One of the earliest and most significant businesses operating in Kemah was Platzer’s Boatyard that built and repaired boats. Most every family on the bay used boats for transportation, and many docked at Kemah because the water was deeper than other areas along the bay shore. Additionally, the shell reef extending from the Kemah shoreline was the source for shell used to pave many roads throughout the county.

Source: From Arrows to Astronauts: A Short History of the Communities Surrounding Clear Creek by Delores Kenyon.