One of the first things you see as you come into town from the south is the Mathis House. Built in 1868 by John M. Mathis, who was the first mayor of Rockport. Lovingly restored and maintained, it is on the Texas Historical Landmark list.
Rockport is a wonderfully clean and bright little town, obviously upscale, and with a well designed waterfront.
Walking through an adjacent greenbelt, we saw a tribute to the Blue Crab that the area is famous for.
At 24 feet tall and 18 feet across, it would be dinner for a whole lotta people!
The Texas Maritime Museum occupies a prominent location near the waterfront.
One of the major exhibits in the museum tells of the 1684 expedition of the frenchman Robert LaSalle. There is a whole lot more to his name, but I've taken the liberty of shortening it…
The expedition's purpose was to establish a French colony at the mouth of the Mississippi, but when three of the four ships that left France sank or were captured, the mission failed. One ship was captured by Spanish privateers near Haiti, and two ships sank in Matagorda Bay, just north of Rockport. The flagship, the LaBelle, is represented by a large and impressive hand-made model.
Four main themes are exhibited at the Museum: Exploration and Settlement, Boatbuilding and Shipbuilding, Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration, and Commercial and Sportsfishing. Each area contains a wealth of information. We learned about shipbuilding in Texas, The GIWW, or Gulf Intercoastal Waterway, which stretches from the southern tip of Texas all the way to Florida, and how the Texas Navy staved off a Mexican invasion during the Republic Period. A small section is devoted to the search for oil offshore, and describes how the various types of drilling platforms operate. Curiously, the platforms provide a haven for sea life when they are offshore, and after they reach the end of their useful life, are sunk to provide artificial reefs.
From the observation deck of the museum we spotted a "Shrimper" tied up next to Mom's Bait House.
The nets are a clever design that funnels shrimp into a narrow tube while allowing turtles and other fish to escape. I didn't know that the nets (one on each side of the boat, hanging from the outriggers when they are deployed) ride along the sandy bottom of the bay. Once considered to be only bait for larger fish, shrimp are now a staple in seafood restaurants.
Posted on the side of Mom's, above a rusted metal folding chair, are a number of "fish stories".
Goat Island provides a number of improved campsites right on the beach. Every one is booked for the season far in advance, but with electricity and water available, and a dump station nearby, it's no wonder.
Part of the Park is located some distance away from the beach. Named simply the Big Tree, this Coastal Oak is documented to be over 1,000 years old!
Today, we needed to return to downtown Corpus Christi to rescue my bicycle. As you remember, it took a bit of a fall a while ago, and needed some professional help. A new rim, tire, tube and such got it going again, so we dropped by The Pedal to pick it up. On the way back to Aransas Pass, we took a side trip to the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History.
We got lost for awhile in the Geology and Natural History area, looking at everything from
to some of the most beautiful Geodes we've ever seen.
There's nothing common about this Common Sundial,
or this Golden Cowrie.
In a featured exhibit, guns and ammo were on display. From cannon to blunderbuss's, the history of guns was presented from the invention of gunpowder by the Chinese, to the heavy weaponry of pirates and privateers. Two examples caught my attention, an intricately decorated pistol:
And, an item that I would never have thought would have survived for almost 500 years!
The observation platform provides a view of the water feature in the center of the Bay Front park. It's a beautiful area that was constructed after a hurricane wiped out 85% of Corpus Christi in 1919.
Up to that time, the city wasn't protected by a seawall, but the event convinced even the most skeptical of the need for protection.
In the Columbus room of the History pavilion, we learned details of the Spanish conquest of Central America. This is an extremely sad era in the new world, because the Aztecs had developed a highly sophisticated society that was exterminated by the Conquistadores. Decimated by previously unknown diseases and fighting an enemy with superior weaponry, the native population had no chance. The lust for gold drove the invasion, and scores of ships returned to Spain with stolen treasures.
Several examples of jewelry are on display, most of them reproductions for obvious reasons, but this small piece seemed to exemplify the Aztec life.
A little known fact, at least to me, is the fact that horses originated in North America, but disappeared thousands of years ago, only to be reintroduced by Europeans.
The Museum is a great resource for history of the area, and provides kids with "hands on" science and natural history exhibits. It was well worth the $7 ticket.
The burger chain "Whataburger" was begun in 1950 in Corpus Christi, and is now a well known chain across 10 states with over 700 stores. A sponsor for local athletic stadiums and civic area, Whataburger's flagship store and largest (at 6,000) feet, is located on the Corpus Christi Bayfront, just a few blocks from the Science and History Museum. We had to try it!
With a couple of burgers under our belt, we headed back to Nessie to prep for the next part of our summer trip.
Stay tuned!
Oh, Dad would've loved the waterfront! He always enjoyed seeing the docks, boats and smelling the salty sea air. And he'd like the Maritime Museum also.
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