, and warehouse in Indianola, TX, after the August 20, 1886, hurricane that destroyed the city. The building still standing is the bank. Photo courtesy of Victoria Regional History Center, Victoria College/University of Houston-Victoria Library.]