The Community Presbyterian Church, located at 113 S. Alister St., is one of the locations being considered to receive a tile to mark the church as an historical site. The church is still n need of repair more than three years after Hurricane Harvey heavily damaged it. Church members plan to restore the historic building. South Jetty file photo
A ceramic tile designating historic buildings and landmarks is being developed by the Port Aransas Preservation and Historical Association.
PAPHA is partnering with Carter Brown and his mother, Marline Carter Lawson, to create a means to recognize historic homes and sites around Port Aransas.
Car ter Brown is the great-grandson of Aline Carter, Texas poet laureate, whose family built the locally famous Chapel on the Dunes in the 1930s. Marline Carter Lawson is the granddaughter of Aline Carter.
The family still owns the chapel and allows the community to visit through tours organized by the Port Aransas Museum.
Part of the impetus for creating the historical designation tile came when Carter and Lawson recently decided to replace a tile inside the chapel. They spoke to Sienna Ginn of Dunis Studios in Wimberly, a tile artisan.
“By chance she informed me that her studio makes the ceramic tiles for the San Antonio Conservation Society Awards for home restoration,” Brown said. “Castroville uses this tile design for town landmarks, rather than restoration awards.”
Tiles with a similar design will be awarded to mark historical sites around Port Aransas, according to Cliff Strain, Port Aransas Museum director. Courtesy of Port Aransas Historical Preservation Association
Brown said that it would be worth considering doing something like this for Port Aransas and that it might foster more community appreciation and recognition.
The plan is to award tiles to places in town that many folks would not recognize as having historical significance.
Brown and Lawson have already commissioned 12 of the 8-by-8 tiles to be awarded. The concept tile design features the Lydia Ann Lighthouse, built in 1855 to guide ships through the pass between San Jose and Mustang islands. The design also has a rope, symbolizing Ropesville – Port Aransas’ first name, according to records by then postmaster William R. Roberts, who recorded the town’s name on July 12, 1888. A tarpon also is included in the tile design. The tarpon was a much sought-after game fish, and Tarpon became the town’s name on July 17, 1896.
Cliff Strain, Port Aransas Museum director, will work with Brown and Lawson, as well as a committee to choose the locations that will be awarded the tiles. The tiles can then be mounted on the outside of the residences and businesses to mark them as historical sites.
Another part of the plan is to create a map showing the sites’ locations so that visitors can take self-guided tours around Port Aransas to view the history of the town. The plan for the map includes providing the background historical information about each location.
Some of the locations that are being considered are the dune gun mounts on Cotter Avenue, the Community Presbyterian Church, the Mercer Cemetery, Gibbs Cottages, the Old St. Joseph Church building on N. Station Street and Shorty’s Place located at 821 Tarpon St.
Strain said that there are many more potential candidates that could receive the historical tiles and be recognized for their part in Port Aransas history.
Strain said that anyone who feels like they own an historic structure that they would like recognized should contact him to get on the list for consideration.
Contact Strain by emailing him at director@portaransasmuseum.org.
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