Port Isabel

Images of America: Texas

by Valerie D. Bates

In the 1830s, a small community known as El Fronton de Santa Isabel set roots on the banks of the Laguna Madre Bay. Official claim for the land was granted to Don Rafael Garcia as part of the Potrero (“Pasture”) de Santa Isabel in 1828. Less than two decades later, Point Isabel was home to Zachary Taylor’s Fort Polk and found itself a home base during the Mexican-American War. In 1853, construction was completed on the Point Isabel lighthouse, a navigational beacon with a 16-mile view. Port Isabel was incorporated in 1928, and a deep-water port shipped its first commercial load in 1937. By the 1950s, Port Isabel was the “Shrimping Capital of the World,” and the first Queen Isabella Causeway connected South Padre Island to the mainland. Port Isabel continues to deepen its roots on the banks of the Laguna Madre Bay. Heritage and cultural tourism, a relaxed quality of life, and an appreciation for all things coastal are synonymous with Port Isabel.

128 pages, Paperback

First published February 4, 2013

Reviews

[SusanwithaGoodBook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up after our trip to Port Isabel because I really wanted to learn a bit more about the history of the lighthouse and the place in general. This book does give you lighthouse history, but not a great deal about shipwrecks or lighthouse keepers. One keeper is mentioned, but there is nothing about shipwrecks so perhaps there weren’t any? Maybe that’s why the lighthouse wasn’t used very long? Honestly, this book needed a little more information on that subject.

I did really enjoy the old photos of the town and the details about the building of the causeways and bridges, so overall this is a good way to learn more about Port Isabel in general.