Matagorda, Texas<\/h3>
Matagorda (\/\u02c8m\u00e6t\u0259\u02c8\u0261\u0254\u02d0rd\u0259\/ \u24d8[2]) is a census-designated place in Matagorda County, Texas, United States. It is located near the mouth of the Colorado River on the upper Texas coast in the United States. In 2020, its population was 313.[3] Matagorda is primarily a tourist town, with commercial and recreational fishing being the top industries. Approximately 23 miles (37\u00a0km) of the beach are accessible by vehicle and 35 additional miles are accessible only by boat. Matagorda is at the end of State Highway 60 and the beginning of Farm to Market Road 2031, which runs over the Intracoastal Waterway and south to the Gulf of Mexico.\n<\/p>
Matagorda is the third-oldest Anglo-American town in Texas.[4] It was established in 1827 when Stephen F. Austin obtained permission from the Mexican government to build a town to protect incoming settlers.[5]Elias R. Wightman, one of Stephen F. Austin's early surveyors, traveled to Matagorda in 1829 with 60 immigrant settlers.\n<\/p>
24 historical markers are in the township of Matagorda.[6] Matagorda was named by early Spanish settlers after the dense foliage which grew near the coast. The name means \"fat thicket\" in Spanish [7]<\/p><\/div>\n