History of Port Isabel, Texas
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Brief Chronological History of Port Isabel
Previously known as Point Isabel, Fronton, Fronton de Santa Isabel

bullet1519 Alonso de Piņeda sailed his ships into and spent 40 days in the Laguna Madre. Reported seeing about forty Indian pueblos below what is now Brownsville.
bullet1520 Eight separate attempts were made to populate the Rio de Las Palmas area until 1684
bullet1520 Camargo brought brick, lime and masons for the purpose of establishing a settlement on the north bank of the river
bullet1523 Francisco Garay arrived in harbor St. James Day (July 25th) and named the harbor Brazos de Santiago, a name which it still holds. He also established what would be the first organized government (local) in the U.S.
bullet1524-1527? After Garay's death Hernan Cortes organized three separate attempts to colonize the area of Point Isabel
bullet1528 Sancho de Caņiedo made another failed attempt to colonize this area
bullet1553 Wreck of the great Spanish fleet, which cast about 300 survivors on the shore of South Padre Island. All were killed by native Karankawa Indians, only two survived to tell the story.
bullet1682 Spanish pirate Peņalosa collaborated with French to propose a settlement at the mouth of the Rio Grande. They departed New Orleans but reached no further than Galveston in 1684
bullet1765 Official confirmation of Land Grant of "La Isla de la Laguna" and las tierras de Azataranas on November 24.
bullet1795 Jose Nicolas Balli, inherits "La Isla de Santiago" along with the ranch of "Atazaranas" from his father, will dated August 9. It appears "Atazaranas" was located across the lagoon, either on the mainland or on Brazos Island.
bullet1820 Brazos Santiago was known as a Mexican port of entry as early as 1820 according to Matamoros customs archives.
bullet1823 Fishing Village of El Fronton de Santa Isabel established.
bullet1823 When Matamoros was established, and there was still no steamship traffic, goods were shipped through Brazos de Santiago to Matamoros over land or up the Boca Chica beach and upriver.
bullet1828 On June 6, a survey of Padre Island was completed by Domingo de la Fuente by order of governor of Tamaulipas, Vital Fernandez
bullet1829 Rafael Garcia and Family known to have inhabited the area since 1826, a resident of Matamoros, applies for over seven leagues of land known as the Santa Isabel headland. Applied 1827, surveyed and granted 1828 concession on Mar 2, 1829
bullet1846 General Taylor's forces arrive Point Isabel on March 27, the settlement is already known as El Fronton and is populated by Mexicans.
bullet1846 Fort Polk established and served as base of supplies for Taylor 1846-1848
bullet1846 "The American Flag" an army newspaper reports on July 21, the appointment of postmaster at Point Isabel. Believed to be the first post office south of Corpus Christi
bullet1847 Simon Mussina established the town of Point Isabel, when he purchased 5/6 of 3 leagues of land including El Fronton de Santa Isabel
bullet1848 Ferry opened between Brazos Santiago and Point Isabel on Feb 21
bullet1850 Town is surveyed as municipality, and platted as the "city of Point Isabel" Feb 25. The platted city lay westward from the headland along the shore of Laguna Madre, and included the area where the Yacht Club and Yacht basic are now located.
bullet1851 Simon Mussina gives up contract to town and the lands revert to daughter of original grantee Rafael Garcia.
bullet1852 Old lighthouse built on site of Fort Polk. Land east of Fort Polk was not included in the original town site.
bullet1852 Point Isabel became less important with the advent of the Kenedy and Company line of steamships. Brazos remained a principle port, but all freight bound for Matamoros traveled by steamship instead of oxcart.
bullet1870 Rio Grande railroad built linking Point Isabel and Brownsville
bullet1870-1904 The "Golden Age" when Point Isabel boomed and attracted millions in commerce from all over the world.
bullet1904 Gulf Coast lines completed, spelled doom ahead for the area when it upset much of the traditional shipping trade.
bullet1908 Charles Champion and James Wells became owners of the Point Isabel town site
bullet1908-1927 Point Isabel patronized mainly by recreation seekers. The only industry was seafood.
bullet1927 Town site sold to Capt. C. R.. Tyrell and associates on August 30.
bullet1930 Name officially changed from Point Isabel to Port Isabel on August 1
 

Last Updated: August 30, 2002


This is a work in progress.

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