Joe A. and Bertha Harper House

Built around 1910, this two-story frame Colonial Revival was used as a boarding house for shipyard employees. The home was also used for shelter for 50 refugees during the 1919 hurricane that devastated the coast. In 1920, county judge Joe A. Harper (1881-1928) and his new wife, Bertha Oertling Harper (1888-1978), purchased the home. Judge Harper, a four-term County Judge, was influential in bringing the first coastal highway to the area which spurred development. After Joe’s untimely death in 1928, Bertha and her siblings lived in the home for almost 45 years while she continued her long career as a teacher for primary grades and at the First Baptist Church.

Joe A. and Bertha Harper House is a historical marker in Rockport, Aransas County, dedicated in 2013. It is one of 49 historical markers documented in Aransas County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 55 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 28.0305, -97.0526 near Rockport. The nearest cataloged historic site is Wood-Jackson House (historical marker), about 0.1 miles away. Others within a short drive include Rockport School, Baldwin-Brundrett House, and Smith-Brundrett House.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507017584. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.