Corpus Christi¹

 

(kôr'pəs krĭs'tē) , city (1990 pop. 257,453), seat of Nueces co., S Tex.; inc. 1852. It is a port on Corpus Christi Bay at the entrance to Nueces Bay (at the mouth of the Nueces River). The city is an oil and gas center, with refineries, smelters, chemical works, and food-processing plants, as well as large seafood, fishing, and health-care industries. Sports-fishing facilities, beaches, and a mild climate make Corpus Christi a tourist and convention center, and it is the gateway to Padre Island National Seashore.

Tradition holds that the bay was named by the Spanish explorer Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda, who found it on Corpus Christi Day in 1519, but there is evidence that it was named instead by the first settlers, who arrived from the lower Rio Grande valley in the 1760s. In 1839, Col. H. L. Kinney founded a trading post, and traders and adventurers collected in a raffish colony on land claimed by both Texas and Mexico. The small port and terminus for overland wagon-train traffic boomed during the Mexican War. It was briefly captured by the U.S. navy in the Civil War. Corpus Christi developed industrially after the discovery of oil in the area and the completion (1926) of a deepwater channel past Mustang Island.

The city has many historical sites and is the seat of Texas A&M Univ.–Corpus Christi. A naval air station is on the southern shore of the bay. The city has suffered from occasional hurricanes; it is partially protected from flooding by a sea wall 12,300 ft (3,749 m) long, built between 1939 and 1941.

City of Corpus Christi (matt caffey)
Flag Seal
Nickname: Sparkling City by the Sea
Location in the state of Texas
Coordinates: 27°44′34″N 97°24′7″W / 27.74278, -97.40194
Country	United States
State	Texas
Counties	Nueces, San Patricio, Kleberg
Government
- Mayor	Matt Caffey
Area
- City	sq mi (km²)
- Land	sq mi ( km²)
- Water	sq mi ( km²)
Elevation	ft ( m)
Population (2004)
- City
- Density	/sq mi (/km²)
- Metro
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code(s)	361
FIPS code	48-170002
GNIS feature ID	13333803
Website: [5]

Corpus Christi is a coastal city and the county seat of Nueces County⁶ in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the region known as South Texas. In 2000, its population was 277,454; a 2004 estimate placed the population at 281,196, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the principal city of the three-county Corpus Christi Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger Corpus Christi-Kingsville Combined Statistical Area. The translation from Latin of the city's name is Body of Christ, given to the settlement by the Spanish, in honor of the Blessed Sacrament (Eucharist). The city has been nicknamed The Sparkling City by the Sea, particularly in literature promoting tourism.

The city is home to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, and is served by the Corpus Christi International Airport.

Geography

Corpus Christi is located at 27°44′34″N, 97°24′7″W (27.742857, -97.401927).¹

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 460.2 square miles (1,192.0 km²), of which 154.6 square miles (400.5 km²) of it is land and 305.6 square miles (791.5 km²) of it (66.40%) is water. Drinking water for the city is supplied by two reservoirs, Lake Corpus Christi and the Choke Canyon Reservoir. Through an effective regional partnership with the Nueces River Authority and the Port of Corpus Christi Authority, a 101-mile pipeline was built which transports water from Lake Texana to the city's O.N. Steven's Water Treatment Plant. It was named the Mary Rhodes Pipeline, named after the late Mayor Mary Rhodes. All reservoirs are outside the city limits, but are managed directly by public utility of the City of Corpus Christi.

Climate

Corpus Christi has a subtropical climate, enjoying similar temperatures to those of other Gulf Coast regions, but lower precipitation as it is located in a semiarid region. Average high temperatures in the summer months exceed 90°F (32°C), while average nighttime winter lows in January, the coldest month, are a little less than 50°F (10°C). The city's largest recorded snowstorm was 4.4 inches (11 cm) in December 2004. The city's record high temperature is 109°F (43°C), on September 5, 2000, while its record low is 13°F (-12°C). Corpus Christi is also incredibly windy, and is quite possibly the windiest city in America.

Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rec High °F	91	98	102	102	103	106	104	104	109	98	98	91
Norm High °F	66	69.7	75.8	80.7	85.6	90.2	93.2	93.4	89.9	83.6	74.9	68
Norm Low °F	46.2	49.3	56.2	62.3	69.5	73.5	74.4	74.5	71.6	64	55.4	48.1
Rec Low °F	14	18	24	33	47	58	64	64	50	28	28	13
Precip (in)	1.62	1.84	1.74	2.05	3.48	3.53	2	3.54	5.03	3.94	1.74	1.75
Source: USTravelWeather.com [6]

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 277,454 people, 98,791 households, and 70,437 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,794.2 people per square mile (692.7/km²). There were 107,831 housing units at an average density of 697.3 per square mile (269.2/km²). Estimated population in July 2005: 283,474 (+2.2% change). In 2000, the racial makeup of the city was 71.62% White, 4.67% African American, 0.64% Native American, 1.28% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 18.58% from other races, and 3.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 54.33% of the population.

There were 98,791 households out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the city the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,414, and the median income for a family was $41,672. Males had a median income of $31,863 versus $22,616 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,419. About 14.1% of families and 17.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.9% of those under age 18 and 15.5% of those age 65 or over.

Culture

Various sections of Corpus Christi maintain distinct senses of identity and community from the city proper, especially the Calallen and Flour Bluff areas, and, less prominently, Clarkwood and Annaville. These areas are sometimes mistakenly believed to be separate municipalities.

Tourism

The city is home to a number of popular destinations for both tourists and residents. In the southeast part of the city, near the Pharaoh Valley subdivision, is the Hans and Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge, on the western shore of Oso Bay. The nearby Pharaohs golf course also serves as a haven for coastal and migratory birds. Some of the most visited attractions are on North Beach, where the Texas State Aquarium and the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay are located. The USS Lexington was also part of the set for the 2000 film Pearl Harbor. Nearby is Corpus Christi's museum district. Located there are the Museum of Asian Cultures, Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, the South Texas Institute for the Arts, and the Harbor Playhouse theatre, one of the oldest continually operating community theatres in the State. Heritage Park is also in the museum district, where a number of older restored houses can be found. The downtown area, of which the museum district is a part, is home to skyscrapers, companies, various shops, a very popular center of marinas, and Mirador de la Flor. Downtown also is home of the Texas Surf Museum, which explores the history of surfing and focuses on surf culture along Texas' 367-mile coast. Also in the city is the Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens and Nature Center which hosts gardening programs from time to time.

Directly east of Corpus Christi are Padre Island and Mustang Island, home to various municipal, state, and national parks, most notably Padre Island National Seashore. The city is also near King Ranch, one of the world's largest ranches, upon which the movie Giant was based.

Yearly the city also celebrates the Buccaneer Days Carnival, which is typically held downtown. South Padre Island Drive (locally abbreviated as "S.P.I.D.", with the letters pronounced individually), is the city's main retail corridor, with two shopping malls, Sunrise Mall, Padre Staples Mall, and the soon to come Crosstown Commons, which will be the largest of them all and is expected to have many more major retailers and attendance. Also, a number of other large shopping centers, small strip centers, and restaurants can be found throughout the city.

Economy

The Corpus Christi economy is vibrant and diversified with good growth potential^[1] With the majority of the population employed in the Services, Wholesale and Retail Trade, and Government sectors, Corpus Christi enjoys a low unemployment rate of 4.0% (May 2007)^[2]. The Port of Corpus Christi, which is the sixth largest US port and deepest inshore port on the Gulf of Mexico, handles mostly oil and agricultural products. Much of the local economy is driven by tourism and the oil & petrochemicals industry.

Corpus Christi is home to two installations of the United States military, the Corpus Christi Army Depot and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi. Combined, these installations provide 6,200 civilian jobs to the local economy, making them the single largest employer in the city. Corpus Christi Army Depot, located on NAS Corpus Christi, is the largest helicopter repair facility in the world. ^[3]

Corpus Christi is the headquarters of Whataburger, a fast food restaurant operator and franchisor with 650 stores in ten states and Mexico. Other large employers include the Corpus Christi Independent School District with 5,355 local employees, Spohn Health System at 4,500, and the H.E.B. Grocery Company at 2,200.^[4]

Sports

The city is home to the Corpus Christi Rayz of the Central Hockey League, Corpus Christi Hooks of the Texas League who are the defending champions of the Texas League, and the Double A affiliate of the Houston Astros. The Hooks hosted the 2007 Texas League All Star Game. Current Houston Astro Hunter Pence played for the Hooks in 2006 and is now a top contender for Rookie Of The Year honors in the National League. The city also supports the Corpus Christi Sharks of arenafootball2. The Corpus Christi metropolitan area is also home of the Coastal Bend Aviators of independent minor league baseball's American Association, and the Corpus Christi Hammerheads of the Intense Football League. Current state 4A baseball champions are the Trojans of Foy H. Moody High School.

Education

Colleges and universities

Corpus Christi is home to several institutions of higher learning: Del Mar College [7], Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (formerly known by the following four names: Corpus Christi State University (CCSU), Texas A&I University at Corpus Christi, and University of Corpus Christi, but now a component of the Texas A&M University System), Our Lady of Corpus Christi, a private, Roman Catholic university, a branch of the Coastal Bend College education program, and numerous vocational schools including Southern Careers Institute, Career Centers of Texas- Corpus Christi, and Vogue Cosmetology School.

Del Mar College is a local community college begun in the 1940s at a location behind Wynn Seale Jr. H. S. The main campus began with the administration building which was constructed after World War II on Del Mar. The college grew to encompass a good portion of a residential addition called Southmoreland built from the Bohemian farm lands in the late 1930s. Del Mar now includes a West campus located in area of Corpus Christi that once was Cliff Maus Airport.

Schools

Five school districts provide primary and secondary education for area residents: Corpus Christi Independent School District, Calallen ISD, Flour Bluff ISD, Tuloso-Midway ISD, and West Oso ISD. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi provides the primary and secondary education for Catholic schools.

Recreation

Fishing

With it being next to Corpus Christi Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and Laguna Madre, it has turned into a booming economy for fishing guides, bait merchants, fishing supply retailers, watercraft retailers, and even research of marine biology.

Kayak Fishing

In the past few years kayak fishing has become popular alternative to fishing from motor boats.^{[citation needed]}

Hunting

Because of the abundance of fish, waterfowl hunting has become popular in the region. Duck, geese, coot, and teal are just some of the many birds hunted for on the water. There is also a huge interest in white-winged dove and mourning dove in these areas, but most of the birds are hunted on private leases.

Wind sports

The city has one of the highest average wind speeds of coastal cities in North America ^[5] Combined with the Bay Front area along Ocean Drive, this makes Corpus Christi one of the premiere destinations for wind sports such as kite boarding, wind surfing, and kite flying.

Skateboarding

The Corpus Christi Skatepark is the highly anticipated attraction which opened on February 17, 2007. It is located in Cole Park on the shoreline of the Corpus Christi Bay near downtown. It is free and open to the public from dawn until 10PM. The 12,000 square foot concrete park includes a skating bowl, and a street course with stairs, railings and flat surfaces.

Famous People from Corpus Christi

Farrah Fawcett - Actress
Selena Quintanilla-Perez - Late Tejano Superstar
Eva Longoria - Gabrielle Solis on Desperate Housewives
Bobby Labonte - NASCAR Nextel Cup driver and 2000 champion
Terry Labonte - NASCAR Nextel Cup driver and 1984 + 1996 champion
Lou Diamond Phillips - Actor
Lori Singer - Actress
Marc Singer - Actor
Dabney Coleman - Actor
Terrence McNally - Playwright
Paula DeAnda - Musician
Larry Norman - Musician, songwriter
Brooks Kieschnick - Baseball player
Amy Acuff - Athlete (High jump)
Pepe Serna - Actor
Freddy Fender - Musician
Barbara Barrie - Actress
Johnny Canales - Musician
Burt Hooton - Baseball Player
Allen Ludden - Game Show Host
Todd Oldham - Fashion Designer and Host
Raymond Berry - NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver
Brian Leetch - NHL Defenseman
Roger Creager - Country music singer and songwriter

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Media

Magazines

• cbBeat Magazine
• FYI

Newspapers

• Corpus Christi Caller-Times

Broadcast television

• KIII 3 (ABC)
• KRIS 6 (NBC)
• KZTV 10 (CBS)
• KEDT 16 (PBS)
• KTOV-LP 21 (MNTV)
• KORO 28 (UNI)
• KCRP-CA 41 (TFU)
• K47DF 47 (FOX)
• K54JS 54 (Multimedios)
• K68DJ 68 (TEL)

Radio

Internet Radio

• "Hoss the Boss.com-internet radio live from Corpus Christi,Tx-the internet's new hometown"

AM

• 1230AM [KSIX]
• KKTX-1360, "News Radio 1360"
• KEYS-1440, "KEYS 1440 News*Talk"
• KDAE Radio Libertad-1590, "Liberty Radio"

FM

• KLUX 89.5 FM, "Good Company - Easy Listening"
• KEDT 90.3 FM, "Public Radio"
• KBNJ 91.7 FM "Great Christian Music"
• KMXR-93.9, "Oldies 93.9"
• KZFM-95.5, "Hot z95"
• KLTG-96.5, "The Beach 96.5"
• KFTX-97.5, "Real Country 97.5 KFTX"
• KRYS-99.1, "K-99 The Country Station"
• KSAB-99.9, "Tejano 99.9"
• KNCN-101.3, "C-101 Rocks"
• KKPN-102.3, "Planet 102.3"
• KOUL-103.7, "KOUL"
• JAKE-107.3, "JAKE FM"

See also

• Hans and Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge
• "Corpus Christi Hooks-AA minor league team of the Astros"
• "Corpus Christi Sharks/AFL2 football"
• "Corpus Christi Hammerheads /IFL Arena Football"
• "Coastal Bend Aviators/ minor league baseball"

References

External links

• City of Corpus Christi
• Official Tourism website of the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Corpus Christi Area Parks
• National Weather Service Corpus Christi office
• Corpus Christi Public Library Digital Archive, features local history photographs and materials
• A Corpus Christi Wiki

Coordinates: 27.742857° N 97.401927° W

Corpus Christi
USS Lexington • Texas State Aquarium • Mirador de la Flor • Corpus Christi Bay • Botanical Gardens and Nature Center • Nueces County • Padre Staples Mall • Sunrise Mall • Crosstown Commons • C.C. Hooks • C.C. Hammerheads • C.C. Sharks • C.C. Rayz • Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi • Del Mar College • Corpus Christi Independent School District

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