Matagorda Island Light, on Matagorda Island near Port O'Connor, was established to guide vessels into Matagorda Bay through Pass Cavallo. First authorized by the Republic of Texas in 1845, it became a federal project after annexation, and its first 55-foot cast-iron tower entered service in 1852. Storms, erosion, and the Civil War repeatedly altered or damaged the lighthouse, leading to moves, height increases, and a major rebuilding in 1873 as a new iron conical tower. Automated in 1956, it later went dark in 1995 before restoration and relighting in 2000. A nearby cemetery preserves the memory of the keepers and families who lived there.