OTHER TIDBITS: After the USA took control of the Nueces Strip during the Mexican-American War, shipping through Port Isabel increased dramatically! For that reason, there needed to be a light to guide in all of these ships! Construction on this 50-foot brick lighthouse began in 1851 and concluded two years later. The light on top could be seen for 16 miles!

Both Union and Confederate troops used this lighthouse as an observation tower during the Civil War, which kept the light turned off, but after the war, it got important repairs and once again lit up the night! Ownership disputes in 1888 and 1894 turned off the light once again, and though it kept turning back on after each dispute resolved, by 1905 there wasn’t enough shipping traffic anymore to keep it operating. It’s been a state historical site since 1950!

• Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
• Volunteer with Texas Parks and Wildlife!
• Become a member of the United States Lighthouse Society!
• Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!

Annotations:
Yup! That’s correct!

From Austin: ~347mi (559km) — 5.8hrs
From Dallas: ~543mi (874km) — 9.1hrs
From El Paso: ~821mi (1322km) — 13.7hrs
From Houston: ~372mi (599km) — 6.2hrs