1872 – West Shoal and East Shoal, entrance to Matagorda Bay, Texas.—The screw-pile light-houses-were prepared, and a party organized at Baltimore, in the fifth district, for their erection. They were built simultaneously, and finished in the month of March last. Both lights are on screw-piles. The West Shoal light-house being nearest the Gulf, exhibits a white light, and the East Shoal, about one-half mile distant, shows a red light.

1876 – East and West Shoals, Matagorda Bay, Texas.—On the 17th of September, 1875, the two screw-pile light-houses which marked the channel between these shoals were completely destroyed by a hurricane, and four keepers drowned. It is not proposed to re-establish the lights in the same positions, as two small range-lights, placed on Decros Point, will effectually meet all the requirements of navigation.

1877 – East and West Shoal, Matagorda Bay, Texas.—The two lights, East and West Shoal, that mark the entrance to Matagorda Bay were completely destroyed on September 17, 1875, by hurricane. They have not been re-established, as it is found that range-lights will better serve the purposes of navigation. It is, therefore, suggested that for the re-establishment of lights on the coast of Texas, destroyed by hurricanes, such portions as are now available of the appropriation of $20,000, made July 31, 1876, for rebuilding lights on this coast, be made applicable to building lights to guide into Matagorda Bay.

1880 – East and West Shoals, Matagorda Bay, Texas.—There is an appropriation of $20,000 available for building range-lights to guide into Matagorda Bay.

Keepers

• Head: Charles T. Crossman (1872 – 1875), John S. Hicks (1875).
• Assistant: James McKean (1872 – 1873), Benjamin C. Porter (1873), Edward Finck, Jr. (1873), Ada Crossman (1873 – 1875), John McCoppin (1875), Jacob Hall (1875).

No light exists on West Shoal today.

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