Corpus Christi, Texas

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Image:Harbor.jpg Template:Infobox City Corpus Christi is the county seat of Nueces CountyTemplate:GR and a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Texas. The name means "body of Christ" in Latin. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 277,454 people (though a July 1, 2004 estimate placed the population at 281,196), making it the eighth-largest city in state.

The city is often referred to as "The Sparkling City by the Sea," particularly in literature promoting tourism. Since 2003, the city has earned numerous awards including:

  • All-America City 2003
  • Digital City
  • One of the best cities to stretch your paycheck
  • One of the least depressed cities in the nation

The city is served by Corpus Christi International Airport, on the west side of the city.

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Geography

Corpus Christi is located at 27°44'34" North, 97°24'7" West (27.742857, -97.401927)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1,192.0 km² (460.2 mi²). 400.5 km² (154.6 mi²) of it is land and 791.5 km² (305.6 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 66.40% water.

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Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 277,454 people, 98,791 households, and 70,437 families residing in the city. The population density was 692.7/km² (1,794.2/mi²). There were 107,831 housing units at an average density of 269.2/km² (697.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city 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. 54.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 98,791 households out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the city the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,414, and the median income for a family was $41,672. Males had a median income of $31,863 versus $22,616 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,419. 17.6% of the population and 14.1% of families were below the poverty line. 22.9% of those under the age of 18 and 15.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Average rents in Corpus Christi in 2005 were $599 for a one bedroom apartment, and $769 for a two bedroom apartment.

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People and culture

Corpus Christi is home to the Days Inn where Tejano star Selena was shot to death. It is also where Marshall Applewhite, leader of the Heaven's Gate cult, grew up. Other notable personages who have either grown up or resided in Corpus Christi include the actors Eva Longoria, Farrah Fawcett, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Dabney Coleman, musicians Danny Lohner (of Nine Inch Nails) and Freddy Fender and Jim Heath (of The Reverend Horton Heat, NFL Hall of Famer Raymond Berry, NHL player Brian Leetch, NASCAR drivers Terry Labonte and brother Bobby Labonte (the only brothers to each win a Winston Cup title; Labonte Park on the north side of town is named for them), and local newscaster & Guinness record holder Walter Furley. Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale codeveloper Robert Simpson is also from Corpus Christi. In fact, he was nearly killed by a hurricane in Corpus Christi, which sparked his interest in meteorology. Corpus Christi is also the hometown to the fast-food restaurant Whataburger.

The Corpus Christi Caller Times is the local paper of record.

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Local attractions

Various sections of Corpus Christi maintain distinct senses of identity and community from the city proper, especially the Calallen and Flour Bluff areas, and, less prominently, Clarkwood and Annaville. These areas are sometimes mistakenly believed to be separate municipalities.

The city is home to a number of popular destinations for both tourists and residents. The most visited are probably on the North Beach portion of the city, where the Texas State Aquarium and USS Lexington Museum on the Bay are located. Nearby is Corpus Christi's museum district. Located there are the Museum of Asian Cultures, Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, the South Texas Museum of Art, and the Harbor Playhouse theatre, one of the oldest continually operating community theatres in the State. Heritage Park is also in the museum district, where a number of older restored houses can be found. The downtown area, of which the museum district is a part, is home to skyscrapers, companies, various shops, and a very popular center of marinas. Also in the city is the Corpus Christi Botanical Garden which hosts gardening programs from time to time.

Directly east of Corpus Christi are Padre Island and Mustang Island, home to various municipal, state, and national parks, most notably Padre Island National Seashore. The city is also near King Ranch, one of the world's largest ranches, upon which the movie Giant was based.

South Padre Island Drive (locally abbreviated as "S.P.I.D.", with the letters pronounced individually), is the city's main retail corridor, with two shopping malls facing each other and a number of large shopping centers, small strip centers, and scores of restaurants of various kinds.

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Education

Corpus Christi is home to several institutions of higher learning: Del Mar College, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (formerly Corpus Christi State University (CCSU), but now a component of the Texas A&M University System), Our Lady of Corpus Christi, a private, Catholic university, a branch of the Coastal Bend College education program, and numerous vocational schools including Southern Careers Institute and Vogue Cosmetology School.

Thanks to the growing number of residents, the elementary and secondary school's in Corpus Christi are busting at the seams. New schools are in development and some have been completed in mid-2005, such as the brand new Faye Webb Elementary.

Five school districts provide primary and secondary education for area residents: Corpus Christi Independent School District, Calallen ISD, Flour Bluff ISD, Tuloso-Midway ISD, and West Oso ISD. The Diocese of Corpus Christi provides the primary and secondary education for Catholic schools.

Del Mar College is a local community college begun in the 1940's at a location behind Wynn Seale Jr. H. S. The main campus began with the administration building which was constructed after WWII on Del Mar. The college grew to encompass a good portion of a residental addition called Southmoreland built from the Bohemian farm lands in the late 1930s. Del Mar now includes a West campus located in area of Corpus Christi that once was Cliff Maus Airport. http://www.delmar.edu

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Local Media

Magazine

Newspaper

Local Television

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External links

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