Mustang Island

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Mustang Island. Now settle in, because this stretch of Texas coastline has been drawing people — and horses — for a long, long time. Mustang Island is one of seven Texas barrier islands, and Port Aransas sits right there on it.

The island got its name from the wild horses that once populated it — horses that came here from shipwrecks and Spanish expeditions, running free on that salt-wind shore. Before any of that, though, the earliest humans on the island were nomadic groups known collectively as the Karankawas. They had the whole rhythm of the place figured out: winters and falls on or about the islands, then inland come spring and summer.

Smart people, working with the land instead of against it. Then came the settlers. Robert Ainsworth Mercer — born 1799, died 1875 — holds the title of Mustang Island's first settler.

He arrived in 1855 with his wife Agnes and their children: Mary Agnes, John, and Edward. The Mercers didn't just pitch a tent and call it a day. They built a house and an entire complex they named El Mar Rancho — Sea Ranch.

Other settlers followed, and a small community took shape on that windswept island. Now here's where the story takes a darker turn. The Civil War arrived on Mustang Island's doorstep in the form of the USS Arthur, which took station off the island to blockade the Aransas Pass.

Federal sailors living off the land pushed things to a breaking point, and on February 11, 1862, six settlers fired on them. The USS Arthur answered by bombarding the island. A landing party came ashore and further damaged property.

The islanders fled. The little community of El Mar Rancho was abandoned. When the war was over, settlers came back.

The cattle industry was booming, and Mustang Island rode that wave through the years. Then, by the 1880s, when the cattle industry declined, islanders adapted — finding markets for turtles and wild ducks. They offered goods and services to the workers constructing the Aransas Pass Jetties, guiding them to hunting and fishing grounds.

Sportsmen started making their way out to the island, and by the 1920s tourism had become the very foundation of the island's economy. By 1929, two roadways and a ferry service opened the door even wider, pushing the tourist industry further along. From Karankawa camps to a rancho named for the sea, from cannon fire to cattle drives to the creak of a ferry crossing — Mustang Island has never once stopped reinventing itself.

And today, it's still drawing people in, as a popular destination for visitors and a growing home for Texans who've decided the island life suits them just fine.

What the marker says

Port Aransas is located on Mustang Island, one of seven Texas barrier islands. It is named for the wild horses that came here from shipwrecks and Spanish expeditions, and which once populated the island. The earliest humans here were members of nomadic groups collectively known as the Karankawas; they stayed on or about the islands in winter and fall, before moving inland during spring and summer. Robert Ainsworth Mercer (1799-1875) was Mustang Island's first settler; he came here in 1855 with his wife Agnes and children Mary Agnes, John and Edward. The Mercers built a house and a complex they named El Mar Rancho (Sea Ranch). Other settlers soon joined them, forming a small community; however, the new settlement was abandoned during the Civil War, when the USS Arthur took station off Mustang Island to blockade the Aransas Pass. The Federal sailors lived off the land, prompting six settlers to fire on them on February 11, 1862. The USS Arthur bombarded the island and a landing party further damaged property, leading to the islanders' flight from the island. Settlers returned here after the war, with many engaging in the booming cattle industry. By the 1880s, when the industry declined, islanders found markets for turtles and wild ducks. Many also offered goods and services, including guidance to hunting and fishing grounds, to workers constructing the Aransas Pass Jetties. Sportsmen began to visit the island, and by the 1920s tourism became the basis for its economy. By 1929, two roadways and a ferry service allowed for easier access to the island and further development of the tourist industry. Today, Mustang Island continues to be a popular destination for visitors, while also serving as home to increasing numbers of Texans. (2009)