Tarpon Inn
Encyclopedia
The Tarpon Inn is a historic hotel
located in Port Aransas, Texas
, United States
that originally opened in 1886. The building was named after the tarpon
sport fish that drew many anglers to the sea side city and Port Aransas was called Tarpon at the time. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on September 14, 1979.
The original Tarpon Inn was built in 1886 from surplus material that came from an old Civil War
barracks
. The building was destroyed by fire in 1900. Two new buildings were constructed in its place only to be ravaged by a hurricane in 1919
and its 12-15 foot storm surge. The larger building was completely destroyed, but the smaller building was reparable and continued to be used as a hotel until 1926.
In 1923, James M. Ellis bought the property. In 1925, he built the structure that still stands today. He retained the barracks style as a homage
to the original 1886 Tarpon Inn. To strengthen the building against future hurricanes, dozens of pine poles were sunk into 16 to 20 feet of concrete
. The long poles extend up through the attic and the roof is anchored to these poles. When the new building opened, the old smaller building became the hotel's dining room.
After World War II
, tarpon began to disappear from this section of the Texas coast. With the decline of the tarpon and the sportsmen who came to fish for them, the Inn fell into disrepair and changed hands several times. The Inn was repaired and reopened by a new owner in 1975 and has again become a popular place for fishermen as well as tourists and business travelers.
The main lobby of the Tarpon Inn is adorned with over 7000 tarpon scales
, each signed by the angler who landed the fish. The most famous scale is the one signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt
, who fished off the Texas Coast in 1937, even though he did not actually stay at the Inn. Notable guests at the Inn include Aimee Semple McPherson
, Jesse Jones, Douglas Corrigan
, and Clyde Beatty
. Duncan Hines
spent his honeymoon
at the Inn.
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
located in Port Aransas, Texas
Port Aransas, Texas
Port Aransas is a city in Nueces County, Texas. The population was 3,370 at the 2000 census.-Early history:Karankawa Indians played a key role in the early development of the Texas Gulf Coast. The Karankawa Indians inhabited the Gulf Coast of Texas from Galveston Bay all the way to Corpus Christi Bay...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that originally opened in 1886. The building was named after the tarpon
Tarpon
Tarpons are large fish of the genus Megalops. There are two species of Megalops, one native to the Atlantic, and the other to the Indo-Pacific oceans.They are the only members of the family Megalopidae.- Species and habitats :...
sport fish that drew many anglers to the sea side city and Port Aransas was called Tarpon at the time. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on September 14, 1979.
The original Tarpon Inn was built in 1886 from surplus material that came from an old Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
. The building was destroyed by fire in 1900. Two new buildings were constructed in its place only to be ravaged by a hurricane in 1919
1919 Florida Keys Hurricane
The Florida Keys Hurricane or Atlantic Gulf Hurricane of 1919 was an intense Atlantic hurricane, killing 772 people as it moved through the Florida Keys and Texas. The second tropical cyclone of the 1919 hurricane season, it moved in the proximity of the eastern Greater Antilles and Bahamas...
and its 12-15 foot storm surge. The larger building was completely destroyed, but the smaller building was reparable and continued to be used as a hotel until 1926.
In 1923, James M. Ellis bought the property. In 1925, he built the structure that still stands today. He retained the barracks style as a homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
to the original 1886 Tarpon Inn. To strengthen the building against future hurricanes, dozens of pine poles were sunk into 16 to 20 feet of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
. The long poles extend up through the attic and the roof is anchored to these poles. When the new building opened, the old smaller building became the hotel's dining room.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, tarpon began to disappear from this section of the Texas coast. With the decline of the tarpon and the sportsmen who came to fish for them, the Inn fell into disrepair and changed hands several times. The Inn was repaired and reopened by a new owner in 1975 and has again become a popular place for fishermen as well as tourists and business travelers.
The main lobby of the Tarpon Inn is adorned with over 7000 tarpon scales
Scale (zoology)
In most biological nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration...
, each signed by the angler who landed the fish. The most famous scale is the one signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, who fished off the Texas Coast in 1937, even though he did not actually stay at the Inn. Notable guests at the Inn include Aimee Semple McPherson
Aimee Semple McPherson
Aimee Semple McPherson , also known as Sister Aimee, was a Canadian-American Los Angeles, California evangelist and media celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s. She founded the Foursquare Church...
, Jesse Jones, Douglas Corrigan
Douglas Corrigan
Douglas Corrigan was an American aviator born in Galveston, Texas. He was nicknamed "Wrong Way" in 1938. After a transcontinental flight from Long Beach, California, to New York, he flew from Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York, to Ireland, though his flight plan was filed to return to Long...
, and Clyde Beatty
Clyde Beatty
Clyde Beatty joined the circus as a cage cleaner as a teen and became famous as a lion tamer and animal trainer. He also became a circus impresario who owned his own show that later merged with the Cole Bros. Circus to form the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros...
. Duncan Hines
Duncan Hines
Duncan Hines was an American pioneer of restaurant ratings for travelers. He is best known today for the brand of food products that bears his name.-History:...
spent his honeymoon
Honeymoon
-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
at the Inn.