Get to know Corpus Christi, TX

The coastal city known as the Texas Riviera and the Sparkling City by the Sea lies about 130 miles southeast of San Antonio.  The city got its name in 1519 from the Spanish explorer Alonso Alvarez de Pineda when he discovered the settlement on the bay on the Catholic feast day of Corpus Christi.  The city was founded in 1839 as a trading post that sold supplies to a Mexican revolutionary army.  U.S. troops under General Zachary Taylor set up camp there in 1845 in preparation of war with Mexico.  In 1852 the city was incorporated and named Corpus Christi.  The city saw the American Civil War Battle the Battle of Corpus Christi from August 12-18, 1862.  The city is the original home of Whataburger headquarters, before it moved to San Antonio in 2009.  Corpus Christi has been called the fattest city in America.  Notable attractions include the Hans and Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge, which is known for seabird watching, and North Beach, where the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay is located.  A number of films have been made in the city, including Knight Rider 2000 (1991), Selena (1997), and Pearl Harbor (2001).  Notable residents have included Farrah Fawcett Eva Longoria, and Lou Diamond Phillips.

Quick Facts

Population: 320,431

Median Household Income: $52,066

Median Property Value: $118,100