Island History

This 1987 news video by The Eyes of Texas features interviews with the then owner of the Tarpon Inn, Jim Atwill, and with Ted Mathews.

Pre-History to the Early 1900s Port Aransas is located on the northern tip of Mustang Island. Experts believe the islands along the Texas coast began life as submerged sand bars about 4,500 years ago. Karankawa Indians were likely our island’s first residents. They...

by Bill Behrens, Museum Docent1911-1926 Harbor Island was the central Texas port. Since goods had to be transported to and from Harbor Island, a channel was dredged from Aransas Pass and a railroad was built on the dredge spoil. Workers were transported to the new...

By Marcy Mathews Ward Thomas (March 15, 1992, as prepared for Terry Stinson and his mom, Virginia Corn). [The Mathews were one of the Port Aransas pioneer families.]Sim Mathews opened the Silver King Cafe in January of 1929. In June of that year, his 8-year-old son,...