by Bill Behrens, Museum Docent
1911-1926
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 port by way of the railroad, the Toonerville Trolley.
Sometime during this period, auto-carrying railroad cars, pulled by a railroad-wheeled truck, were brought in and a ferry landing was constructed on Harbor Island to carry the cars to Port A. In addition, a pipeline was added to the railway to carry crude oil to Harbor Island.
1911
The 1st ferry, the Mitzi (privately owned), took advantage of the newly dredged channel and carried cars from Aransas Pass to Port Aransas.
1912
The first freighter docked at Harbor Island. Our town, which was once called Tarpon, now Port Aransas, held a week long celebration after the arrival of the Brinkburn.
1926
The Corpus Christi ship channel was opened, negating the need for a cargo-railroad to Harbor Island.
1931
The railroad tracks were boarded over. Cars could now drive to the Harbor Island ferry landing via a single-lane wooden causeway, with “pull outs” to facilitate passing.
1951
Ferry operations were transferred from private ownership to Nueces County.
1959
A paved roadway replaced the wooden causeway.
1961
Hurricane Carla washed away some of the new roadway, requiring vehicles to use the old wooden causeway which had been protected by growths of salt cedars and oleanders. Operation of the ferry system was transferred to the Texas Department of Transportation.
1968
The Texas Department of Transportation took over ownership and operation of the ferries and did away with tolls.
