Beyond the Beach

The historical significance of South Padre Island at Isla Blanca Park

By Dr. Kimberly Selber

Imagine strolling the beautiful South Padre Island beach early one morning and coming upon a projectile point buried in the sand. Where did it come from? How old could it be? Who made it, and how did it get here?

These questions, and the history of South Padre Island itself, will be the foundation for the new Historical Museum of South Padre Island (HMSPI). “The Island has a rich history, and preserving that history is important,” said Dennis Franke, museum president and founder. Projectile points, like the one now in Franke’s office, were not made on the island. “The point would have been carried to what is now South Padre Island more than eight thousand years ago,” when the shoreline was more than 50 miles east of its current location, Franke speculates. In conjunction with HMSPI, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley CHAPS program will share their geographic and anthropological research of the Island, which goes back 20,000 years.

In addition, the museum is seeking public assistance in sharing its island photos and artifacts going back to the early 1900s. “People may have old family vacation photos and not realize how valuable they are to the museum,” said Franke. “It’s what is in the background, what the island looked like, that we are also interested in.”

A permanent home for the museum is scheduled to break ground soon. To donate or loan your South Padre Island artifacts or photos to the museum’s collection, please contact:

Dennise Franke at (956) 572-0608