Port Isabel - (Images of America) by Valerie Bates (Paperback)

About the Book

In the 1830s, a small community known as El Fronton de Santa

Book Synopsis

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.

About the Author

A Port Isabel resident for three decades, Valerie D. Bates has been involved with the Museums of Port Isabel and in preservation of local history. Images in this book are gleaned and culled from both private collections and Museums of Port Isabel Archives.