Established in 1910 through the partnership of area landowners G. C. Perkins and W. Y. Fuqua, Clifton-by-the-Sea reflected the return of prosperity to Galveston County after the devastating 1900 storm. Developed as a bayside resort for families, it was one of several mainland communities between Galveston and Houston that grew along the rail line paralleling the western shore of Galveston Bay. The resort included parklands, a hotel, summer homes, and a bathhouse and open-air pavilion built on a pier over the water at this site. By 1913, telephone service had reached Clifton-by-the-Sea, and its main street was a long boulevard known as Grand Avenue. The 1915 hurricane destroyed many of these improvements, but by 1924 the bathhouse and pavilion had been rebuilt and summer residents were returning. After a 1929 fire destroyed the pavilion, it was built again and hosted numerous summer dances with music provided by Houston and Galveston orchestras. A 1943 hurricane destroyed the bathhouse and pavilion for the final time. After World War Two, the area became home to workers in nearby petrochemical plants, and the Bayshore Community Club sponsored various civic projects as the community changed. When a post office was established in 1948, the name Bacliff was adopted, though its origins as Clifton-by-the-Sea remained a strong part of its heritage.