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Texas County
Matagorda County, Texas
Matagorda Bay's birding paradise and the South Texas Project nuclear plant - from Matagorda Bay's extraordinary birding (the Matagorda Bay area is one of the finest birding destinations on the Texas Gulf Coast - the bay's shallow water, marshes, and coastal prairie attract whooping cranes, reddish egrets, and hundreds of migratory species, making the Mad Island Marsh Preserve one of the most significant shorebird concentrations in the United States) to the South Texas Project Nuclear Generating Station (the nuclear plant near Bay City is one of the largest nuclear generating stations in the United States, providing significant employment to Matagorda County and baseload electricity to the Texas grid).
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Office: Matagorda County Office of Emergency Management – 1801 7th Street, Bay City, TX 77414 | (979) 323-0707 | (979) 789-5134 | [email protected]
Emergency Operations Center (EOC): (979) 244-5318 – for information during a large-scale, county-wide emergency (e.g. hurricane); for any other emergency, call 911.
Notes: Matagorda County is a real Gulf Coast hurricane-exposed county, and its Emergency Preparedness planning also specifically addresses potential incidents at the South Texas Project nuclear plant located in the county (see Section 12) – residents should review the county’s nuclear/natural-disaster emergency preparedness guidance at matagordatx.gov. For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: SH-35 and SH-60 cross at Bay City, the county seat
Transit: No dedicated county-wide public transit system was found in this search – confirm directly with the county or your city
Notes: Matagorda County was founded in 1836 (one of the original Texas counties around independence) and named for the canebrakes (“matagorda” is Spanish for “thick bush”) that once grew along the coast. Bay City became county seat by a September 18, 1894 vote after developers Magill and Vogelsang promised a new courthouse if the seat moved there – a real, documented town-promotion campaign.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
No dedicated county building/permitting department was confirmed in this search – for property within Bay City, Palacios, or other municipalities, contact the relevant city hall directly; for unincorporated Matagorda County, contact the County Judge’s office to confirm current requirements.
Notes: The Matagorda County Monument (1937), a Texas Centennial-era monument in Bay City by architects Page & Southerland and sculptor Raoul Josset, is a National Register of Historic Places listing (2018).
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Matagorda County Veteran’s Services Office – Officer David D. Libby | 1801 7th Street, Bay City, TX 77414 | (979) 789-5125 | Fax: (979) 789-5128 | [email protected] | Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Bay City Public Library – serves residents of Matagorda County broadly; confirm current hours and address via baycitytx.gov.
Branch: Matagorda Branch Library – a Bay City Public Library affiliate branch.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Matagorda County is genuinely home to the South Texas Project Electric Generating Station (STP), a major twin-reactor nuclear power plant southwest of Bay City, occupying a 12,200-acre site on the Colorado River. Construction began in 1975; the two units came online in 1988 and 1989, and the plant – jointly owned by Constellation Energy, the City of San Antonio, and the City of Austin – supplies power to Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Corpus Christi, with an annual output around 21,920 GWh (2022). The county’s tourism draws also include real Gulf Coast fishing and water sports, birding, and an annual October rice festival, reflecting the region’s genuine rice, cattle, and cotton agricultural base.
Notes: Given the presence of a major nuclear facility in the county, this is treated factually and matter-of-factly as a real piece of local infrastructure – residents with specific safety questions should consult the county’s official emergency preparedness materials directly.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Matagorda County Appraisal District – 2309 Avenue F, Bay City, TX 77414 | (979) 245-5307
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: City of Bay City Animal Control Division (within the Bay City Police Department) – 2201 Avenue H, Bay City, TX 77414 | (979) 245-5758; two Animal Control Officers respond to all animal calls, working closely with the Bay City-Matagorda County Impound and Matagorda County Environmental Services, and partner with the local SPCA on cruelty investigations.
Notes: The division’s genuine coordination with county Environmental Services suggests reasonably solid county-wide coverage – confirm current arrangements for addresses outside Bay City city limits.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Matagorda County Environmental Health – handles food service permitting, septic systems, animal control coordination, and floodplain management; confirm current contact via matagordatx.gov.
NOTES: Matagorda County is the sixth county in this batch (Lynn, Madison, Marion, Martin, Mason, Matagorda, Maverick). The county’s real hurricane exposure and the South Texas Project nuclear plant are both significant, checkable pieces of local infrastructure directly relevant to emergency preparedness. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Matagorda County
Matagorda County is Texas’s Gulf Coast birding and nuclear energy county – Mad Island Marsh’s world-class shorebird concentrations and the South Texas Project’s massive generating station define a coastal community of both ecological and industrial significance.
Bay City (the county seat, population ~17,000) serves as the regional hub for the Texas Gulf Coast between Houston and Corpus Christi. The South Texas Project nuclear plant is one of the county’s largest employers.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Matagorda County Appraisal District at 2013 Avenue F, Bay City, TX 77414, phone 979-244-7691. TX property assessed at 100% market value.
Courts & Legal
Matagorda County District Clerk at 1700 7th Street, Bay City, TX 77414, phone 979-244-7621, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
1700 7th St, Bay City, TX 77414
(979) 244-7680
DISTRICT CLERK
1700 7th St, Bay City, TX 77414
(979) 244-7660
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Matagorda County Clerk’s Office, Bay City (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). Records available from 1955 to present.
Local societies
No dedicated Matagorda County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
County Clerk, Matagorda County 1700 7th Street, Room 202, Bay City, TX 77414 (979) 244-7680 Matagorda County is on the Texas Gulf Coast, seated in Bay City.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Texas probate law is governed by the Texas Estates Code. Probate jurisdiction in Texas is split between statutory probate courts (in larger metro counties) and county courts (in smaller counties like Matagorda, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Matagorda County, the County Court handles probate matters.
Small Estate Affidavit (Tex. Est. Code § 205.001) – available ONLY when the decedent died WITHOUT a will (intestate), the estate (excluding homestead and exempt property) does not exceed $75,000, and assets exceed debts. At least 30 days must have passed since death. The affidavit must list every asset and debt, establish the family history showing who the heirs are, and be sworn to by the heirs and two disinterested witnesses; a judge then reviews and approves it under § 205.003.
Independent Administration – used when a will exists (or all heirs agree) and the estate has debts; minimal court supervision after the executor is appointed. This is the most common and efficient path in Texas when available.
Muniment of Title – available when a valid will exists, there are no unsecured debts (other than a mortgage), and there’s no other need for a full administration; transfers title without appointing an executor.
Dependent Administration – required for complex, contested, or disputed estates; involves ongoing court supervision and approval of most actions.
Step 2: filing for administration
The personal representative (or an interested party) files an Application for Probate of Will and Issuance of Letters Testamentary (or Letters of Administration, if intestate) with the Matagorda County Clerk.
The original will (if one exists), a certified death certificate, and information about heirs and the proposed executor are included with the application.
The court holds a hearing and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative publishes notice to creditors and gathers, inventories, and appraises the estate’s assets.
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses.
Remaining assets are distributed to beneficiaries or heirs, and the estate is closed.
What it costs
Filing fees in Texas typically run $250–$400 depending on the county; confirm current Matagorda County fees directly.
Texas law allows a statutory executor fee of 5% of all sums actually received and paid out in cash, with specific exceptions. The court may also approve reasonable attorney fees paid from the estate.
Small estate affidavits typically cost $600–$1,900 total when factoring in filing and related fees.
Texas does NOT impose a state estate tax or a state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
2109 7th St, Bay City, TX 77414
(979) 244-7600
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
1700 7th St, Bay City, TX 77414
(979) 244-7680
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
1700 7th St, Bay City, TX 77414
(979) 244-7690
HHSC Office
201 South Ave F, Bay City, TX 77414
(979) 245-8281
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
DSHS Site: 1700 Merlin Street, Bay City, TX 77414 | (979) 241-3120; provides oral health referrals, immunization/STI services, public health preparedness, and tobacco prevention services for the county.
Environmental Health: Matagorda County Environmental Health handles food service, septic, animal control, and floodplain management coordination – confirm current contact via matagordatx.gov.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Bay City
Population: 36,000
Established: 1836
Tier: 3
Public Records
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