South Padre Island History

ISLAND HISTORY

One of the first buildings constructed at Tarpon Beach in 1908, (Today’s Isla Blanca Park) the Casino Hotel (AKA the Gulf Side Hotel) was only open for a short period before disaster struck.

Ahurricane coming ashore during the early summer of 1909 forced visitors to evacuate and seek shelter at the Quarantine Station, which was located in the bay near the southern tip of Padre Island. Many fishing boats were capsized or cast ashore, and one of the ferry-boats was missing. The action of the waves demolished dozens of fishing shanties.

No lives were lost, and all who wished to leave were brought to the boat docks in Port Isabel.

Another storm swept ashore on August 26th, and again a large group of tourists sought shelter in the quarantine station. At Tarpon Beach, every building except the lighthouse and the quarantine station was either heavily damaged or destroyed. Most of the destruction was caused by the high waves and a general inundation of the Island. The wind itself, which barely reached tropical storm status, caused little damage. Repairs took several months, but by 1910, Tarpon Beach and the Casino Hotel were once again open to the public.

Over the next 15 years, several violent Gulf storms damaged or destroyed much of Tarpon Beach, including the Casino Hotel. During this period, the only Island hotel consistently open was the Tarpon Beach Hotel, located bayside and built-in 1908 by Jesus Vega of Brownsville.

In 1926, James A. Dickinson rebuilt the Casino, complete with a water toboggan slide and two fast speedboats to transport passengers to and from the Island. A bus met every boat upon its arrival to take all passengers to the hotel. There was even a lifeguard stationed on the beach when people were in the water.

Business was brisk over the next few years, and though the great depression cast a pall on most of the country, the Casino continued its operation.

But we who live on the Island know we are always just one hurricane away from utter destruction as illustrated by the following article published in the July 6th, 1933 edition of the Brownsville Herald: “PORT ISABEL, 3:45 p.m., the afternoon wind at Port Isabel was increasing slightly and has changed a little toward the east. Otherwise, the situation remained unchanged from this morning. Three people from the Padre Island Casino were all at the coastguard station on Padre Island when their telephone line went out.

Several more hurricanes struck the Island during the summer-fall of 1933, doing much damage to Tarpon Beach structures. Though heavily damaged, the Casino was repaired and back in business in time to host a gathering of the Port Isabel Rotary Club. In addition to a meal, the group of 25 Rotarians enjoyed watching a coastguard drill put on by the members of the station on Padre Island.”

In March of 1942, a pair of Memphis tourists visiting Brazos Island decided they’d like to have lunch at the Casino Hotel. Donning swimsuits, the pair entered the water and swam the Brownsville ship channel.

After a meal, the two repeated their epic swim arriving at Brazos half an hour later.

In a January 14th, 1945 article, Frank Dobie wrote: “A Gulf storm took the top story off the Padre Island Hotel. Winds have swept the sand out from under it. No deserted bunk-house ever looked more dilapidated; yet it has more ancient signs about “cover charges,” “cashier,” “family meals with all the trimmings,” “European plan,” “American plan,” “laundry,” etc. than the Waldorf Astoria. You can sit in one of the two old rope bottomed chairs on the wide front gallery and look over the Gulf, listen to the surf break, watch for a fishing sail and feel your consciousness absorbed into the eternity of the universe.

The noiseless tooth of time continued her meal, and the old Casino faded into obscurity. Sometime in the early 1950s, it was demolished, and today there is no visible evidence of its existence on Padre Island.

For additional Museum, information contact Dennis Franke at 956-572-0608

AID THE SILENT & DISABILITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RGV HEARING POP UP CLINIC COMING SOON TO THE RGV THIS NOVEMBER 2020!

HELP US ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSION, “UNTIL EVERY CHILD IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY HEARS!” Disability Chamber of Commerce Rio Grande Valley and Aid the Silent have united forces and partnered for a one of a kind opportunity in the RGV! We need partners like you to give the gift of hearing aids to underserviced children in the Rio Grande Valley who are deaf and hard-of-hearing (HOH).

Aid The Silent is a non-profit organization, founded by Emma Faye Rudkin who is deaf. Aid the Silent is focusing on the Rio Grande Valley for their next hearing aid pop up clinic. It has come to their attention that youth in rural or inner-city areas have a difficult time getting to an ENT for clearance for hearing aids, getting to a pediatrician for a referral to go to an ENT and finally getting to an audiologist to be fitted for hearing aids. Aid the Silent is setting up a pop-up clinic in The Valley. They will have a medical and audiologist team to service our youth. It will be

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This is a two part clinic: • First will be to identify the youth and get them to the pop up clinic, see doctors and get earmolds made. • Second: the student will then be fitted with hearing aids and earmolds. Here is what the ideal candidate looks like: • Child or teen that has already been identified with hearing loss • Child or teen with parents that have had difficulty navigating the system to receive medical clearance from ENTs and Audiologists • Child or teen who’s family cannot afford hearing aids • Child or teen with no insurance or limited Medicaid coverage or insurance that does not cover hearing aids or corresponding appointments Limited Numbers Will Be Seen To Apply for Services - email development@aidthesilent .com to start the application process.

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According to the Hearing Loss Association, “hearing loss has been shown to negatively impact nearly every dimension of the human experience: including physical health, emotional and mental health, perceptions of mental acuity, socials skills, family relationships and self-esteem, not to mention work and school.” Hearing loss without proper care and resources can harm every aspect of a deaf child’s life. The harm carries over into adulthood as we see in the overlooked older deaf community as they struggle with severe unemployment rates and they are dependent upon government involvement for the rest of their lives.