Port Aransas in Nueces County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Tarpon Inn
Photographed By James Hulse, August 31, 2021
1. Tarpon Inn Marker
In 1886 Frank Stephenson, a boat pilot and assistant Aransas Lighthouse Keeper, opened an inn at this site in an old barracks. He called the facility "Tarpon Inn" for the abundant trophy fish in nearby gulf waters. The inn served as a landmark for sailors, and Port Aransas was known for a time as "Tarpon".
In 1897 Mary Cotter and her son J.E. bought the two story inn from Stephenson. After the building burned in 1900, two new structures were built in 1904. When the 1919 hurricane destroyed the main structure, the dining facility was used until it was sold in 1923 to James M. Ellis and his wife. Ellis soon rebuilt this inn to resemble the old barracks. He placed 20-foot poles in 16 feet of concrete with pilings at the corner of each room to reinforce it against future hurricanes.
For a time guests could reach the inn only by boat. It became a tradition to sign and date a tarpon scale and place it on the wall in the front room. Among the famous patrons was President Franklin D. Roosevelt who fished here in 1937. Duncan Hines spent his honeymoon here and recommended the food for the next 25 years. The inn has housed many area residents during storms and served as headquarters for the Red Cross, Salvation Army and military units.
Erected 1979 by Texas Historical Commission
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1886.
Location. 27° 50.266′ N, 97° 3.61′ W. Marker is in Port Aransas, Texas, in Nueces County. Marker is at the intersection of East Cotter Avenue and Tarpon Street, on the right when traveling east on East Cotter Avenue. The marker is located at the front entrance to the Tarpon Inn. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 East Cotter Avenue, Port Aransas TX 78373, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Mustang Island (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Mercer Family on Mustang Island (approx. 0.2 miles away); Port Aransas Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Aransas Pass (approx. 0.3 miles away); World War II Coastal Defenses at the Aransas Pass (approx. 0.3 miles away); Terminal Railroad (approx. 6.7 miles away); Aransas Pass First Baptist Church (approx. 6.9 miles away); Great Land Lottery of Aransas Pass (approx. 7.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Port Aransas.
Also see . . . Tarpon Inn.
The original Tarpon Inn was built in 1886 from surplus material that came from an old Civil War barracks. The building was destroyed by fire in 1900. Two(Submitted on October 1, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)new buildings were constructed in its place only to be ravaged by a hurricane in 1919 and its 12–15 foot storm surge. The larger building was completely destroyed, but the smaller building was reparable and continued to be used as a hotel until 1926. Source: WikipediaPhotographed By James Hulse, August 31, 20212. The Tarpon Inn and Marker
Photographed By James Hulse, August 31, 2021
3. The view of the Tarpon Inn and Marker from across the street
Public Domain - J.E. Cotter, circa 1911/1924
4. Tarpon Inn, Port Aransas, Texas (motorized vehicles)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 1, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 30, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 267 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 1, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
