#TBT: Tarpon, Ropesville were early names for Port Aransas
Port Aransas, or Port A as it's affectionately known, has had a surprising number of names in its history.
Much of what historians know about the beginning of the town comes from the Mercer logs kept by Robert A. Mercer and his family members. Mercer arrived in 1853 and established his homestead, known as El Mar Rancho in 1855.
There was no town to speak of in those days, just a collection of homesteads. The Mercer family began keeping diaries similar to a ship’s log in 1866, recording the daily occurrences around the settlement, which only refer to the area as Mustang Island. Other names researchers have uncovered include Sand Point, Star, and even just The Pass.
In 1888, when the settlement received its first post office, it was dubbed Ropesville, named for the land speculator Elihu H. Ropes, developer of the short-lived Alta Vista Hotel in Corpus Christi and also namesake of the Ropes financial boom and eventual bust of the 1890s.
More: #TBT: Port Aransas tarpon fishing drew FDR for a 1937 presidential vacation
Around the summer of 1896, the town’s name changed from Ropesville to Tarpon. The Galveston Daily News carried the news in its June 18, 1896, edition, reprinting the Aransas Pass Herald’s comments on the decision, which were unsurprisingly Aransas Pass-centric:
“Changing the name of Ropesville to Tarpon is a wise move, doing away with confusion that has existed as to Aransas Pass locations. The characteristic name ‘Tarpon’ will indicate to all sportsmen where to look for the greatest sport with the silver king. The fact that where is but one Aransas Pass will be settled to the satisfaction of all.”
Port Aransas indeed was known for its excellent fishing -- and still is -- especially the tarpon fishing. The new name also dovetailed nicely with the well-known Tarpon Inn, which opened in 1886 and is still in business.
On April 1, 1911, the town officially adopted the name Port Aransas, though they began using the new name earlier in the year, and incorporated later that November.
Though no longer using the name Tarpon, the town didn’t abandon their fishing roots, advertising with the slogan, “Where they bite every day,” for years to come.
Allison Ehrlich writes about things to do in South Texas and has a weekly Throwback Thursday column on local history.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: When Port Aransas was known as Tarpon, Ropesville
