The History of Padre Island
Padre Island is one of the busiest "Spring Break" destinations in the country. The history of the island, however, reveals it to be more than a haven of sun and sand.
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Geography
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Padre Island is a barrier island off the south coast of Texas. It extends 130 miles from Corpus Christi south to Port Isabel. Padre Island has the longest sand beach in the United States.
History
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Indians were the first settlers on Padre Island. Spain claimed ownership in the 16th century, and the island subsequently was owned by Mexico, the Republic of Texas and the United States. The island was primarily used for ranching until the 1970s. Today it is a popular tourist destination with about 1 million visitors each year.
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Size
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Padre Island is the second largest island by area in the contiguous United States, after Long Island, but it is no more than three miles wide.
Features
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Throughout its history, the island has been known as "la Isla Blanca" (White Island) and "Isla de los Malaguitas" (a band of the Karankawa Indians).
Fun Fact
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During World War II, German U-boats secretly patrolled off the Gulf Coast. In 1942, the U.S. military declared Padre Island off-limits to civilians and used the northern section as a bombing range.
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References
- Photo Credit National Park Service
