corpus bay corpus bay scenic semi tropical bay texas coast found counties major city corpus separated gulf_of_mexico fed western southern extensions bay located approximately miles south san_antonio miles southwest houston rich history human settlement shores dates responsible growth smaller ports portland important natural estuary supports diverse collection wildlife attracts tourists bay abundance petroleum natural gas attracted industry strategic location texas coast ideal military establishment history shores corpus body christ bay thought inhabited european discovery evidence suggests pre peoples area near burial ground believed spotted europeans corpus day spanish explorer waters came bay given orders settle area mexico mouth named bay michael stick referred corpus bay report believed man purchase land bay shortly short lived settlement founded mouth trading post corpus bay established present day corpus 1840s area developed settlement named bay port established 1870s included foot overlooking statue jesus christ designed sculptor turned city later efforts build statue shore rejected port later grow major city population people census addition found known settlers near confluence bay town attacked mexican underwent steep decline ghost town located corpus city limits city founded northern shore bay grew slowly population census likewise city portland located northeastern bluff corpus bays grow rapidly following founding census residents transportation bay commonplace corpus 1930s native americans route series shallow beds dubbed reef road passage inches depth foot horseback low tides travel opening corpus bay white settlers discovered road 1860s common way pass portland corpus course marked posts horses fall beds wooden causeway connecting portland corpus constructed repeatedly rebuilt destroyed storms permanent concrete bridge erected 1950s double lane added approximately mile long structure today known bay strategically important military general stationed men mexican american war union invasion halted point american civil war port corpus bring supplies war effort union bombarded occupied bay port established bay transformed major base main air station additional stations notably march practice run base future senator john_mccain lost track altitude speed single seat single engine crashed corpus bay sank cockpit swam feet surface carried safety rescue helicopter escaping major injuries features shoreline corpus bay included texas coastal plain south texas surrounding land semi arid agricultural purposes bay considered subtropical described beautiful bay texas coast average system meters deep covers approximately square kilometers fourth largest system texas galveston bay main extensions extends west mouth extends south mouth second approximately cubic meters gal water flows bay exchange gulf_of_mexico occurs pass result exchange bay parts thousand lower average following shoreline beginning naval air station corpus bay southeastern peninsula features bay best described moving northwest air station crossed confluence meeting actually peninsula found northwest shore begins curve distance bay skyline visible following shore land inward forms constructed bay spotted location moving north shore continues main city reaches south extends main bay starts gaps places island viewed bay canal slightly water ends reaches land southern portion north canal found shore opens crossed indian point near portland indian reef offshore past portland shore curves southeast large forms backdrop industrial plants island shore meets canal confluence cove formed area island named point shore curves southwest bay located southern shore bay northeastern peninsula southeast series islands form boundary bays ecosystem designated corpus bay system estuary national significance species fish found bay including atlantic atlantic black drum red drum southern jack atlantic silver perch smooth scaled sand spotted gray common million federal money delegated restoration near increase population birds fish collaborated place soil plant marsh near causeway allow larger nursing location fish provide greater quantities food water birds species birds found area including brown black billed duck reddish white faced buff golden fronted long billed olive laughing franklin ring billed herring billed common brown falcon bird populations protected viewed pat wildlife refuge industry corpus bay natural harbor port contributed growth main port city corpus 5th largest port united_states deepest gulf_of_mexico channel gulf bay freight exchanged port include industrial agricultural goods petroleum oil wells located near bay large supply natural gas million oil gas produced area metals stone products glass chemicals products produced near bay originally focused economy agriculture notably later industrial plants including established miles away opened 1950s tourism bay encouraged area climate fishing opportunities sites including beach marina bay site wind water open
Corpus Christi Bay