Additional Island History Tours

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

Commercial & Other Sites

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

The Jetties (1895-1919)
Location: Port Aransas Beach & Channel
History: TSHA ; PASJ
PAPHA Video: 2014(N1) ; 2014(N2)
2013(M1) ; 2013(M2) ; 2011(P)

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: UTMSI
Current: 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

Aransas Pass C.S.A. (Fort Semmes)
Battle for Mustang Island
History: TSHA ; Wikipedia ; THC ; PASJ ; CCC ; NAF
PAPHA Video: 2012(a) ; 2012(b)
State Historical Marker

(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

Polly Anna (Shrimp Boat) (1980s)
Location: Port Aransas Municipal Harbor
History: PASJ1 ; PASJ2
PAPHA Video: Below ; Launch(1) ; Launch(2)
C ; Install

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)

Mitzi Ferry Landing
Location: TBD (Harbor Island)
History: PASJ1 ; PASJ2

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 Jetties
Address: 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

Selection of Old Town Residences
Self-Guided Home Tour

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

Henry Studeman (Boat Builder) Constructed Home
Dovetail Rafters

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

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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:

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