Gone but not forgotten- Old Corpus Christi (Aransas Pass, Port Aransas: sales, amusement park)

[Marlow]

The Nolan's that was on the corner of Weber and Gollihar is now the Taqueria Acapulco, but they didn't change the decor at all. Kind of weird.

The only Pick's I remember was on Ayers across from the ButterKrust bakery. They had great hamburgers. And I remember the ButterKrust tours too. Always such a treat to get that warm bread and butter!

[ohmanon]

Originally Posted by wehotex

how long ago did you live in corpus?

I was there in the late 60's to early 70's and attended Cullen Jr. High and King. I think it was around the time when there were still the 2 little draw bridges off SPID (we would sit for what seemed like hours to cross) but before they added the overpass to the island.

I spent a lot of time in Pt. Aransas. Wondering if anybody remembers Custer's (or Custard's) Last Stand and also The Island Food Store. I miss all those old-style places.

[wehotex]

[quote=ohmanon;7906496]I was there in the late 60's to early 70's and attended Cullen Jr. High and King. I think it was around the time when there were still the 2 little draw bridges off SPID (we would sit for what seemed like hours to cross) but before they added the overpass to the island.

I spent a lot of time in Pt. Aransas. Wondering if anybody remembers Custer's (or Custard's) Last Stand and also The Island Food Store. I miss all those old-style places.[/QUOTE

I lived there from 1963 to 1986. I also went to cullen in 1975-76 (7th grade) and haas (1976-78) and then king (1978-81). I remember those old style bascule bridges prior to the opening of the Kennedy Causeway in 1971. It used to take a very long time to get across. one of our favorite places was the Dairy Queen, which had the most unique root beer, one that I haven't had a drop of since.

[ohmanon]

Originally Posted by wehotex

I remember those old style bascule bridges prior to the opening of the Kennedy Causeway in 1971.

Aahh, so that's what they're called. I think I used to refer to the huge one at the entrance into Galveston as a jawbridge when I was about 3.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by ohmanon

Aahh, so that's what they're called. I think I used to refer to the huge one at the entrance into Galveston as a jawbridge when I was about 3.

there was also one on the northside of town by all of the refineries. Prior to the 1950s era Harbor Bridge, the Port of Corpus Christi had a bascule bridge also.

[Kibby]

[quote=wehotex;7907863]

Originally Posted by ohmanon

I was there in the late 60's to early 70's and attended Cullen Jr. High and King. I think it was around the time when there were still the 2 little draw bridges off SPID (we would sit for what seemed like hours to cross) but before they added the overpass to the island.

I spent a lot of time in Pt. Aransas. Wondering if anybody remembers Custer's (or Custard's) Last Stand and also The Island Food Store. I miss all those old-style places.[/QUOTE

I lived there from 1963 to 1986. I also went to cullen in 1975-76 (7th grade) and haas (1976-78) and then king (1978-81). I remember those old style bascule bridges prior to the opening of the Kennedy Causeway in 1971. It used to take a very long time to get across. one of our favorite places was the Dairy Queen, which had the most unique root beer, one that I haven't had a drop of since.

A small correction on the Bridges.

The "Bascule Bridge" (which is always what it was called) was at the entrance to the Port of Corpus Christi. That area was called Hall's Bayou, before the Bascule Bridge was built there was a railroad type bridge - just sets of tracks that a car could drive over. The current Harbor Bridge is the 3rd bridge across this area if you count the little rickety bridge by the railroad tracks.
http://i8.ebayimg.com/02/i/001/1f/d1/a93e_1.JPG (broken link) If you read the history of this bridge at the link above you can see how difficult it was for the ships to enter the tight opening to the harbor.

This is the causeway that was built with the Bascule bridge - I remember driving across this to visit my Grandmother who lived in Taft. My dad remembers the rickety one before this and I've seen old pictures of it. You can still see some of the old pilings for the railroad bridge when you go across the causeway.
]




The bridge to the island (which is what the locals called it), was a "swing bridge-draw bridge combo" on what is the intercoastal waterway or canal. It was formally named the JFK causeway after Kennedy was shot. It was replaced by the Kennedy Bridge - the District Tex DOT engineer in charge of the construction had his wife drive across the bridge first to make sure it was "safe" when it was formally opened.

Not many of the old swing bridges left - this is a picture of one at Freeport. They were commonly used along the intercoastal. Easy and cheap to build and to repair after a storm. Basically a "floating barge bridge".





A section of road would "draw" up when a boat needed to go through.


The floating "bridge" would pivot to the side to allow passage of the boat. This was all very time consuming.


Back in those days - there was a toll charge to get through these bridges across the intercoastal canal. I think it was a $1.00 a car load. The pictures (other than the library pictures in the link) are of a "modern" swing bridge at Freeport. The intercoastal bridge at Corpus was VERY rustic and rusted. Not nearly as large or as fancy as the Freeport Bridge.


K

[ohmanon]

Originally Posted by Kibby

It was replaced by the Kennedy Bridge - the District Tex DOT engineer in charge of the construction had his wife drive across the bridge first to make sure it was "safe" when it was formally opened.K

Yikes!

Thanks for the great information. Isn't there still one of those little bridges going from Aransas Pass to Pt. A.? Maybe I'm confused.

[Kibby]

Originally Posted by ohmanon

Yikes!

Thanks for the great information. Isn't there still one of those little bridges going from Aransas Pass to Pt. A.? Maybe I'm confused.

Transport from Port A to Aransas Pass has always been by ferry. Some things never change.

There are very distinctive devolopement periods in Corpus Christi proper.

Before 1900 and the big storm.
After the storm and before WWII and then after the War and the boom time of the 50's-60's.

My family has been there since the mid-late 1800's and seen a lot of changes.

One of these days, I'll try to post some info about very early Corpus which is best pictured by old postcards from the time period. It's interesting to see the movement of the city center through that time period.

[ohmanon]

Originally Posted by Kibby

Transport from Port A to Aransas Pass has always been by ferry. Some things never change.

There are very distinctive devolopement periods in Corpus Christi proper.

Before 1900 and the big storm.
After the storm and before WWII and then after the War and the boom time of the 50's-60's.

My family has been there since the mid-late 1800's and seen a lot of changes.

One of these days, I'll try to post some info about very early Corpus which is best pictured by old postcards from the time period. It's interesting to see the movement of the city center through that time period.

That's right, now I remember about that ferry.

My mom lived there during WWII and said it was quite an active city at that time.

[padreeyelander]

Does anyone have stories about the Island in the 60s and 70s? I am writing about the history for the Island newspaper.