Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-11-13
BEACH DRIVE
FOR TOURISTS
Affords I00-Mile Ran
Over Smooth Sands
OF Padre Island To
Corpus Christi

Tha longest beach drive iva tho
Nlr1 "A. lxtAHl4nE from corpus CnEiHtl
uAaE -LA smooth Sands 81 PADRE
-zA4r4 r4 Hf--ul Santiago Pass loo
r lil4 n# -1l. rhtArl motoring, cool SEN
brsaEeE ar1 opportunities CON i4sning
and hlrt.rr- ar attraction tour
ats ari ftsn4l VIII lind almost
r.ta ia. lxrAr o1 OF a few miles
near Use -erter 81. the island, the
Grave r1s tal1 ccGrleted. A cause
Aag 3ss r-1r-. ll1s IN length, now
caall-.s tLt .i-.a-c 4nd the mainland
A. tio1l olIf, twelve miles below
~orpus Christi. and q similar ause-
way VII soon be completed across
Laguna Aadre connecting Point
IsaDel and Brazos Island. A ferry
will carry automobiles and passen-
gers across the narrow channel be-
tween Brazos and Padre Islands.
Construction az the Ocean Beach
drive was started two years ago by
Colonel Sam Robertson OF Browns
Vile. The Corpus Christi causeway
was erected at = cost on 100000,
ard "A similar sum iS being expended
0n the southern terminal OK the
drive. Plans have been made for che
paving MI IA few miles OK the drive
near che center on the island where
the shifting sands reach NJ the beach
and make the drive somewhat diff
cult However, practically the entire
ITO miles between Point Isabel and
Corpus Christi ~ in excellent shape,
most az the mileage being en- the
beach where the waves and tide keep
the sand nv firm and compact ns q
concrete highway.
Attracts Sportsmen
The Gulf coast offers many attrae-
tions for fishermen. Trout. reddish,
the silver tarpon, shark. kingfish--
all the various varieties which
abound in Gulf waters-provide sport
for the devotee Of the rod and reel,
and during the hunting season. the
island is a favorite resort for duck
hunters.
Prior TO the opening Of the beach
drive hunters and fishermen could
not enjoy the facilities the island Of
fered as the Laguna Madre can bm
navigated BY boats Of light draft only
and IN the upper reaches the shallow
waters presented great difficulty in
reching the island. For 100 miles Tho
sandy beach or Padre Island, which
now formes the drive. was regarded
Ms practically inaccessible. A few
hunters and fishermen occasionally
made the journey Up the island INV
boat and their bag 0f birds and fish
well repaid them fnr their efforts.
Three miles of road wAs construct
ed from the east end 0f che Corpus
Christi causeway to the Gulf beach
ON Padre Island. From TRAIT Point
south "a distance cf fifty milea tha
beach W. ma smooth nA IA floor. Then
comes the "shall bank" section cH
about ten miles, which win e~ventunl-
~ be paved, and from there 20 Che
south end OF the island the moturinh
has n wide, smooth, firm beach prnc-
tically the entire distance
Telephone lines have been con-
structed the length Of the island.
and several depots for gasoline and
oil have been established. Two beach
hotels have been constructed for the
accommodation Of tourists and fish
ermen, and have become very popular.
The northern part Of the island
comprises the Dunn cattle ranch, and
large herds Of cattle are pnatured on
The Rress4ands, but there are no
habitations between the ranches and
the south end other than those OF
employees or the beach dris 3.
Padre island IA the longest on che
islands that fringe the Texas gulf
coast. IN IN approximately 100 miles
tn length. and averages from one
halt 10 two miles fn width. The cnn-
ter cf the island IN well covered with
vegetation. with wire sand and shell
st~ewn beaches extending down to
Mr. Gulf or ihn rnrt and the LnKmnm
MnA-c cr thn wcHt-