This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Port Isabel Shrimp Industry Aids Regional Growth
The Port Isabel shrimp trade evolved from coastal fishing to a cannery era in 1928 led by Salvadore Castorina and partners. The San Patricio Canning Company processed up to 50,000 pounds daily for markets in New York Boston Philadelphia Chicago and western states. The 1923 hurricane and 1931 shortages paused canning, then a white shrimp era emerged with shipments to Japan and Pacific markets, followed by local fresh shrimp processing across the channel in 1933 and 1934 backed by Burnell Cateora and Schmidt.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Port Isabel
Salvadore Castorina
R. R. Rice
S. E. Rice
San Patricio Canning Company
Parker Ite Company
United States
Aransas Pass
Texas
Apalachicola
Florida
New York
Boston
Philadelphia
Chicago
Oklahoma
New Mexico
California
Oregon
Gulf of Mexico
Japan
Pacific Coast
Gulf Coast
Pacific
Burnell
W. BP
Henry Cateora
J. H. Schmidt