Museum Will Highlight Island 'From Ranches To Shipwrecks'

By R. Daniel Cavazos

The former chamber of commerce building will be renovated and converted to house the Island's historical museum. (Island Matters)

South Padre Island is known for its beaches and widespread appeal that most recently had it named the Destination of The Year by the Texas Travel Awards.

Long before the high-rise resort buildings and gleaming hotels, the Island was a beautiful spot in its isolation with native Karankawa Indians, migratory birds and sea turtles being among its few residents. Four nations have owned Padre Island at different times. The first was Spain, which issued a land grant containing the Island to Nicolas Balli from King Carlos III in 1759. Ownership would eventually be passed to Balli’s grandson, Padre Jose Nicolas Balli, the namesake of South Padre Island.

A statue of the Island's namesake, Padre Jose Nicolas Balli, welcomes visitors to South Padre as a reminder of his historical legacy. (Courtesy)

Those are among the first chapters of South Padre history. The early years along with the many that would come after it will be told in the Historical Museum of South Padre Island. The long-awaited museum will be built and opened by summer of 2023 thanks to a $1.5 million federal grant to the city of South Padre Island. Local funds of $375,000 match the grant given by the Economic Development Association. The grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan.

It is a long time coming for the South Padre Island Historical Foundation, which began in 2008 and sought the creation of a museum to preserve and tell the history of the Island. The museum will sit at 610 Padre Boulevard, the former chamber of commerce building. It will receive nearly $400,000 in renovations and landscape improvements. Community leaders promise it will be a first-rate facility that will tell a fascinating story.

"Many people think there’s not much history out here, but there is really much more than anyone could believe," said Dennis Franke, a prominent Island Realtor and property developer who is also the president of the historical foundation. "The museum will allow us to display that history, and to see how this Island came to be what it is today."

Taking Long View

At a recent City Hall news conference, Franke provided a general outline of what the museum would house and how quickly the foundation and city want to move to get it built and opened in time for the summer 2023 tourist season.

An artist's rendering provides an early look at what South Padre Island's historical museum may look like in its exterior design. (Courtesy)

Franke said formal requests for proposals will be put out by the city for the necessary architectural and engineering work as the process begins to seek an administrator to run the museum’s daily operations. Information provided by the city shows that in addition to funding for exterior improvements, there will be about $250,000 spent for furniture, equipment and signage, with $1 million allocated for museum display and exhibits.

The proposed site for the museum is in a historically flood-prone area on the Island, and as an older structure, there may need to be modifications made to elevate the structure to meet more recent city codes and specifications.

Franke envisions a long-range look at the Island’s history so visitors can see how the Island has changed over its many eras.

"You will see a sequence of how the Island came to be and how it has evolved through the centuries to the present day," he said. "When you walk out of the museum, you will see it from nothing to what it is today. I think it’s going to be a special experience for anyone who comes in and visits."

Put another way, Franke described the museum experience as being one that will take museum visitors "from ranches to shipwrecks to the first development of commercial construction."

South Padre's historical museum will provide a chronological look at Island life in its isolation to today's commercial development. (Island Matters)

Adding An Attraction

For the Island, the historical museum will be an added attraction to supplement beach life and give visitors another thing to do beyond enjoyment of the beach.

Island leaders are trying to develop added elements to the main beach life draw that can attract visitors beyond the peak months of spring and summer tourism. A first-rate historical museum will help with those efforts as well the emerging arts community being found on the Island.

"As an indoor museum, it will provide an activity for our visitors to take a break from our great outdoor activities as well as an additional activity during the rare days that we have inclement weather," Mayor Patrick McNulty said in comments provided by the city.

The mayor said the city "is eager to welcome more opportunities for our visitors to experience and learn about our Island."

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