1941 Corpus Christi Seawall

The Corpus Christi Seawall, a designated Texas Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, has helped protect the coastal city for more than seventy years. After hurricanes periodically devastated Corpus Christi, the city began considering a protective barrier in 1919, but for the next twenty years seawall plans were proposed only to be ignored or rejected. Construction finally began in 1939 with more than $2,000,000 from the remission of state and ad valorem taxes from seven south Texas counties. San Antonio contractor Jay Depuy built the 1,100-foot-long seawall from a design by the Dallas civil engineering firm of E.L. Myers and E.N. Noyes. Dredging eastward from Water Street, Depuy created a new land mound extending more than 500 feet into the bay, then drove creosoted timber pilings through the mound into the bay bottom and erected a 14-foot-high steel-reinforced concrete seawall with steps leading down into the water. Completed in 1941 with three piers and a marina, it served not only as a protective barrier but also as a public gathering place where residents held bonfire war bond rallies during World War II, watched the sesquicentennial fireworks display, and celebrated the arrival of the Columbus ships. Built through the ingenuity of engineers, the persistence of politicians, and the enthusiasm of citizens, the seawall has protected shoreline businesses and property well into the 21st century.

Corpus Christi, Texas · United States