Corpus Christi in Nueces County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
The Pat Dunn Ranch
Patrick Francis Dunn, the son of Irish immigrants Thomas and Catherine H. Dunn, was born Oct. 10, 1858, in Corpus Christi. He married Clara J. Jones Aug. 30, 1883.
In Dec. 1883, Pat Dunn entered a partnership with his mother and brother, Thomas, to graze cattle on Padre Island, and as manager moved to the island in Jan. 1884, settling 20 miles down the coast. Laguna Madre and the Gulf of Mexico served as natural fences; during roundup, ranch hands drove stock into several corrals scattered along the 110-mile island.
When his children reached school age, Dunn moved back to Corpus Christi and established headquarters at the north end of the island. In 1907, after buying his brother's interest, he built a 2-story house on Corpus Christi Pass (0.5 Mi.E), using lumber washed ashore from shipwrecks. Much of the house and corrals were constructed of fine mahogany. The house was destroyed in the hurricane of 1916, the year of his mother's death, which left Dunn as sole owner of the ranch.
Pat Dunn sold his Padre Island interests in 1926, retaining grazing rights, which he used until his death March 25, 1937. His son, Burton Dunn, continued ranching operations until his death Sept. 8, 1970, after which the last cattle were removed from Padre Island.
Erected 1973 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 6314.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is March 25, 1937.
Location. 27° 37.561′ N, 97° 13.253′ W. Marker is in Corpus Christi, Texas, in Nueces County. Marker is on Packery Channel Park Road, 0.1 miles east of South Padre Island Drive, on the left when traveling east. The marker is located at the entrance to the Packery Channel Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 14218 South Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi TX 78418, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Coastal Hide, Tallow and Packing Industries (here, next to this marker); Padre Island and Padre Nicolas Balli (approx. 2.6 miles away); Duncan Cemetery (approx. 4.3 miles away); German POW Camp at NAS Corpus Christi (approx. 4.8 miles away); Naval Air Station Corpus Christi (approx. 4.8 miles away); Flour Bluff (approx. 4.8 miles away); Flour Bluff Independent School District (approx. 4.9 miles away); Ward Island (approx. 8.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Corpus Christi.
Also see . . . Dunn Ranch. National Park Service website entry:
Patrick Dunn was born in Corpus Christi in 1858 and began working with cattle on the open range as a teenager with his brother. In the 1870's, after the invention of barbed wire started putting an end to open rangeland on the mainland, many small ranchers were forced to either move elsewhere or to go out of business. Dunn decided, along with his brother, to establish a ranch on Padre Island. Source: Padre Island National Seashore(Submitted on October 1, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 1, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 413 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 1, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.