Seadrift Carries Storm Drift in Its Name
Seadrift's name sounds like a postcard until you know the coast behind it. The town's historical marker says the name came from debris that heavy Gulf storms blew onto the shore. Even the place name remembers what wind and water can carry.
The railroad reached the harbor town in 1910. A. D. Powers promoted farm tracts and a seaside town in 1911, and Seadrift incorporated in 1912. During the 1910s, the growing town had a canning factory, an ice factory, hotels, stores, banks, and daily train service. The 1919 hurricane ended that passenger service.
Seadrift keeps the San Antonio Bay side of Calhoun County visible. Its story is not only a storm story or a railroad story. It is a town that used bay access, fishing, shipping, tourism, and a memorable name to make its own place on the coast.