The city was incorporated five years later. Once the haunt of seafaring Conquistadores, the city now boats a population of 230,000 and is the mercantile center for a wide area of South Texas. Other industry centers on agriculture, chemical and petroleum products as well as metal fabrication. In addition, Corpus Christi Naval Air Station is located here. The port of Corpus Christi is the deepest on the Gulf Coast and one of the largest saltwater ports in the nation.
Cultural attractions abound.
The Bayfront Arts and Science Park houses the Art Museum of South Texas, the Harbor Playhouse, the Corpus Christi Museum, and the Bayfront Plaza Convention Center and Auditorium. The city also maintains a symphony orchestra and Japanese Art Museum, the only one of its kind in the world.