The Port Aransas Museum offers additional tours of Mustang Island history. We recommend visiting the many wonders of Port A.
Self-guided tours of historic sites and self-guided tours of historic homes tours and structures are also available. Or join in the annual Old Town Parade.
Please do not disturb private residences or trespass on private property. Some private historic structures are only viewable from public streets or sidewalks or open waters. Again, please respect private property and private homes when on home tours viewing from public streets.
Look for the Landmark Tiles next to the historic sites or State Historical Markers.
Click here for more information: Port Aransas Museum
Visit the museum in the c.1900 historic kit house at the following address:
101 E Brundrett at Alister St, Port Aransas, TX 78373
Lydia Ann Lighthouse (1856)
Location: Channel
History: TSHA ; Wikipedia ; LighthouseFriends ; PASJ
PAPHA Video: TV ; 2011(a) ; 2011(b) ; 2015
Video: MA ; HMM
State Historical Marker
National Register Listing
Fish Pass Jetty (1972)
Location: Mustang Island State Park
PAPHA Video: 2015
The Tarpon Inn (1886 | 1925)
Address: 200 E Cotter Ave.
History: Tarpon ; Wikipedia
PAPHA Video: TV ; 2013(Tour) ; 2013(Tour)
Video: TCR ; TCP ; KPRC2 ; TI
State Historical Marker
National Register Listing
University if Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) (1941)
Address: 750 Channel View Drive
History: UTMSI ; TSHA ; Wikipedia
Video: UTMSI
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Building for Jetty Construction (1890)
Location: UTMSICurrent: UTMSI Dormitory
[Demolished Post Hurricane Harvey]
History: PASJ1 ; PASJ2
Video: KRIS6
1900s Kit House | Mercer House | U.S. Coast Guard Station
Address: 400 N Alister St
Original: 200 block S. Oleander St.
Current: Port Aransas Museum
History: PAPHA ; PASJ1 ; PASJ2
PAPHA Video: 2008(1) ; 2008(2)
State Historical Marker (Mercer Family)
State Historical Marker (Mustang Island)
Museum Marker
Mercer Cemetery (1891)
Address: E. Oaks Ave
Original: School Athletic Field
State Historical Marker
Farley Boat Works (Est. 1915)
Address: 716 W Avenue C
History: PAPHA ; PASJ
PAPHA Video: 2013(1) ; 2013(2) ; 2013(3)
2012 ; Building
The Last Farley Boat
Address: 1301 Ninth St.
History: PASJ
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
Chapel on the Dunes (1937)
Address: 203 S 11th St.
PAPHA Video: 2005 ; 2005(Full) ; 2005(E) ; 2009 ; 2010
Video: TCR ; KRIS6 ; CCC ; COTD
Private Residence (Access Via Museum)
Community Presbyterian Church (1941)
Address: 113 S Alister St.
History: CBC
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (1919)
Address: 208 E Oaks Ave
History: PASJ
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
Telephone Exchange
Address: 225 E Avenue C
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
U.S. Coast Guard (1925-1976)
Station Port Aransas
[Demolished ; Replaced]
State Historical Marker
WWII Gun Mounts
Location: E. Cotter Ave. (IB Magee Beach Park)
History: PASJ1 ; PASJ2 ; PASJ3
PAPHA Video: 2010
State Historical Marker
WWII Barracks
Relocated ; Modified
Current Address: 505 Twelfth St.
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
(Formerly) Post Office (1920s)
Address: 112 E White Ave
Current: ROAM Home
(Formerly) Port Aransas Mercantile (1920s)
Address: 100 E White Ave
Current: Desserted Island
Shorty’s Place (1946)
Address: 823 Tarpon St.
History: TSHA ; Shorty’s
Horace Caldwell Pier (1980s)
Address: Port Aransas Beach Rd.
History: PASJ1 ; PASJ2 ; PASJ3
Aransas Harbor Terminal Railroad & “Piggyback” Route to Mitzi Ferry (1926)
Location: Harbor Island (Pilings Remains)
History: PAPHA ; TSHA ; PASJ1 ; PASJ2 ; PASJ3 ; PASJ4 ; TTA1 ; TTA2 ; TTA3
PAPHA Video: 1981 ; 2015(1)(a) ; 2015(1)(b)
State Historical Marker
Don Patricio Causeway (1927)
Location: Submerged Pilings Remains
(Texas Mainland Side)
(Padre Island Side)
History: PAPHA ; PASJ1 ; PASJ2 ; NPS1 ; NPS2 ; NPS3 ; CCC1 ; CCC2 ; TT ; STM ; BE ; JCG ; PIE
PAPHA Video: 2015(1)(a) ; 2015(1)(b) ; 2015(2)(a) ; 2015(2)(b)
BridgeHunter: DPC (1927) ; PIC (1950)
Gibbs Cottages (1938)
Address: 106 W Roberts Ave
History: PASJ
PAPHA Video: 1982
Double Bar Cottages (1930s)
Craftsman Style Cottages Tourist Court
Address: 415 E Avenue G
Sea & Sand Cottages (1930s)
Side-Gabled Frame
Vacation Cottages Style
Address: 221 E Ave E
Rock Cottages (Pre-WWII)
Barney Farley (Boat Builder) Construction
Same source rock as the JettiesAddress: 600 block E Ave G
[Demolished – Razed in 2018 – Hotelier Development]
History: PASJ1 ; PASJ2
Oldest Commercial Structure (1920s)
Cross-Gabled
Address: 106 E Cotter Ave
201 E. Oaks Ave
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
Tudor Revival House (1930s)
Address: 325 E Oaks Ave
History: PASJ
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
Clipped Gable Bungalow (ca. 1925)
Craftsman Style
Address: 217 E Brundrett Ave
History: PASJ
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
Chapel House (1937)
Two 1920s Structures
Combined From the “Flats”
Address: 620 Ave. B
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
619 Ave B (1930s)
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
Milligan-Brown Home (1931)
“Buena Suerte”
Address: 116 Twelfth St.
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
Former Harbor Island Home
Moved Across the Channel
Craftsman; Turned porch posts are Folk Victorian
Address: 428 Lantana Dr.
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
116 S Eleventh St. (1930s)
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
200 S Eleventh St. (1930s)
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
Prairie Style-influenced House
Address: 400 Twelfth St.
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
Prairie Style-influenced House
Address: 500 Lantana Dr.
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
432 E. Palm Dr.
Craftsman-influenced Style
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
412A S. Station (1930s)
Cross-Gable Bungalow
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
511 S. Tenth St.
Hipped Roof Bungalow
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
603 E Avenue C
Reclaimed Wood Cottage
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
Farley (Boat Builders) Constructed Home
Fine Wood Selection
Address: 102 Twelfth St.
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
Address: 221 S Station St.
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
238 Bujan St.
Two Port Aransas cottages combined ; Rear originally from San Jose Island
History: PASJ
No Public Access | Private Residence
No Trespassing
Placeholder
Additional Sites To Be Added
Report
For a comprehensive discussion of historic buildings in Port Aransas, please refer to the “Port Aransas Historic Resources Survey Report”
Inventory List
For a detailed listing of historic buildings in Port Aransas, please refer to the “Port Aransas Historic Resources Survey Inventory”
Map
For a detailed listing of historic buildings in Port Aransas, please refer to the “Port Aransas Historic Resources Survey Map”
Additional Historical Sites or Structures Include:
More Historic Sites across the coastal region are worth exploring or viewing!
Padre Island:
Don Patricio Causeway Pilings Remains (1928)
Padre Island History Expeditions (Dunn Ranch Ruins, WWII Ruins)
Dunn Ranch Remains
Padre Island National Seashore
Aransas County:
Fulton Mansion State Historic Site (1872)
Goose Island State Park (1930s) (CCC Shellcrete) (A)
Copano Bay Shellcrete Settlements Archaeological Sites (1840s) (Map) (V)
Mathis House (1867) (No Public Access / Private Residence)
Hynes-Balthrope House (No Public Access / Private Residence)
Stella Maris Chapel (1858) (Shellcrete)
Baylor-Norvell House (No Public Access / Private Residence)
Baldwin-Brundrett House (No Public Access / Private Residence)
Bracht House (No Public Access / Private Residence)
Fulton (No Public Access / Private Residence)
Fulton-Bruhl House (No Public Access / Private Residence)
Hoopes-Smith House (No Public Access / Private Residence)
Joe A. and Bertha Harper House (No Public Access / Private Residence)
Moore House (No Public Access / Private Residence)
Richard Henry Wood House (No Public Access / Private Residence)
Smith-Brundrett House (No Public Access / Private Residence)
Sorenson-Stair Building
Wood-Jackson House (No Public Access / Private Residence)
Texas Maritime Museum
Aransas County Historical Society
Further National Register of Historic Places listings for Aransas County
Nueces County:
Old Nueces County Courthouse (1914)
USS Lexington (CV-16)
Corpus Christi Museum of Science & History
Nueces County Historical Society
Corpus Christi Landmarks
Further National Register of Historic Places listings for Nueces County
Refugio County:
El Copano, TX (1722/1785/1840)
El Copano Ghost Town Ruins – 1840s shellcrete structures (1) (Thesis 1 & 2) (H) (A 1 & 2) (Maps 1 & 2) (V)
Bayside Historical Society
Victoria County:
St. Dennis Church (1952) (No Public Access / Private Ranch)
San Jose & Matagorda
Ownership “Islands of the Oil Kings” Dallas Morning News (1) (2) (3)
Texas Highways
San Jose Island
San Jose Island (Wikipedia)
Matagorda Island (Wikipedia)
Matagorda Island
Matagorda Island Light (Wikipedia)
Matagorda Island Light (LighthouseHunters)
Matagorda Island Light (LighthouseFriends)
Matagorda Island WMA
Matagorda Lighthouse Restoration Project