Lamar in Aransas County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Mills Wharf

Photographed by Norman Frank, March 8, 2013

1. Mills Wharf Marker

Inscription. Mills Wharf, built by John Howard Mills in 1932, was a renowned center for waterfowl hunting and fishing from the 1930s until it was sold in 1960. It consisted of cottages, a cook house, a guide service office, a store, a tackle shop, and a unique wildlife museum with a famous duck, featured in “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not,” which had an oyster permanently attached to its foot. The new “Hug the Coast” Highway 35 made the wharf accessible, thereby aiding the growth of the tourism industry in the area. In 1946, Herbert and Harry Mills bought the wharf from their parents and expanded the business with a unique seaplane service to drop off customers at remote fishing sites.
175 years of Texas Independence * 1836–2011
Marker is property of the State of Texas

Erected 2012 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 16924.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1932.

Location. 28° 8.223′ N, 97° 0.42′ W. Marker is in Lamar, Texas, in Aransas County. It is at the intersection of Mills Wharf Road and Lyndon B Johnson Causeway (Texas Highway 35), on the right when

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traveling east on Mills Wharf Road. Locals call LBJ Causeway the Copano Causeway. Marker is near Sea-Gun Bait House next to their boat launch. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rockport TX 78382, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the American 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 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Site of the Town of Lamar (approx. 0.8 miles away); John Fagan (approx. 1.2 miles away); The Lamar Cemetery (approx. 1.2 miles away); Lamar Volunteer Fire Department (approx. 1.2 miles away); Stella Maris Chapel (approx. 1.2 miles away); Built to Last (approx. 1.4 miles away); Using what's Available (approx. 1.4 miles away); Site of One of the Homes of James Power (approx. 2.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lamar.

Mills Wharf Marker and Sea-Gun Bait Shop image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Norman Frank, March 8, 2013

2. Mills Wharf Marker and Sea-Gun Bait Shop

View from Mills Wharf Road image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Norman Frank, March 8, 2013

3. View from Mills Wharf Road

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on March 8, 2013, by Norman Frank of Rockport, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,527 times since then and 63 times this year. Last updated on March 11, 2013, by Norman Frank of Rockport, Texas. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 8, 2013, by Norman Frank of Rockport, Texas. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.