Corpus Christi, Texas

Located on the coast of Texas, Corpus Christi is the 8th largest city of the state. The city is also the 6th largest port in all of the US which makes it a very important area from trade point of view. Known for its lovely waters, the city sees a fair amount of traffic all year round and settlers and visitors alike seem to have a preference for Corpus Christi.

Blessed with a humid subtropical climate, Corpus Christi is able to offer a long range of summers while the winters here a very short and comfortable. The many museums and the lovely parks of the city also add to its attraction. However, it is the lovely water activities of the city that make is a favorite with beach lovers.

Enjoy sports or take a trip to the shopping centers. Visit the beaches or experience the wind sports of the city. Take a peek into the lovely architecture of Corpus Christi or simply relax while enjoying a good meal at the various restaurants that the place offers.

Corpus Christi has a lot to offer those who enjoy city life as well as the outdoors. There are intriquing options in entertainment, education, affordable living and many other benefits the city offers its residents. People of any age or any profession will surely find the city exciting and vivacious to their own liking.

Corpus Christi History

Incorporated on the 9th of September 1852, Corpus Christi's port was opened in 1926. It was in 1941 that the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station was commissioned here and the place began its full blown shipping operations. Before this the city was known as Kinney's Rancho or Kinney's Ranch and was used as the Old Indian Trading Grounds where traders smuggled contraband goods to sell in Mexico.

The city was founded by Colonel Henry Lawrence Kinney in 1839 and a Trading Post that sold supplies to the Mexican revolutionary army that would camp about 25 miles away. In 1845 the U.S. troops under the command of General Zachary Taylor set up a camp here while the Mexico war was on and stayed here till March 1846. The American- Mexican war definitely helped to lend Corpus Christi an important place in history. In the 1960 there were only 175 people living in this city.

Next came the Civil War and being a port town Corpus Christi was again targeted. In August, 1862, five Union warships under the command of Lt. J.W. Kittredge sailed to Corpus Christi Bay and blasted the city with bombs. This lead to extensive damage and many prominent buildings and homes were lost in this battle. Most people left the city only to return later to a more permanent settling.

It was in 1865 that Confederate States of America collapsed and possession of the city was returned to the United States of America. In 1876 a formal charter was adopted for the city and in 1926 the port of the city was officially opened. The famous Harbor bridge was inaugurated in 1959 in 2003 the city was selected as an All-America City.

While its location contributed immensely to the city's economic prosperity, it also exposed the area to many natural calamities. Corpus Christi has been affected by many hurricanes and tropical storms. In 1916 the Texas hurricane hit the city. In 1919 it was hit by Florida Keys hurricane. The Hurricane Celia and Hurricane Beulah were also calamities faced by Corpus Christi. Hurricane Bret hit the city in 1999 and in 1978 it was exposed to Tropical Storm Amelia. Despite having suffered so many hurricanes Corpus Christi continued to thrive and stand tall in the face of all the adversities.

About Corpus Christi, Texas

Corpus Christi is the county seat for Nueces County and spills over to into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties as well. The city's name translated means 'body of Christ'. Corpus Christi was christened by the Spanish in honor of the Blessed Sacrament and the city is also known as "Sparkling City by the Sea".

The city occupies an area of 460.2 square miles of which a 66.40% is water. The 2010 census states that the population of the city was 305,215 people and of these, 33.3% were non-Hispanic Whites, while 3.9% were non-Hispanic African Americans. There were 0.3% non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Natives, 1.8% non-Hispanic Asian and only 0.1% non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian. The median income of a household here was $41,672.

Geographically the area is blessed with many lakes and rivers apart from being located on the coast itself. Lake Corpus Christi and the Choke Canyon Reservoir are the two main water bodies in the city and also form the main source of water supply in this area. There is also a pipeline that feeds the city's water needs and comes all the way from Lake Texana.

Being a port city, Corpus Christi enjoys a flourishing shipping industry. The city is an important port and trades in oil and agricultural products. Being the sixth largest U.S. port and also the deepest inshore port on the Gulf of Mexico, the port city was ranked the 47th largest in the world by cargo tonnage in the year 2005. The city also houses the headquarters of Whataburger and companies like CHRISTUS Spohn Health System, H-E-B, Bey Ltd and Stripes Convenience Stores also work from here. The economic state of the city is so good that it enjoys an extremely low unemployment rate of 4.0%.

The Harbor Bridge is a significant construction to be seen in Corpus Christi. The Texas State Aquarium is another huge crowd puller and boasts of several visitors a day. The USS Lexington Floating Museum is a must see in the city since it offers some great specimens. The Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, the South Texas Institute for the Arts, and the Harbor Playhouse Theatre and some other very important attractions to be found in the city.

About Nueces County, Texas

Located in the State of Texas in the US, Nueces County has its county seat as Corpus Christi. Nueces was formed in1846 from portions of San Patricio County. The county is named after the mighty Nueces River that flows through it. It has the San Patricio County on the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the east with the Kleberg County to the south and Jim Wells County to the west.

Nueces County occupies an area of 1,166 square miles of which 28.34% is water. According to the 200 census the population of the county was 313,645 people of which 72.03% were Whites and 4.24% were African Americans and 0.64% was Native Americans, 1.16% were Asians and 0.07% were Pacific Islanders and 18.74% were from other races. The median income of a household here was $35,959.

Apart from the county seat, Nueces also houses other cities of importance. Agua Dulce, Aransas Pass, Banquete, Bishop, Chapman Ranch, Driscoll, Ingleside and La Paloma-Lost Creek are a few important places in the city. Spring Garden-Terra Verde, Rancho Banquete, Rabb, Violet, etc are some other important places of the city. The State Highway 44 also runs through the county which also has US highway 181 and US highway 77 going through it.

The county also has its fair share of historically important places. King Ranch, the Oso Dune Site and Tarpon Inn are some historical places of the city. Britton-Evans House which is also known as Centennial House a historically important location in the city of Corpus Christi. The Richard King House is also a very important place in this county. The Nueces County Courthouse is also an extremely prominent place in the county and is known for its magnificent architecture. The Sherman Building is also a historical place listed in Nueces County.