Storm over the bay : the people of Corpus Christi and their port / Mary Jo O'Rear.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

O'Rear, Mary Jo, 1943-

Series:

Gulf Coast books ; no. 16.

Gulf Coast studies ; no. 16

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Harbors--Texas--Corpus Christi.

Harbors.

Hurricanes--Texas--Corpus Christi Bay.

Hurricanes.

Disaster relief--Texas--Corpus Christi--Citizen participation.

Disaster relief.

Corpus Christi (Tex.)--History.

Corpus Christi (Tex.).

Corpus Christi (Tex.)--Politics and government.

Corpus Christi Bay (Tex.)--History.

Corpus Christi Bay (Tex.).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (200 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

College Station : Texas A&M University Press, c2009.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Since the late 1830s, the natural harbor at the mouth of South Texas' Nueces River has been a center of regional maritime trade. But by the early 1900s, a storm of political wrangling, cronyism, and corruption was threatening to scuttle the city's efforts toward securing a dependable deep water port to attract international commerce to Corpus Christi. On September 14, 1919, a massive hurricane struck the bay, burying the downtown area under ten feet of debris and killing as many as one thousand people. The storm left millions of dollars of damage in its wake. The citizens of Corpus Christi, rather than being demoralized, however, were galvanized by the disaster. In gripping detail, author Mary Jo O'Rear chronicles the successful efforts of the newly unified Corpus Christi--efforts that culminated in the dedication of the Port of Corpus Christi on September 14, 1926, seven years to the day after the storm that devastated the city. "Storm over the Bay" will appeal to readers interested in regional history, politics, and economics. It is a must-read for anyone who appreciates Corpus Christi and its colorful past.

Contents:

Prologue: View from the bluff

The place and the people

Barrier isles and bay

Castaways and cattlemen

Outlets and immigrants

Promises and potential

Politicians and the port

Populists and patróns

Protests and progressives

Blocs and balloting

Targets and trials

Payback and portents

Devastation and death

Recovery and resurgence

Commitment and construction

Postscript: View from the bay.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-60344-345-2

OCLC:

715188299