Corpus Christi
[Take a virtual tour of Corpus Christi]
Population: 275762
Click
here for Nueces County 2000 Census data
The settlement of Corpus Christi started in 1839. Henry Kinney, a Pennsylvanian,
established a trading post on the west bank of the Nueces. Gradually a small community
grew up around the trading post. Corpus Christi became the Nueces County seat
in 1847, and was incorporated in 1852. Corpus Christi's population was under 4,000
at the turn of the century, but the transportation links, water and rail, have
provided the essential elements for growth. This enabled local industries, such
as farming, ranching, and petroleum, to flourish.
Attractions:
Texas State Aquarium
Step under a sparkling waterfall into the cool environment of Texas State Aquarium, a celebration of Gulf of Mexico aquatic and beach environments.
The aquarium has hands-on exhibits with sharks, stingrays and other aquatic creatures, living shore bird exhibits and a 35-foot window onto the largest of the aquarium's display tanks.
Stroll the grounds for a visit to "Otter Space," a 1,500-square-foot environment for a family of playful Texas river otters, or meet the resident reptiles and birds of prey.
Location: 2710 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Admission: $8.75 for adults; $6.75 for senior citizens, active duty military and youths 12 to 17; and $5 for children 4 to 12. Children younger than 4 are admitted free.
Information: 881-1200.
Lexington Museum on the Bay
Step into Naval history on board the former USS Lexington. Nineteen vintage aircraft, including a World War II SNG Texan and a fully restored F-14 Tomcat, are waiting on the deck of the Blue Ghost, a 33,000-ton aircraft carrier that was commissioned from 1943 to 1991.
Each Fourth of July the museum staff hosts its Stars and Stripes bash, featuring barbecues, orchestras, patriotic music and plenty of Americana.
Location: 2914 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Admission: $9 for adults; $7 for senior citizens and active duty military personnel; and $4 for children 4 to 12. Children 3 and younger are admitted free. Memberships are available.
Information: 888-4873.
Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History
There's a shrimp boat, bird costumes and video phones waiting at the Children's Wharf, one of several interactive exhibits in the museum, which focuses on collecting and preserving natural and cultural history objects with a focus on South Texas.
Standing exhibits include displays on area shipwrecks, natural history displays on gems, minerals, shells, energy and birds, and several exhibits from the Smithsonian Institute's "Seeds of Change" presentation on the impact of the voyages of Christopher Columbus.
Location: 1900 N. Chaparral St. in Bayfront Plaza.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Starting Memorial Day the exhibit will be open until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Admission: $8 for adults; $6.50 for senior citizens and active duty military; $7 for youths 13 to 17; and $4 for children 5 to 12. Younger children are admitted free. Group rates are available. Admission includes the Columbus Fleet tour and access to the xeriscape garden and environmental learning center.
Information: 883-2862.
Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens
Bromeliads and orchids are among the native and exotic plants featured in the living collection of the botanical gardens. Walk the 180-acre grounds where more than 200 species of birds including herons, white pelicans, egrets and spoonbill cranes have been identified along the shaded Bird and Butterfly Trail. Experience the fragrances wafting through the Sensory Garden, where jasmine, spices and ornamental peppers are arrayed.
Classes in care and use of herbs, landscaping for birds, and special gardening programs for children are among the offerings.
Location: 8545 S. Staples St.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Admission: $2 for adults; $1.50 for senior citizens; and $1 for children ages 5 through 12.
Information: 852-2100.
Asian Cultures Museum and Educational Center
Thousands of Japanese Hakata dolls and paintings, porcelain and lacquerware, Korean textiles and costumes, Chinese opera costumes and Indian brass artifacts are among the treasures at the Asian Cultures Museum, one of only five museums of Asian cultures in the United States. More than 8,000 artifacts and documents celebrate the artistic traditions of Japan, China, Korea, India, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Location: 1809 N. Chaparral St.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Admission: Donations accepted.
Information: 882-2641.
Heritage Park
Heritage Park, a collection of 10 restored Corpus Christi homes built in the 1880s, houses a variety of nonprofit groups, including the Camp Fire Girls, Irish Cultural Society, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Czech Heritage Society. The groups host a variety of events and services throughout the year.
Location: 1581 N. Chaparral St., across from Bayfront Plaza.
Hours: Guided tours at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday with additional tours at 12:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Admission: Free except for tours. Tours: $3 for adults; $2 for senior citizens; and $1 for children 12 and younger.
Information: 883-0639.
Greyhound Race Track
Look at that dog go! The excitement of live dog racing is available at Corpus Christi Greyhound Race Track. Live greyhound races are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, with matinees at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday. Simulcast wagering on horses and dogs goes on seven days a week.
Location: 5302 Leopard St.
Hours: Doors open at 11 a.m.
Admission: Grandstand $1; Clubhouse $2.
Information: 289-9333.
South Texas Institute for the Arts
Changing exhibits of fine art reside inside this stark white bulding that is considered one of architect Philip Johnson's major achievements.
Location: 1902 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, open until 9 p.m. Thursday; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Admission: Free, donations accepted.
Information: 980-3500.
Antonio E. Garcia Arts Education Center
The Garcia Arts Education Center is part of the South Texas Institute for the Arts. The center is also home to the Jennifer Falcon dance troupe and Quetzal Theater Group, both of which frequently perform at exhibit openings. Between curated shows, the center displays works from the permanent collection of the South Texas Institute for the Arts. Throughout the year a rotating schedule of pottery classes, painting, acting, dancing and singing lessons are offered.
Location: 2021 Agnes St.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday; and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.
Admission: Free.
Information: 882-7837.
Art Center of Corpus Christi
A sparkling addition to the bayfront at 100 Shoreline, ACCC features changing exhibits monthly, working artists-in-residence, and a gift shop.
The center hosts a live jazz brunch at 11 a.m. the second Sunday of each month at Jezebelles Tea Room, inside the center overlooking Corpus Christi Marina.
Location: 100 S. Shoreline Blvd.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Admission: Free.
Information: 884-6406.
Nueces County
Population: 312,081 (up 7.2 percent from 1990)
County seat: Corpus Christi (population 276,712)
Location: On the gulf, northeast of Kleberg County, southeast of Jim
Wells County and southwest of San Patricio County.
Size: 1,166.4 square miles (835.9 square miles of land)
Climate: Mean July maximum temperature - 93; mean January minimum temperature
- 45; annual precipitation - 30.1 inches.
History: Coahuiltecan and Karankawa tribes had left the area by 1840.
Spanish settlers came to the area in 1760, followed by Irish settlers in 1830.
The county was created from San Patricio County in 1848. It was named for the
Nueces River. Nueces is Spanish for nuts.
Economy: Petroleum processing and production, deepwater port, tourism
and conventions, shipping, manufacturing and military (Naval Air Station Corpus
Christi). The County is first in the state in sales and acreage of grain sorghum
and also produces a lot of cotton, corn, nursery crops, beef, hogs and goats.
Statistics: Crimes per 1,000 residents (1998) - 73.394; Pregnancies
per 1,000 women ages 15-44 (1997) - 97,9; Voter turnout (1998) - 31.76 percent;
Per capita income (1998) - $20,673.
Major tourist attractions:
