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The Aransas Pass ProgressWEDNESDAY. JUNE S. 1M5SECTION B — PAGE OWEThe Beginning of Aransas Pass(Excerpts from the book Fabulous Port Aransas published in 1949 by Miller Harwood and W A Scrivner'T. B. WHEELERAransas Harbor City and Improvement Company was organized by T. B. Wheeler of Austin, Texas. Wheeler was an ex-mayor of Austin and Lieutenant-Governor of Texas from 1886 to 1890. In 1889, while still Lieutenant Governor ofcamewthere was no town or post office there. He and his associates bought from T. P. McCampbell, of Goliad, Texas, twelve thousand acres of land fronting on the shores of Red Fish Bay and extending back to what is now known as Avenue B, about two miles west of Aransas Pass, running north and south.Wheeler decided that the present site of the town of Aransas Pass was the logical point on the mainland for the location of a city; and then proceeded to organize the Aransas Harbor City Improvement Co., which took over the twelve thousand acres of land bought from McCampbell. This land was then surveyed, and the town of Aransas Harbor laid out. Subsequently, in 1892, thenamenamechanged its name back to Rock port.Among Wheeler’s associates was Russell Harrison, a son of former PresidentBenjamin Harrison. Russell Harrison was President of the Aransas Harbor City Improvement Co. In the city of Aransas Pass today there is a Harrison Boulevard,a Wheeler Avenue, a Yoakum Avenue, a McCampbell street, a Nelson Avenue, anda Houston street. Nelson Avenue was named for the contractor, J. P. Nelson,who built the San Antonio Aransas Pass Railroad on into Rockport.J. P Nelson, a few years later built what is known as the “Old TerminalRailroad’’; chartered the Aransas Harbor Terminal Railway; and constructedthree and one-half miles of rail line from the mainland at Aransas Pass to MorrisSc Cummins Cut, it being a part of the plan of Wheeler and associates to buildthis road to Harbor Island and to establish docks and terminals to accomodatetraffic moving through Aransas Pass waterway.Aransas Harbor City Improvement Co. held public sales of lots and tractsof land in the new townsite, the first sale occunng in September. 1890. Another sale was held in January, 1891. Many lots and tracts were sold at these sales.During the period, 1890-91, it was generally thought that the San AntonioSeeBe*tnninc Pace
Newspaper Details
Aransas Pass Progress
Aransas Pass, Texas, US
Wed, Jun 09, 1965
Page 11
Full Page
Clipped by
Max B.
USA 14 Jan 2019
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