Corpus Christi, county seat of Nueces County, is a city located on the southern coast of Texas. One of the largest cities in the state, Corpus Christi is a significant port city whose port is one of the nation's largest and is also the deepest inshore on the Gulf of Mexico. Situated about 140 miles southeast of San Antonio, the city is serviced by U.S. Route 77 and 181; and Texas State Highways 35, 44, and 358. The city is home to the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and to several institutions of higher learning, including Del Mar College.
The origin of Corpus Christi traces back to 1519, when Spanish explorer Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda discovered a semi-tropical bay on the Texas coast on the Roman Catholic Feast Day of Corpus Christi (celebrating the "Body of Christ"). In 1838 a frontier trading post was founded by Colonel Henry Lawrence Kinney in the same area and the settlement eventually took the name Corpus Christi. In 1852 Corpus Christi became incorporated as a city. Since that time, Corpus Christi has grown into a regional center for marketing and distribution of agricultural commodities and boasts a local economy largely driven by tourism and the oil and petrochemical industries.
Places of Interest in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi is home to several popular attractions for both visitors and residents. The city's North Beach is the setting for the Texas State Aquarium and the USS Lexington Museum, offering daily tours seven days a week. The Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History focuses on the history of South Texas and the region's place in the world. Also located in the city's museum district are the Asian Cultures Museum and Educational Center and the Harbor Playhouse, a long-running community theatre with a history of quality local productions. The city's Heritage Park features eleven Victorian homes including the Cultural Center, which operates in the 100-year-old Galván House. The Corpus Christi Municipal Marina, one of the city's prime focal points, is on Corpus Christi Bay protected from the Gulf of Mexico by sandy barrier islands off the Texas Coast.
A number of professional sports teams call Corpus Christi home. Minor League Baseball has a Class-AA franchise in the city, the Corpus Christi Hooks of the Texas League. The Hooks, who hosted the 2007 Texas League All Star Game, are affiliated with Major League Baseball's Houston Astros. The city is also home to the Corpus Christi Rayz of the Central Hockey League. The Rayz play their home games at Corpus Christi's new American Bank Center. Another American Bank Center resident is the local Arena Football team, the Corpus Christi Sharks. The Sharks are a 2007 expansion team belonging to the Af2 (arenafootball2) League. Two additional teams reside in the neighboring community of Robstown, Texas (20 miles to the west). The Coastal Bend Aviators are an independent minor league baseball team belonging to the American Association and the Corpus Christi Hammerheads are a professional indoor football team who play in the Intense Football League (IFL).
The population of Corpus Christi is approximately 279,780 (2002).
The approximate number of families is 100,205 (1990).
The amount of land area in Corpus Christi is 349.581 sq. kilometers.
The amount of surface water is 781.914 sq kilometers.
The distance from Corpus Christi to Washington DC is 1436 miles. The distance to the Texas state capital is 181 miles. (as the crow flies)
Corpus Christi is positioned 27.70 degrees north of the equator and 97.29 degrees west of the prime meridian.
Corpus Christi elevation is 27 feet above sea level.
Corpus Christi per capita income is $14,678.00.
Corpus Christi median income is $33,290.00.
