Bee County, located in deep South Texas, was created In 1858 by the Texas Legislature by taking parts of what are now the five contiguous counties — Live Oak, Karnes, Goliad, Refugio and San Patricio — for its 800-square mile area.

This area’s earliest known inhabitants were the Karankawa Indians, who left their gulf fishing to come inland during the winter in search of buffalo. Later the Lipan-Apaches hunted on these lands, and near the end of the 18th century, Comanche warriors made lightning raids in this county for more than 50 years.

Texas joined the United States in 1845, and in 1858, Bee County was created by the Texas Legislature and named in honor of Col. Barnard E. Bee, who served as President Sam Houston’s secretary of war and as President Mirabeau B. Lamar’s secretary of state during the days of the Texas Republic. The first county officials were elected on Jan. 25, 1858, and the Commissioners Court met for the first time on Feb. 10. The selection of the county seat was a hot issue, and was evidently settled in an April election when a 150-acre site on Medio Creek, about seven miles east of present-day Beeville, won out over two other offers of land. However, the Medio Creek location proved unsatisfactory and in another election held in February 1859, the residents voted to find a more central location. The county court then accepted the offer of 150 acres from the Carrolls and her son, Patrick Burke Jr., and Beeville-on-the-PoeSta became the new county seat.

Under restoration at the time these pictures were taken.