Mustang Island

Port Aransas is located on Mustang Island, one of seven Texas barrier islands. It is named for the wild horses that came here from shipwrecks and Spanish expeditions, and which once populated the island. The earliest humans here were members of nomadic groups collectively known as the Karankawas; they stayed on or about the islands in winter and fall, before moving inland during spring and summer. Robert Ainsworth Mercer (1799-1875) was Mustang Island's first settler; he came here in 1855 with his wife Agnes and children Mary Agnes, John and Edward. The Mercers built a house and a complex they named El Mar Rancho (Sea Ranch). Other settlers soon joined them, forming a small community; however, the new settlement was abandoned during the Civil War, when the USS Arthur took station off Mustang Island to blockade the Aransas Pass. The Federal sailors lived off the land, prompting six settlers to fire on them on February 11, 1862. The USS Arthur bombarded the island and a landing party further damaged property, leading to the islanders' flight from the island. Settlers returned here after the war, with many engaging in the booming cattle industry. By the 1880s, when the industry declined, islanders found markets for turtles and wild ducks. Many also offered goods and services, including guidance to hunting and fishing grounds, to workers constructing the Aransas Pass Jetties. Sportsmen began to visit the island, and by the 1920s tourism became the basis for its economy. By 1929, two roadways and a ferry service allowed for easier access to the island and further development of the tourist industry. Today, Mustang Island continues to be a popular destination for visitors, while also serving as home to increasing numbers of Texans. (2009)

Mustang Island is a historical marker in Port Aransas, Nueces County, dedicated in 2009. It is one of 104 historical markers documented in Nueces County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 131 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 27.8357, -97.0610 near Port Aransas. The nearest cataloged historic site is The Mercer Family on Mustang Island (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Mercer, Tarpon Inn, and United States Coast Guard on Mustang Island.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507015857. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.