Built in 1852 at Port Isabel, Texas, Point Isabel Light guided ships through Brazos Santiago Pass as an important Gulf Coast navigational aid. The 82-foot brick tower was authorized by Congress in 1850, expanded from four lights to 15 lamps and 21 reflectors, and received a third-order Fresnel lens in 1857. During the Civil War it served as a lookout for soldiers from both sides, then returned to service in 1866. Land-title disputes interrupted its operation in 1888 and again after 1895. Sold into private ownership in 1927, it was preserved after a local campaign, restored beginning in 1951, and opened to the public in 1952.