History

Gulf: Company town provided most everything

News Staff
Thursday, August 8, 2024
   Gulf, now called Old Gulf, and formerly called Big Hill, is no more.   Big Hill was a dome-like land surface, about 60 feet high, east of Matagorda, along the Intracoastal Canal where it opens into East Matagorda Bay.  In 1833, William Simpson received this land from the Mexican government.

Markham doctor’s fatal shooting covered statewide

News Staff
Thursday, August 1, 2024
   Dr. Henry E. Yarbrough was born September 17, 1874 and died October 9, 1908 in Markham, Matagorda County, Texas.   He was buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Waco, McLennan County.   He was the son of Thomas Jackson “Jeff” Yarbrough (1840-1918) and Sarah Kite-Kight.

Camp Palomar was Texas’ 1st summer high school

News Staff
Thursday, August 1, 2024
   In the spring of 1919 Dr. J. V. Brown, then President of San Marcos Baptist Academy, saw the need of a summer term of school in order for students to remove some of the deficiencies in their high school courses.
Bay City Sentinel photos/MikeReddell

Bay City Sentinel photos/MikeReddell

Bay City bank once issued own notes

News Staff
Thursday, July 25, 2024
   National Bank Notes were United States currency banknotes issued by National banks chartered by the United States Government.   The notes were usually backed by U.S. bonds the bank deposited with the U.S. Treasury.

"Original municipal airport on east side of Bay City" By Paul Freeman

News Staff
Thursday, July 25, 2024
   The original Municipal Airport for the town of Bay City was located adjacent to the east side of the town.     The airport was located southeast of the intersection of Texas 35 and Norvell Avenue.  The airport’s northern boundary was aligned just south of the Union Pacific railroad line.

AP Clark - from Little Round Top to Palacios

News Staff
Thursday, July 18, 2024
   EDITOR’S NOTE: Matagorda County historian Carol Sue Gibbs suggested an interesting story for the Bay City Sentinel’s History Page – Confederates buried in Palacios’ cemetery.  One story stood out in the Matagorda County history and genealogy page that Gibbs manages – A.P. Clark.

John Barnett: Alabama soldier later became blacksmith

News Staff
Thursday, July 18, 2024
Death of John Edward BarnettPalacios Beacon, Feb. 11, 1913  Mr. John Edward Barnett died at the home of his son, J. F. Barnett, in this city, Friday evening, the 7th inst., at 7:30 o’clock, from an acute attack of lagrippe, at the age of 66 years, 1 month and 17 days.

AP Clark - from Little Round Top to Palacios

News Staff
Thursday, July 11, 2024
   EDITOR’S NOTE: Matagorda County historian Carol Sue Gibbs suggested an interesting story for the Bay City Sentinel’s History Page – Confederates buried in Palacios’ cemetery.  One story stood out in the Matagorda County history and genealogy page that Gibbs manages – A.P. Clark.

John Barnett: Alabama soldier later became blacksmith

News Staff
Thursday, July 11, 2024
Death of John Edward BarnettPalacios Beacon, Feb. 11, 1913  Mr. John Edward Barnett died at the home of his son, J. F. Barnett, in this city, Friday evening, the 7th inst., at 7:30 o’clock, from an acute attack of lagrippe, at the age of 66 years, 1 month and 17 days.
Sentinel Photo/Mike Reddell Descendants of the Abel Head “Shanghai” Pierce and Jonathan Edwards Pierce take part in dedicating a Texas Historical Marker for the brothers at Hawley Cemetery, near Blessing, Saturday, June 29.The brothers were business partners operating El Rancho Grande. Abel is credited with bringing large numbers of Brahman Cattle to Texas, while Jonathan developed the town of Blessing into a prosperous community.

Sentinel Photo/Mike Reddell Descendants of the Abel Head “Shanghai” Pierce and Jonathan Edwards Pierce take part in dedicating a Texas Historical Marker for the brothers at Hawley Cemetery, near Blessing, Saturday, June 29.The brothers were business partners operating El Rancho Grande. Abel is credited with bringing large numbers of Brahman Cattle to Texas, while Jonathan developed the town of Blessing into a prosperous community.

Historical marker honors Pierce brothers

News Staff
Thursday, July 4, 2024
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