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PORT
ISABEL, TEXAS
Cameron County,
Texas
Gulf Coast
State Hwy 100 at Laguna Madre
Connected to South
Padre Island
by the two-mile-long Queen Isabella Causeway (Park Road 100)
16 miles NE of Brownsville
Population 4,865(2000) 4,467(1990)
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Port Isabel
Vintage Images
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History
in a Seashell
A timeline of significant events:
The first settlement in the area, Brazos Santiago, was on nearby
Brazos Island. In 1788 water sellers traveled to the area to obtain
water. Jean Laffite is said to have had a fifteen-foot well
five miles NW of Port Isabel.
During the 1830s a small community developed at the site, known as
El Frontón de Santa Isabel. Later that name was changed to
Punta de Santa Isabel, that is, Point Isabel.
1845: A post office was established in the community under the name
Point Isabel in June. The name of the post
1849: name of post office and community changed to Brazos Santiago
1849: Cholera epidemic occurs
1850: Port Isabel is the second largest town in the area
1853: Port Isabel
Lighthouse is constructed
1859: $10 million dollars worth of cotton is shipped through the port
annually
1863: All the ships in the harbor were destroyed or captured during
a Union attack on May 30
1872: The narrow-gauge Rio Grande Valley Railway, connects Port Isabel
to Brownsville
1881: Post Office name changes to Isabel
1904: the town had one school with two teachers and eighty-one students.
1915: the town officially becomes Point Isabel.
1928: town was incorporated as Port Isabel on March 23
1929: Population reaches 750
1930: the post office changed its name to Port Isabel.
In 1933: the ship channel was dredged to a depth of twelve feet and
a width of 125 feet. That year Port Isabel had an estimated population
of 1,177 and forty-five businesses.
In 1934 the first annual Texas International Fishing Tournament was
held in Port Isabel by the International Game and Fish Association.
The first modern use of Port Isabel as a seaport occurred on July
27, 1935.
In 1937 a six-foot channel was dredged from Port Isabel to a point
two miles east of Harlingen.
In 1941 the Port Isabel and Rio Grande sold its track connecting Port
Isabel to Brownsville to the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway.
The channel connecting Port Isabel to Harlingen
was full of silt by 1942 and was no longer in use.
In 1952 the community had a population estimated at 2,372 and seventy
businesses.
By 1956 Port Isabel was served by the Missouri Pacific Railroad.
The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, completed during the 1950s,
increased trade and improved the economic health of Port Isabel, but
it also caused problems. A spoil bank from its construction polluted
the community, and the city's board sought the assistance of the United
States government to solve the dust problem.
1954: A swing bridge was built between Port Isabel and South
Padre Island.
1960s: During the 1960s, 65 percent of the state's shrimp production,
came from the Port Isabella vicinity.
1967: Hurricane Beulah detroys a good portion of the city in September.
1974: The new Queen
Isabella Causeway replaced the original Causeway, which became
the "Old Fishing Pier."
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Padre Island Hotels
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A
scene at Point Isabel
The Robert Runyon Photograph Collection, Image RUN08724, Courtesy
of The Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin |
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Fishing
boats
Photo courtesy Terri Taylor, March 2005 |
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Fishing
boat
Photo courtesy Terri Taylor, March 2005 |
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Sunset
in Port Isabel
Photo courtesy Terri Taylor, March 2005 |
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The
Lighthouse at sunset
Photo courtesy Terri Taylor, March 2005 |
Port Isabel
Texas Forum
Subject:
FOND MEMORIES
MANY YEARS AGO, BEFORE BUELAH, I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE LIVED IN
BOTH PORT ISABEL AND ON SOUTH
PADRE ISLAND, WHEN WE WERE IN PORT ISABEL, WE MANAGED THE YACHT
HOTEL AND THE QUEEN ISABEL INN. WE ALSO HAD A COMMERCIAL SNAPPER
BOAT THAT THE FAMILY TOOK A 5 DAY TRIP OUT TO THE FISHING GROUNDS
AND CAME BACK LOADED WITH FISH, AHH THOSE WERE THE DAYS!
JUST BEFORE THE BUELAH STORM, WE WERE LIVING ON SOUTH PADRE ISLAND
NEXT DOOR TO ILA LOETSCHER AND I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE GREAT RIDLEY SEA TURTLE PROJECT ON THE BEACH WITH HER AND
HER TEAM. I WAS DEEPLY SADDENED TO LEARN OF HER PASSING AND ONLY
HOPE THAT SOMEONE IS CARRYING ON HER WORK.
WE ALSO STARTED AND OPERATED THE PORT ISABEL CAMERON COUNTY AIRPORT,
WHICH IS WHERE WE SPENT THE HURRICANE ALONG WITH ILA AND SEVEN OF
HER BABIES (TURTLES ), 2 DOGS, 3 CATS AND 10 PEOPLE. THAT HAD TO
BE ONE OF THE SCARIEST NIGHTS OF MY LIFE. SHORTLY AFTER THE STORM,
WE MOVED TO BRAZORIA COUNTY IN THE FREEPORT TEXAS AREA AND HAVE
BEEN THERE EVER SINCE.
LOVE THE PICTURES YOU HAVE OF THE TOWN, IT BRINGS BACK FOND MEMORIES,
IS THE WELL THAT ZACHARY TAYLOR BUILT STILL BEHIND THE CHAMPION
BUILDING, WHAT ABOUT THE YACHT AND QUEEN ISABEL INN ARE THEY STILL
THERE, I MAY HAVE SOME PICTURES IN MY FILES THAT I CAN DREDGE UP,
MY SISTER DID SOME PUBLICITY MODELING FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
WAY BACK THEN.
OH BY THE WAY, PRESENTLY I AM WORKING IN KUWAIT WITH A GOVERNMENT
CONTRACTOR, GUESS SOME OF US ARE DESTINED TO PLAY IN THE SAND ALL
OF OUR LIVES. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES - Ronald Sandlin, Kuwait,
June 03, 2006
Subject:
South Padre Island
Our family lived in Weslaco,
TX in the late 40's. One of my fondest memories was our family
arriving at Port Isabel with our beach umbrella, folding chairs,
Coca Cola "ice chest" and a picnic lunch. We, along with others,
waited at the dock for the converted Navy boat to take us to Padre
Island, where we climbed into an Army half-track which drove down
the beach delivering the eager beach lovers. As the truck drove
down the beach, we would look for a place to spend the day. To get
the truck to stop, you rapped on the top of its cab and the driver
knew to stop so you could unload. The trucks went up and down the
beach all day long delivering and picking up people. - Peter
H. Hamel, Houston, TX, September 17, 2005
Anyone wishing to share information or photos of Port Isabel,
Texas, please contact
us.
© John Troesser
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