In 1934, Connie and Jack Hagar of Corsicana, Texas, purchased Rockport Cottages on this property, with Jack managing the cottages while Connie pursued her passion for nature. Birds became Connie Hagar’s major interest and brought her international recognition and the nickname “The Bird Lady from Texas.” When she began reporting her bird findings in Aransas County, ornithologists and serious bird watchers initially regarded her with suspicion, but after she challenged them to see for themselves, they became believers. Her work made her the catalyst for placing Rockport and Aransas County on every naturalist’s list of must-see locations in the United States, and she became a legend in her lifetime. After her death in 1973, the property remained undeveloped and the cottages were torn down or removed. In 1990, local Rockport-area residents formed the Friends of Connie Hagar, Inc., and in 1994 they purchased the property through donations, grants, and gifts. It became a bird sanctuary, nature education center, historical site, and an area dedicated to preserving Connie Hagar’s legacy. The sanctuary was designated site number 1 on the Great Texas Birding Trail, and Roger Tory Peterson dedicated the trail and sanctuary in 1996.