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61-456: The unit, in proximity to Corpus Christi , was named after William G. "Bill" McConnell, the former chief of police of Beeville; he died in 1987. On October 10, 1993, Rogelio Cannady, 21, beat his cellmate, Leovigildo Bonal, 55, to death. Cannady was serving life behind bars for murdering two teenagers in 1990. Cannady beat Bonal with a steel lock attached to a belt and then kicked and stomped him repeatedly. Bonal died two days later. Cannady became

122-561: A colony of about 50 families to settle the head of the bay, though this was short-lived. In 1839, the first known permanent settlement of Corpus Christi was established by Colonel Henry Lawrence Kinney and William P. Aubrey as Kinney's Trading Post, or Kinney's Ranch. It was a small trading post that sold supplies to a Mexican revolutionary army camped about 25 mi (40 km) west. In July 1845, U.S. troops commanded by General Zachary Taylor set up camp there in preparation for war with Mexico , where they remained until March 1846. About

183-556: A minority group that could be and was frequently discriminated against. Such segregation and discrimination were ruled unconstitutional. Judge Woodrow Seals found that the school board consciously fostered a system that perpetuated traditional segregation. This included a system that bused Anglo students to schools out of their neighborhoods, renovated old schools in black and Mexican-American neighborhoods rather than building new ones, assigned black and Hispanic teachers to segregated schools, and limited hiring of such teachers at other schools;

244-541: A prison guard in Texas state prisons committed by a prisoner since 1985. The State of Texas accused prisoner Robert Lynn Pruett (TDCJ death row ID #999411) of committing the crime. He received a death sentence and was moved to the Polunsky Unit . Pruett stated that he did not kill Nagle. Pruett was executed on October 12, 2017 As of 2001, the unit's warden was Leslie W. Woods. That year it had 2,806 prisoners. Many of

305-517: A year later, the settlement was named Corpus Christi and was incorporated on September 9, 1852. The Battle of Corpus Christi was fought between August 12 and August 18, 1862, during the American Civil War . United States Navy forces blockading Texas fought a small land and sea engagement with Confederate forces in and around Corpus Christi Bay and bombarded the city. Union forces defeated Confederate States Navy ships operating in

366-560: Is July 2, 2007, with 9.86 inches or 250 millimetres, while the wettest month on record is September 1967, with 20.33 in (516 mm), including four days with over 3 in (76 mm). Eight months with not even a trace of rainfall have happened, of which the most recent was May 1998, and 21 with merely a trace. The longest spell without measurable rainfall in Corpus Christi has been 55 days from June 23 to August 17 (inclusive), 1895, and from June 1 to July 25, 1915, while easily

427-409: Is Tammy Embrey. Rebecca L. Huerta serves as the city secretary. Former City Manager Margie C. Rose was appointed in 2016 and served as the first African-American city manager in Corpus Christi. Rose resigned in 2018. Selman served as interim city manager in 2018 following Rose's resignation and until the appointment of Zanoni. San Patricio County, Texas San Patricio County is located in

488-578: Is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas , Kleberg , and San Patricio counties. It is 130 miles (210 km) southeast of San Antonio and 208 miles (335 km) southwest of Houston . Its political boundaries encompass Nueces Bay and Corpus Christi Bay . Its zoned boundaries include small land parcels or water inlets of three neighboring counties. The city's population

549-704: Is a good spot for seabird watching. Popular spots include Blucher Park in downtown, the Hans and Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge along Oso Bay, Hazel Bazemore County Park along the Nueces River in Calallen, and the South Texas Botanic Garden and Nature Center along the Oso Creek. The Audubon Outdoor Club of Corpus Christi, founded in 1957, promotes birding culture and protects habitat for birds in

610-468: Is available in the region for duck , geese , coot , and teal . White-winged dove and mourning dove are also hunted on private leases. The brushland inland from Corpus Christi is also ideal for hunting feral hogs and white-tailed deer. Fishing is a popular recreational activity in Corpus Christi, including fishing from various piers around Corpus Christi Bay, wade fishing in Oso Bay, and fishing from

671-418: Is governed by a commissioners' court . This court consists of the county judge (the chairperson of the court), who is elected county-wide, and four commissioners who are elected by the voters in each of four precincts. The Commissioners' Court is the policy-making body for the county; in addition, the county judge is the senior executive and administrative position in the county. The Commissioners' Court sets

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732-636: Is greatest. The coolest month on record has been February 1905, with a mean of 45.6 °F (7.6 °C). In December 2004, the city experienced snowfall on Christmas Eve, the city's largest recorded snowstorm at 4.4 in (11 cm). The snow melted the day after Christmas. The city experienced light snowfall a second time, on December 8, 2017, nearly 13 years later. Between 1981 and 2010, Corpus Christi averaged 31.73 in (806 mm) of rainfall; however, long periods with very little rainfall are normal, and hurricanes can frequently produce daily falls of over 4 in (100 mm). The wettest day on record

793-718: Is home to a number of popular destinations for both tourists and residents. The official visitor and tourism information organization is the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau. Some of the most visited attractions are located on North Beach , where the Texas State Aquarium and the USS ; Lexington Museum on the Bay are located. USS Lexington was also part of the set for the 2001 film Pearl Harbor . Corpus Christi's museum district

854-523: Is locally indurated with calcium carbonate ( caliche ) deposits. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey's storm surge eroded down to shale bedrock at a depth around 40 feet in Packery Channel, an artificial pass cut between North Padre and Mustang Islands. This feature has become a gathering place for game fish, and can be identified from the surface by its whirlpool-like current. The large, shallow bay makes Corpus Christi an ideal feeding place for birds, which

915-762: Is located near USS Lexington . Some attractions located in the museum district are the Museum of Asian Cultures, the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, the South Texas Institute for the Arts, and the Harbor Playhouse Theatre, one of the oldest continually operating community theatres in Texas. Heritage Park is also in the museum district, where a number of older restored houses can be found. The downtown area, of which

976-618: Is one reason why Corpus Christi is known as the "Bird Capital" of North America. Consequently, the San Diego Audubon Society has designated Corpus Christi as "America's birdiest place". According to the United States Census Bureau , Corpus Christi has a total area of 460.2 square miles (1,192.0 km ), of which 154.6 mi (400.5 km , 33.60%) are land and 305.6 mi (791.5 km , 66.40%) are covered by water. Since its founding,

1037-600: Is seated in Nueces County. The city council currently consists of these elected members: Peter Zanoni, former deputy city manager of San Antonio , was appointed city manager in May 2019. Upon appointment, Zanoni created two new positions in his leadership team and appointed Michael Rodriguez as his Chief of Staff and Constance Sanchez as Chief Financial Officer. The city manager works alongside Assistant City Manager Steven Viera. The city's intergovernmental relations director

1098-829: Is the United States Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi is the original home of the headquarters of Whataburger , a fast-food restaurant operator and franchiser with 650 stores in 10 states and Mexico; the company relocated its headquarters to San Antonio in 2009. Other large employers include Christus Spohn Health System at 5,400 local employees, the Corpus Christi Independent School District with 5,178, H-E-B at 5,000, and Bay Ltd. at 2,100. Other companies based in Corpus Christi include Stripes Convenience Stores and AEP Texas . Corpus Christi became

1159-691: Is the 18,000-capacity American football stadium named Buccaneer Stadium. Year-round NCAA Division I collegiate athletics may be found at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as the Islanders compete in 14 men's and women's sports as a member of the Southland Conference . Corpus Christi is also home to the Corpus Christi Rugby Football Club , which is a member of the Texas Rugby Union , an affiliate of

1220-491: Is the coolest time of year in the city, while June through September is the hottest. October is still hot, but not as hot as the summer months. Rainfall is spread throughout the year, and there is rarely ever snow or ice. The city's record high temperature is 109 °F (43 °C), on September 5, 2000, and the hottest month August 2012 with an average of 88.3 °F (31.3 °C). Average night-time winter lows in January,

1281-440: Is under a council-manager municipal government. The elected city council is the primary authority in municipal matters such as enacting local legislation, determining policies, and appointing the city manager. Together, the city council and city manager execute laws and administer the municipal government. Organized by governmental sectors of city council, city management, city secretary, and several city departments, Corpus Christi

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1342-430: The 1919 Florida Keys hurricane and Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The city also can see tornadoes , with an F2 tornado hitting the area on April 29, 1961 . As of the 2020 United States census , there were 316,239 people (2022 estimate), 117,210 households (2021 estimate), and 79,055 families residing in the city. At the 2010 census , 305,215 people resided in Corpus Christi, a 10.0% increase since 2000. According to

1403-417: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 708 sq mi (1,830 km ), of which 693 sq mi (1,790 km ) are land and 14 sq mi (36 km ) (2.0%) are covered by water. The Gulf of Mexico forms the eastern border of the county. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 68,755 people, 23,422 households, and 16,838 families residing in the county. As of

1464-594: The U.S. state of Texas . As of the 2020 census , its population was 68,755. Its county seat is Sinton . San Patricio County is part of the Corpus Christi metropolitan statistical area . In 1828, 200 Irish Catholic families, recruited from Ireland and the Irish population of New York City, contracted with the Mexican government to settle on 80 leagues of land in this area. By 1836, about 500 people lived in

1525-507: The US Navy , US Marine Corps , and US Coast Guard . Spaniard Alonso Alvarez de Pineda traveled in 1519 to this bay on the day of the religious Feast of Corpus Christi, so named the semitropical bay Corpus Christi. Cabeza de Vaca may have passed through Corpus Christi in the 1500s, but the first European to study the Nueces River and Corpus Christi Bay was Joaquín de Orobio y Basterr in 1747. A few years later, José de Escandón organized

1586-999: The Western Rugby Union and of the United States Rugby Football Union . In 2017, the United Soccer League expanded to Corpus Christi, forming Corpus Christi FC. Corpus Christi FC plays in the Mid-South Division of the USL League Two. In 2023, the American Indoor Football expanded to Corpus Christi, forming Corpus Christi Tritons. The city's location beside Corpus Christi Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and Laguna Madre provides opportunities for water sports and nature tourism. Waterfowl hunting

1647-458: The census of 2000, 67,138 people, 22,093 households, and 17,232 families resided in the county. The population density was 97 people/sq mi (37 people/km ). The 24,864 housing units averaged 36 units per square mile (14 units/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 76.76% White, 2.81% African American, 0.70% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 15.94% from other races, and 3.05% from two or more races. About 49.42% of

1708-583: The 2010 census, 80.9% of Corpus Christi's population was White; 4.3% was African American; 1.8% Asian; 0.1% Pacific Islander; 10.4% of some other race; and 2.5% of two or more races . About 62.23% of Corpus Christi's population was of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race, and 33.3% of the population was non-Hispanic White , down from 56% in 1970. In 2000, the racial makeup was 71.62% White, 4.67% African American, 0.64% Native American, 1.28% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 18.58% from other races, and 3.13% from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 54.33% of

1769-614: The 2018 Youth Sailing World Championships , and in 2022, the J/24 World Championship . The Corpus Christi Skate Park opened on February 17, 2007. It is located in Cole Park on the shoreline of the Corpus Christi Bay near downtown. The 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m ) concrete park includes a skating bowl and a street course with stairs, railings, and flat surfaces. Being a coastal city, Corpus Christi

1830-531: The Christian sacrament of Holy Communion. The name was given to the settlement and surrounding bay by Spanish explorer Alonso Álvarez de Pineda in 1519, as he discovered the lush semitropical bay on the Western Christian feast day of Corpus Christi . Corpus Christi is home to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi , one of two locations training primary student pilots and advanced multiengine pilots of

1891-531: The Coastal Bend region of Texas, with five sanctuaries owned or managed by the club within Corpus Christi. The club hosts field trips and public meetings monthly. In 1852, the City of Corpus Christi was incorporated. Texas' 31st Legislature chartered the city as a political and corporate municipal entity in 1909. By ordinance, the city possesses power to "fix, alter and extend its boundaries." Corpus Christi

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1952-663: The Gulf of Mexico at Packery Channel or at Bob Hall Pier. The city has one of the highest average wind speeds of coastal cities in North America. This, combined with the Bay Front area located along Ocean Drive, makes the city an important destination for wind sports such as kite boarding , wind surfing , kite flying, wing foiling, and sailing. In 1990, Corpus Christi hosted the Windsurfing World Championships . In 2018, Corpus Christi hosted

2013-665: The McConnell Unit are among the most hardened in the Texas prison system." As of 2001 the " administrative segregation " area, with 504 cells, had 504 prisoners segregated by race to prevent gang violence. The cells, divided into pods labeled by letters of the alphabet, included members of the Mexican Mafia . According to prison guards quoted in Going Up the River , the A pod includes gang leaders who do not wish to disturb

2074-562: The Pharaoh Valley subdivision, the Hans and Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge is known for seabird-watching. The nearby Pharaohs golf course also serves as a haven for coastal and migratory birds. Directly east of Corpus Christi are Padre Island and Mustang Island , home to various municipal, state, and national parks, most notably the Padre Island National Seashore . The city is also near King Ranch , one of

2135-618: The area, but were repulsed when they landed on the coast. In November 1873, seven Mexican shepherds were lynched by a mob near the city. The crime was never solved. The Port of Corpus Christi was opened in 1926, and the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station was commissioned in 1941. In February 1929, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) was founded in Corpus Christi. This organization

2196-400: The city has annexed nearby lands and waters for growth and development purposes. The original area encompassed several city blocks in present-day downtown Corpus Christi with the majority of city expansion occurring in the 20th century. Corpus Christi has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen : Cfa), with hot and humid summers, and short mild winters. The period from November through February

2257-502: The city was affected by Hurricane Harvey , then by Hurricane Hanna in 2020. Rough surf from Hurricane Laura caused one death and one injury at a beach in the city in late August 2020, just a month after Hanna. Cisneros v. Corpus Christi Independent School District (1970) was the first case to extend the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas decision (1954) to Mexican Americans. It recognized them as

2318-481: The coldest month, are a little less than 50 °F (10 °C) and its record low is 11 °F (−12 °C) on February 12, 1899. The coldest maximum of 26 °F (−3 °C) occurred on five occasions, the most recent being on January 30, 1951. Winter and early spring are generally dry, and average monthly precipitation is highest in September, when the threat from hurricanes and other tropical weather systems

2379-534: The colony on 84 Mexican land grants. During the Texas Revolution , most fled from the colony because of fighting in the area. By 1841, a small number of permanent residents had returned. When Texas was annexed by the United States in 1845, the area was stabilized by the presence of U.S. troops under General Zachary Taylor . In 1845, the county was formed (San Patricio is Spanish for Saint Patrick ,

2440-442: The county tax rate, adopts the budget, appoints boards and commissions, approves grants and personnel actions, and oversees the administration of county government. Each commissioner also supervises a Road and Bridge District. Despite being majority-minority San Patricio county leans overwhelmingly Republican. The GOP does better than average among Latino residents in Texas, particularly south Texas. In 2022, Republicans won 40% of

2501-405: The county, including three slaves. The local economy was based on cattle raising. In the mid-1860s, more settlers moved, drawn by the cheap land. By 1870, 602 people lived in the county, and the agricultural census reported 51 farms and ranches, totaling 52,000 acres (210 km ), in the area, with about 2,400 acres (9.7 km ) described as "improved". Development of the county intensified during

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2562-500: The denial of medical services based on race by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs . The 1919 Storm devastated the city, killing hundreds on September 14. Only three structures survived the storm on North Beach. To protect the city, the seawall was built. The city also suffered damage from Hurricane Celia in 1970 and Hurricane Allen in 1980, but little damage from Hurricane Ike in 2008. In 2017,

2623-438: The driest calendar year has been 1917, with a mere 5.38 in (137 mm). The two wettest calendar years have been 1888 with 48.16 in (1,223 mm) and 1991 with 48.07 in (1,221 mm), although from August 1967 to July 1968, 59.09 in (1,501 mm) fell, and for the 12 months ending January 1918, only 5.22 in (133 mm). Hurricanes seldom hit the city, but those which have were destructive, such as

2684-441: The early 20th century, as hundreds of farmers moved in from North Texas and other states. The population reached 7,307 by 1910, and was 11,386 by 1920; 470 farms were counted in 1910, and 757 farms in 1920. Cattle ranching remained important, but vegetables and cotton also became important. The acres planted in the cotton increased from about 15,000 acres (61 km ) in 1910 to 155,000 acres (630 km ) by 1930. According to

2745-475: The first charged under a 1993 law that allows offenders serving 99 years or life for previous murders to be charged with a capital offense. He was convicted in 1997 and sentenced to death. Cannady was executed on May 19, 2010. On December 17, 1999, Correctional Officer Daniel Nagle was fatally stabbed at his office in McConnell. He received seven stab wounds and died of a heart attack. It was the first murder of

2806-538: The first major city to offer citywide free wi-fi in April 2005 and to allow remote meter reading after a meter reader was attacked by a dog. In 2007, the network was purchased by Earthlink for $ 5.5 million, and stopped being a free service on May 31, 2007. Various sections of Corpus Christi maintain distinct senses of identity and community from the city proper, especially the Calallen and Flour Bluff areas. The city

2867-468: The museum district is a part, is home to skyscrapers such as One Shoreline Plaza , company offices, various shops, a popular center of marinas, and Mirador de la Flor . Downtown also is home of K Space Contemporary, a nonprofit art organization promoting and presenting local, regional, and national contemporary art. The Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens and Nature Center , also located in the city, hosts gardening programs from time to time. On Oso Bay near

2928-442: The oil and petrochemicals industry. In 2005, the port was ranked as the 47th-largest in the world by cargo tonnage. Corpus Christi is home to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, providing 6,200 civilian jobs to the local economy, making it the single largest employer in the city. Corpus Christi Army Depot , located on NAS Corpus Christi, is the largest helicopter repair facility in the world. Additionally located on NAS Corpus Christi

2989-405: The population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 22,093 households, 41.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.0% were not families. About 18.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size

3050-461: The population. The majority of the population is employed in the services, wholesale and retail trades, and government sectors. Corpus Christi has an unemployment rate of 4.5% as of July 2019. The Port of Corpus Christi, which is the fifth-largest U.S. port and deepest inshore port on the Gulf of Mexico , handles mostly oil and agricultural products. Much of the local economy is driven by tourism and

3111-505: The primary patron saint of the colonists' home country of Ireland), and Corpus Christi was designated as the county seat. The following year, the county south of the Nueces River was reorganized as Nueces County , and the town of San Patricio became the county seat of San Patricio County. In 1848, additional counties were formed out of San Patricio, which further reduced its size. The 1850 U.S. Census listed only 200 people in

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3172-408: The prison guards decided not to assist him, and 15 other people (by 2007) had died due to negligence issues. Eileen Kennedy, the assistant warden of McConnell at the time, stated that she was unaware that a policy stating that an asthmatic should not be housed alone existed. In 2013, in federal court, 14 prison guards at McConnell and 11 other individuals pleaded guilty to operating a smuggling ring in

3233-567: The prison. The individuals convicted of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) act got federal prison. Others got prison and/or probation time. According to Major Brian Rodeen, as of 2001 many of the prisoners at McConnell have life sentences and most have sentences of over 45 years. Joseph T. Hallinan, author of Going Up the River: Travels in a Prison Nation , wrote that "The convicts at

3294-461: The prisoners were Hispanic and Latino, since the prison is in the South Texas region. As of 2001 the prison had 570 prison guards and 273 other employees. In May 2003 Darrel Wafer, a 40-year-old prisoner, was left in a hot shower. Because guards and a nurse did not remove him in time, Wafer died of hyperthermia . On August 1, 2004, prisoner Micah "Mike" Burrell died of an asthma attack. According to Texas Civil Rights Project attorney Scott Medlock,

3355-496: The school board also lacked a majority-to-minority busing system. In 2012, Corpus Christi was ranked as the second-least literate city in the U.S. in a study by Central Connecticut State University. Corpus Christi is situated on fluvial deposits that are of Holocene — Pleistocene age. Although no solidified rock occurs naturally at the surface, the Deweyville Formation of sand , silt , clay , and gravel ,

3416-518: The situation around them and therefore is quieter, while the F pod has lower ranking members and therefore is more tense. Rodeen referred to the McConnell ad seg section as being among the most dangerous in Texas. Current: Former: 28°22′20″N 97°43′01″W  /  28.3723°N 97.7170°W  / 28.3723; -97.7170 Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( / ˌ k ɔːr p ə s ˈ k r ɪ s t i / KOR -pəs KRIS -tee ; Latin for ' Body of Christ ')

3477-896: The world's largest ranches, upon which the movie Giant was based. Although Corpus Christi has no teams in any of the four major sports leagues of the NFL , NBA , MLB , or NHL , it does have several sports offerings. The city is home to the Corpus Christi IceRays of the North American Hockey League and the Corpus Christi Hooks , of the Texas League , and the AA affiliate of the Houston Astros . The largest venue in Corpus Christi

3538-488: Was $ 34,836, and for a family was $ 40,002. Males had a median income of $ 31,132 versus $ 20,730 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 15,425. About 14.60% of families and 18.00% of the population were below the poverty line , including 23.50% of those under age 18 and 16.80% of those age 65 or over. School districts include: Del Mar College is the designated community college for all of San Patricio County. San Patricio County, like all counties in Texas,

3599-401: Was 2.97, and the average family size was 3.40. In the county, the age distribution was 31.1% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.30 males. The median income for a household in the county

3660-676: Was 316,239 in 2022, making it the eighth-most populous city in Texas. The Corpus Christi metropolitan area had an estimated population of 442,600. It is also the hub of the six-county Corpus Christi-Kingsville Combined Statistical Area , with a 2013 estimated population of 516,793. The Port of Corpus Christi is the fifth-largest in the United States. The region is served by the Corpus Christi International Airport . The city's name means body of Christ in Ecclesiastical Latin , in reference to

3721-594: Was created to battle racial discrimination against Hispanic people in the United States. Since its founding, LULAC has grown and now has a national headquarters in Washington, D.C. In March 1949, the American GI Forum (AGIF) was founded in Corpus Christi. Currently, AGIF focuses on veteran's issues, education, and civil-rights issues. This organization was founded after concerns over the segregation of Mexican-American veterans from other veterans groups and

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