The histories, mysteries, and beautiful wonders surrounding La Porte, Texas have been written about for decades. While it is not possible to mention every writer or author of La Porte lore, the following are a few whose works contribute to keeping and preserving La Porte, Texas history.
La Porte’s First Historian – Mary Gertrude Ackerly
Gertrude and her family arrived in La Porte, Texas, in 1914. Her husband, Ves, had a barber shop on Main Street, and Gertrude, over the years, wore the hats of wife, mother, dressmaker, business owner, friend, first PTA president, newspaper reporter, school cafeteria worker, and lastly, historian.
In 1947, she began documenting the early years of La Porte while there were still early pioneers around to tell the story first-hand. She ended the last years of her life diligently chronicling the early history of the city she loved — La Porte, Texas.
Historian – Gordon Black
Grandson of Gertrude Ackerly, Gordon Black was born in La Porte, Texas, in 1930. He was the son of Arbella Ackerly Black, Gertrude’s youngest daughter. A 1948 graduate of La Porte High School, an Eagle Scout, and a Lions Club member, he spent a lot of time with his grandmother while growing up.
He married Cherie Bolen in 1951 and raised his family in LaPorte. Always a supporter of the community, Gordon was a charter member of the LaPorte-Bay Area Heritage Society and a key player in securing the depot buildings for restoration and establishing the La Porte Depot Museum.
He was appointed by Judge John Lindsay to the Harris County Historical Commission in the 1980s and worked diligently in the certification and placement of markers at historical sites around town and the surrounding area.
In 1991, he was honored as the official historian of La Porte, Texas. Gordon’s newspaper column “The Way It Was,” Featuring stories of La Porte history based on his grandmother’s writings, ran in the La Porte Bayshore Sun during the 1980s until his death in 1991.
Historian – Erna Beth Foxworth
Born in La Porte, Texas, Erna grew up swimming, sailing, and dancing to the music of the big bands that played at Sylvan Beach pavilion during the 1920s. She was known as the first female deejay in Beaumont, Texas during the 1930s, worked as a newspaper and magazine columnist for a number of years, and was the mother of actor, Robert Foxworth. Her book The Romance of Old Sylvan Beach – A Hundred Years of Amusement and Nostalgia, was published by Water Way Press, Capital Printing Co., Austin, Texas, in 1986, which coincided with the re-opening of the Sylvan Beach Pavilion.
Historians – Ann Uloth Malone and Dan Becker
Co-authors of two pictorial history books of La Porte, Texas:
Around La Porte, published in 2011, followed by Old Sylvan Beach and the Pavilions, published in 2014. Both books are part of the Images of America series by Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, S.C.
Historian – Georgia Malone
Daughter of La Porte historian, Ann Uloth Malone, and long-time La Porte Mayor Norman L. Malone, she is a 1972 La Porte High School graduate, former La Porte City Councilmember (2007-2009), former board member of La Porte-Bay Area Heritage Society (2011-2018), past docent of La Porte Depot Museum (2017-2020), graduate of TCU’s School of Engineering Science with B.S. in Psychology, and has over 15 years experience as a criminal defense paralegal and investigator. Born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in the heart of the Texas Medical Center to parents who were second-generation Houstonians from Denver Harbor Addition (aka Podunk), 5th Ward, Houston Texas, and growing up in Lomax, her life is steeped in local history. Following in her mother’s footsteps, as a second-generation La Porte historian and family genealogist, she utilizes her investigative skills, along with innate intuition, to find the clues to put together the stories of the past.
“I don’t profess to be an expert in all things La Porte. There’s always going to be that one person who knows a little more. But what I can say is, if I write about it, I guarantee you I’ve researched the heck out of it first. If someone has something to add, then it’ll make for a better story.”
Georgia Malone, Historian
