Central City in Corpus Christi in Nueces County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Del Mar College

Photographed by Dave W, November 15, 2025

1. Del Mar College Marker

Inscription. Now a centerpiece of higher education in the Coastal Bend Region, Del Mar College was established on July 30, 1935, when the people of Corpus Christi voted for a proposition to open a junior college. Classes for Corpus Christi Junior College began in the fall semester of 1935. With 154 initial students, the college offered coursework in business, education, mathematics, social sciences and more. The name was changed to Del Mar College in 1948. Over the years, additional courses were added which attracted a wide variety of students. With this increase in enrollment, Del Mar moved to its east campus location on Baldwin and Ayers in 1942 and opened a west campus in 1958. Two years prior to the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, in response to challenges from local African American high school graduates and the NAACP, the Del Mar College Board of Regents voted unanimously to integrate. The college also acted as the location for meetings and speeches amidst the Chicano movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including with the founding of the Del Mar College Mexican American student organization (MASO) in 1969.

With

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the passage of the G.I. Bill in 1944 and close proximity to the Naval Air Station, veterans were always an important part of the college. The school offered athletics, including football, basketball and tennis. Despite numerous awards and championships, the athletics program ended in the 1960s and is now focused on intramural sports. The college also played a strong role in establishing the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra and the Texas Jazz Festival. With its educational and community-driven legacy, Del Mar College remains a significant contributor to the quality of life in Corpus Christi and South Texas.

Erected 2019 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 22422.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Education • Hispanic Americans. A significant historical date for this entry is July 30, 1935.

Location. 27° 46.002′ N, 97° 24.428′ W. Marker is in Corpus Christi, Texas, in Nueces County. It is in Central City. It is at the intersection of Baldwin Boulevard and Glendale Drive, on the left when traveling west on Baldwin Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is

Photographed by Dave W, November 15, 2025

2. Del Mar College Marker

at or near this postal address: 101 Baldwin Blvd, Corpus Christi TX 78404, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American South

and on the Gulf Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Wynn Seale Junior High School (approx. 0.4 miles away); Moses Menger Elementary School (approx. 0.6 miles away); Camp Scurry (approx. 0.9 miles away); Sisters of the Incarnate Word (approx. 0.9 miles away); Temple Beth El (approx. 0.9 miles away); Héctor Pérez García, M.D. (approx. one mile away); Arthur Edward Spohn, M.D. and Spohn Hospital (approx. 1.1 miles away); Alonzo Álvarez de Pineda (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Corpus Christi.

Photographed by Dave W, November 15, 2025

3. Del Mar College Marker

Looking toward the intersection of Baldwin and Ayers from the marker.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 16, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 15, 2025, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. This page has been viewed 101 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 15, 2025, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.