History
Helena Was Once the County Seat — Then the Railroad Bypassed It
The original county seat of Karnes County was Helena, a town that declined after the railroad passed it by in 1886.
When Karnes County was formed in 1854, the county seat was Helena. The town grew into an important stop on the stagecoach route between San Antonio and Goliad. But in 1886, the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway was built — and it bypassed Helena. Towns without rail service usually lost businesses and people quickly.
In 1893, voters chose Karnes City as the new county seat, ending Helena's role in county government. The courthouse moved to Karnes City, which was dedicated in 1894. Helena is now a ghost town, located along the San Antonio River in Karnes County. The story of Helena is a common one in Texas: many towns that missed the railroad simply faded away.
Source to confirm: Handbook of Texas — Karnes County