PORT ISABEL
Port Isabel Lighthouse
According to the City of Port Isabel, "the Port Isabel historic lighthouse has been closed and undergoing renovation since November 2016. The exterior has been resurfaced and two sets of railings at the top of the lighthouse have been manufactured and replaced.
As has not been the case since some time in 2014, the catwalk will now be accessible to the public. This optional part of the tour adds an immersive 360° 16-mile view."
Take a Walk Around Port Isabel, Texas
Published on Nov 27, 2015: Port Isabel's downtown is uniquely located on the shoreline of the Laguna Madre Bay and has a historic lighthouse in the center of it! There are dozens of specialty shops, an art gallery, food and drink, museums, a fishing pier, a pirate ship, fishing charters, dolphin watches, fish markets, and, yes, you can stroll to the top of the Lighthouse! video
Quick Factoids of Port Isabel
• Date of construction: 1852. Construction of the 50-foot brick lighthouse was completed in 1853 of a supply used by Gen. Zachary Taylor during the Mexican-American War.
• Decommissioned due to the decline of commercial shipping in 1905.
• Built on the grounds of Fort Polk which was used in 1846 - 1848 during the US/Mexican War.
• Port Isabel Lighthouse is the only lighthouse that is open to the public on the Texas Gulf Coast.
• The Port Isabel Lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 30, 1976. The lighthouse is owned by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and operated by the City of Port Isabel.
• The lighthouse is 72” tall.
• There are 75 steps to the top of the lighthouse, and steps out on the lantern room's balcony.
• Summer programming at the lighthouse includes the Lighthouse Establishment Cinema. On Fridays at 9:30 p.m., during June and July, movies are projected on the side of the lighthouse. Free admission to the movies.
• Group tours are available. Call 956-943-7602 for more information.