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| Aransas Bay |
It’s been a warm winter in Texas, but we needed
a couple of days out of town so we headed for one of our favorite places on the
coast, Rockport.
This little city is on Live Oak Peninsula between Copano and Aransas bays. It got
its name from the rock ledge beneath its shore and has spent most of its
history as a commercial seaport. Founded just after the Civil War and
incorporated as a city in 1871, it originally supported beef packing plants,
but with the withdrawing of rail service to move these products, companies
failed leaving only the fishing industry to support the population. However,
boatbuilding, fishing and tourism, once rail service returned to the area, developed
as important industries in Rockport. In the late 1800s, residents began
investigations into the feasibility of a deep-water harbor that required a
channel through the sand bar at Aransas Pass. This plan didn’t come to fruition
until 1922 with the harbor finally completed in 1926. Rockport, the seat of
Aransas County finally completed the courthouse, designed by James Riely
Gordon, in 1889. Downtown Rockport still has some of the buildings from the
early days; most of these house art galleries and shops. The owners are
friendly and helpful, even if you don’t buy anything. Since we’d come down for
the Rockport Clay Expo and
Bountiful Bowl Pottery Fair, we also spent some time wandering the shops
looking for treasures. The pottery fair benefits the local Meals on Wheels
Program and happily Cindy the
Potter as one of the exhibitors. Not only do I like her work, but it’s good
to be able to support the Meals on Wheels Program.
