History

On the southern end of South Padre Island, there’s an old boat anchored in the bay between Pier 19 and the Coast Guard station. A hermit was living on it who would paddle a little raft back and forth to the shore. He’s gone now, but the boat is still there if anyone would like to move in.

The “Christ of the Fishermen” memorial is located at the southern tip of South Padre Island in Isla Blanca Park.

The inscription reads: FATHER! RECEIVE THE SOULS OF THE BRAVE FISHERMAN WHO HAVE SAILED THROUGH THIS PASS AND NEVER RETURNED

The South Padre Island water towers were repainted this year.
They look great.

On December 13, 2009, the unfinished Ocean Tower known locally as “The Leaning Tower of South Padre” was brought down with a controlled implosion.

Work on the island’s condominium tower began in 2006 but construction was halted in 2008 due to uneven settlement. It was determined that the building had a 4-inch tilt to it. As the problem could not be rectified, the building was demolished by Controlled Demolition, Inc., of Baltimore, Md.

It is the largest steel reinforced concrete structure to ever be imploded. Blowing up the 31-story, 55,000-ton, reinforced concrete building took 1,550 pounds of explosives.