charles bay charles bay inlet texas flanked peninsula west peninsula east bay hosts valued ecosystem endangered crane prime location fishing located bay shores attracting nature enthusiasts year round nomadic bay hunting arrival europeans major human settlements established unincorporated community substantial community borders bay cities main located miles away bay usually considered collective area bay roughly miles southeast san_antonio miles northeast history charles bay domain arrival european settlers spanish referred bay translated likely source found bay head derived spanish vessel transfer money texas bribe mexican soldiers san_antonio caught storm swept ship waters landing creek base supposedly ship abandoned surrounding prairie ranch near texas parts area settlers later determined family build homes major settlement founded town named elected president texas previous year settlers aimed compete adjacent moved behest president declined grew prosperous port salt producer bombarded destroyed union american_civil_war leaving ruins catholic chapel homes shortly town rebuilt post office school hotel homes constructed site people lived town residents remains unincorporated community features shaped south north located mouth opens nearly cut islands reefs stretch north point extension called forms tip peninsula east pocket included north bird point shore continues northward passing north past large tidal swamp egg point bay inlet forms bill past swamps little devil big devil formed separated past found bay narrows width northernmost point located slightly east meets mouth small twin creek narrow strip dam separates similarly shaped continues northeast fed shore curves southwest small opening forms mouth south shore largely marsh reaching large mouth shore forms straight line southeast gas seen bay south forms edge swamp point shore curves southwest swamp located inland south large oak tree known south piers bay formed directly south confluence ecosystem serves habitat approximately species birds venture site november march creatures winter near bay endangered crane largest bird north_america highly prized sight remain including families bird near extinction early 20th century flocks canada texas remained population increased following organization federal government purchased land ranch san_antonio funds commemorative stamps refuge later known cranes protected established state texas birds migrate bay include crane american white brown great blue canada blue crab help sustain bird population thirty seven species mammals found peninsula including white tailed deer banded spotted common reside bay trout generally found bay deeper waters live shallow waters tail fins spotted surface peak summer fall months bay supports healthy population american reside shallow waters signs alert visitors careful industry 19th century salt ponds dug tidal marshes bay producing salt today bay location east west little industry found industrial plants located bay shore gas oil wells present allowed obtain oil gas purchase offers piers facing bay encourage tourism privately owned charles bay hunting club found area allows hunting boating fishing bay protect ecosystem lack coastal winds attracts tourists interested boating hindered general bay abundance reefs production approved bay prohibited classification nursery bay
St. Charles Bay