From the Matagorda County History & Genealogy page
Historic Matagorda County, Volume I
El Maton, dating back to 1905, is situated twelve miles west of Bay City on FM 1095. El Maton is a Spanish name meaning “the killer,” which was bestowed on the community by the Missouri-Pacific Railroad Company.
The town haw several legendary versions telling why it is so named.
According to one version, it is said that a group of Mexicans, who had been drinking, got into an argument and began fighting on the spot where the railroad track now crosses FM 1095.
Several of the group were killed in the action, and thus the place became known by the Spanish words “El Maton.”
Another legend involves a railroad accident.
In this version a Mexican man was accidentally killed in 1905, when his foot got caught on a rail, and a handcart ran over him.
Some say El Maton got its name from the slaughterhouse which was once situated in this area.
In the early days cattle were hilled here only for their hides and tallow.
There was a rendering plant near the present Townsite.
The tallow was used in making candles and soap.
The present town of El Maton and the surrounding area were once a grassy lowland prairie without a house or building between the townsite and Wilson Creek.
All the land within this area was owned by the Pierce family who used it for grazing lands for their livestock.
Many acres were later sold to the Ward Cattle Company which then exploited the grasslands.
El Maton was once the site of stock pens owned by the various ranchers of the area.
The concrete foundation of a grain silo still lies in the Emil Balusek yard.
When the Missouri-Pacific was induced to lay tracks to Blessing, the railroad company built a large switch here.
This shipping point for rice and cattle was at last called El Maton by the railroad men.
In 1905, R.C. Roddy built a large store in El Maton.
The first postmaster, Boyd I. Horn, was appointed November 23, 1915, making El Maton an official town.
He was succeeded by R.C. Roddy in May, 1916.
The store became the post office in 1916 and was still being used in that capacity in 1985.
On February 12, 1927, V. Lodge Kopecky became postmaster.
He served until Joe Lucas was appointed April 4, 1934.
In 1925 the Ward Cattle Company sold out to the Wilson Estate which proceeded to bring in Czech families from neighboring communities.
The area soon was filled with settlers from Sealy, Somerville, Caldwell and other area.
In 1927 Mr. and Mrs. Rudolf Stasta, Sr., were among the incoming settlers. They built the Stasta Cotton Gin in 1930, which was first powered by crude oil.
In 1929 and 1930 farm crops suffered because of extremely wet weather. Farmers were hurt financially again in 1932 and 1933 by the depression.
As a result, much of the land the farmers had purchased through loans again became the property of the Wilson Estate.
In 1933 Alfred Kopecky built a grocery store on State Highway 35 opposite the north entrance to FM 1095.
The Travelers Inn Dance Hall and Tavern was already in operation next to the site when the store was built.
In 1936 Kopecky moved the store to a site one mile south down the farm-to-market road.
The store was purchased in 1949 by Edwin Junek.
A blacksmith shop was once operated by Emil L. Balusek.
He saved the life of a friend who had been bitten by a rattlesnake and became a sort of hero to many El Maton residents.
After Balusek died in 1960, the blacksmith shop was operated by “Doc” Lane until 1964.
Late in 1936, six World War I veterans purchased land in the El Maton area with the aid of the Federal Securities Agency (FSA).
The families of Frank Taska, Leo Johnson, Sidney Lister, Martin Nelson, Walter Scott and Richard Brown still owned property in this area in 1985.
The El Maton National Hall was moved to its present site one-half mile south of State Highway 35 on FM 1095 from property which belonged to Louis Popek in 1985.
It was used as a school for many years in both locations and later as a recreation center owned by the Czech organization known variously as the SPJST, the KJT and the KJZT.
In 1985 it was owned by Joe Kalas and still operated as a dance hall.
Historic Matagorda County, Volume I, paged 336-337