About Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas is the largest city on the Texas Coast (eighth largest in the state) and is the sixth largest port in the nation. It overlooks the Corpus Christi Bay, which was discovered in 1519 by Spanish explorer Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda. The city was founded in 1839 by Col. Henry Lawrence Kinney as a small trading post to sell supplies to a Mexican revolutionary army camped about 25 miles west. It was officially named Corpus Christi and incorporated on September 9, 1852. The Port of Corpus Christi was opened in 1926.
With an estimated population of 277,454 residents, Corpus Christi boasts a humid subtropical climate and amazing scenery. The average temperature is 71.2 degrees, with approximately 255 days of sunshine a year. The city houses a number of popular destinations for tourists and residents alike. Corpus Christi has one of the highest average wind speeds of coastal cities in North America which makes it a premiere destination for wind sports such as kite boarding, windsurfing, and kite flying.
It is home to the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and the Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD), which is the largest helicopter repair facility in the world. Combined, NAS-CC and CCAD provide 6,200 civilian jobs to the local economy, making them the single largest employer in the city.
Several institutions of higher learning call Corpus Christi their home including Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi and Del Mar College.
Corpus Christi neighbors Padre Island, the longest barrier island in the nation. The Padre Island National Seashore encompasses more than 130,000 acres of undeveloped beaches and serves as a vital site for nesting Kemp's Ridley - the most endangered species of sea turtles. Padre Island is known as a national tourist hotspot due to its immaculate beaches and access to golfing, birding, fishing, and sheer relaxation.
Just up the road is Port Aransas, locally known as "Port A". It is one of the most popular vacation spots in Texas and is home to the University of Texas Marine Science Institute. Port A is a multi-million dollar fishing, beach, and resort village with summer populations sometimes exceeding 60,000 and is a popular Spring Break destination.
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