The sturdy lighthouse tower at Point Isabel was built in 1853 on the grounds of a military depot left after the war with Mexico and survived war damage, coastal storms, and years of abandonment. It was a strategic prize for Confederate and Federal troops during the American Civil War, and during the last half of the 19th century its light projected fifteen miles out to sea to guide ships to the safety of Brazos Santiago harbor. Since 1952 it has been the focal point of a state park and stands as a well-known landmark for the recreational industry in Port Isabel.