Ropes, Elihu Harrison

Speculator and developer Elihu Harrison Ropes (1845-1898) had been a publisher, realtor, and insurance agent in New Jersey before coming to Texas on a vacation during the late 1880s. A venture along the Gulf Coast resulted in his plan to develop a deepwater port for Corpus Christi in order to promote industrial development and thus stimulate the town's growth and economy. Ropes' dream for Corpus Christi also included building a railroad from the port to the lower Rio Grande Valley and the development of the Port Aransas cliffs along what is now Ocean Drive. Backed by Eastern investors, Ropes began his plan to dredge a 14-mile channel through Mustang Island. His equipment, however, was constantly in need of repair, and when the financial Panic of 1893 hit the country, the project was abandoned. Likewise, his dream for the cliffs resort area was not fully realized, as the grand hotel he constructed, known as the Alta Vista (burned 1927), was never opened to the public. When the Panic of 1893 led Ropes' financial supporters to withhold their money, Ropes left Corpus Christi for New York, where he died in 1898. Although Ropes' goals lay unfulfilled, they did stimulate an interest in Corpus Christi's potential for development. (1985)

Ropes, Elihu Harrison is a historical marker in Nueces County, Texas, dedicated in 1985. It is one of 105 historical markers documented in Nueces County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 147 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 27.7542, -97.3765. The nearest cataloged historic site is Alta Vista Hotel (historical marker), about 0.5 miles away. Others within a short drive include First Baptist Church of Corpus Christi, Alonzo Álvarez de Pineda, and Sisters of the Incarnate Word.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5355006331. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.