VISITORS GUIDE: MATAGORDA COUNTY
Natural Attractions
A birder's paradise! The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail map lists 12 birding sites in Matagorda County. Year after year more species are identified at Mad Island Marsh during the Christmas Bird count than at any other site in North America. For details, phone . Also don't miss beach-combing the county's Gulf-side beaches at Matagorda and Sargent.
Native American
By the 1500's Matagorda County was home to the Karankawa Indians. Exhibits on the Karankawas can be seen at the Matagorda County Museum in Bay City, open 1-5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Visit the Karankawa Trace Trail at Palacios, open weekdays. Call for appointment .
La Salle Odyssey 
In 1995 the Texas Historical Commission discovered a long-sought prize: La Belle, one of the three ships brought to the Texas Gulf Coast by French explorer La Salle. A fourth ship was taken earlier by pirates.
A cofferdam was built to surround the La Belle shipwreck in Matagorda Bay and the water was pumped out so the archeologists could conduct a dry excavation. For the next year, Palacios was their headquarters as they pried LaBelle from the mud of the bay's bottom. 
The Matagorda County Museum and the Palacios Area Historical Museum are two of the seven La Salle Odyssey museums selected to tell the tragic story of La Salle's expedition. Each museum will feature a portion of the larger story. The Matagorda County focus is primarily on the excavation of La Belle.
Palacios is constructing a half-scale fully sea-worthy reproduction of La Belle to be completed and launched late in 2002.
Meanwhile, temporary exhibits are display at both museum while funds are being raised for the more formal permanent exhibits.
Spanish Exploration
According to legend, shipwrecked sailors in Matagorda Bay thought they saw three palaces on the shore. As they swam toward them the palaces disappeared. The called the area Tres Palacios, Spanish for three palaces.
This scene is depicted as a mirage in the La Salle shipwreck mural on Main Street in Palacios. A guide to the painted murals of Palacios is available at the Chamber of Commerce.
Stephen F. Austin Colony
Settlement by Anglo-Americans began when the schooners Only Son (1822) and Little Zoe (1829) landed immigrants for Stephen F. Austin's colony at the mouth of the Colorado River at present-day Matagorda.
Today, visitors can attend Sunday morning services at either of two historic churches in Matagorda: Christ Episcopal Church and the Matagorda Methodist Church. Their congregations date back to 1838 and 1839. The Episcopal has its original communion chalice, paten and baptismal ewer, handmade pews, altar and altar rail.
The Matagorda Cemetery contains many graves of the county's earliest settlers. Visitors to the Matagorda County Museum can view an exhibit that describes the role of Austin and other on the settlement of the county, a lithograph of the Matagorda town site and original surveyor's compass.
African-American
Historic African-American churches dating back to the Emancipation Proclamation are found along Caney Creek from Wharton to Sargent. Caney Creek Run brochures are available at area museums.
Other
"Our Town" in the Children's Museum at the Matagorda County Museum, built just for pioneer life child's play... Market Days at Bay City Civic Center, the 3rd Saturday of March, June September and December... homestyle-served meals at the Blessing Hotel historic Luther Hotel at Palacios... life size statue at Hawley Cemetery of Able Head "Shanghai" Pierce, legendary cattle baron... cattle drive from Matagorda Peninsula in March and November... Cinco de Mayo Celebration in Palacios.
