Texas Porch

Corpus Christi and the central coast

The Coastal Bend

The Coastal Bend around Corpus Christi — windstorm coverage and TWIA, barrier-island beaches, bays and estuaries, and hurricane exposure.

15 counties · 156 local notes

Cities & towns

Counties

A taste of the notes

Aransas County · Property tax

How the Homestead Exemption Lowers Your Property Tax in Aransas County

If your Aransas County home is your main residence, you can apply for a homestead exemption to lower your property tax bill.

Bee County · History / Architecture

The Bee County Courthouse: A Beaux Arts Landmark in Beeville

The 1913 Bee County Courthouse in Beeville was restored with state funding through the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program.

DeWitt County · Cattle History

DeWitt County Was the Starting Point of the First Chisholm Trail Drive

The area near present-day Cuero is where the first commercial cattle drives up the Chisholm Trail began in 1866, shaping this county's identity for generations.

Jackson County · Windstorm Insurance

Jackson County is not in the TWIA windstorm insurance zone

Unlike its coastal neighbors, Jackson County is not covered by the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, so you will need a standard private insurer for wind coverage.

Lavaca County · Historic Landmark

Lavaca County's 1899 courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places

The Lavaca County Courthouse in Hallettsville was built in 1899 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

McMullen County · Hunting Regulations

Hunting Rules and Bag Limits for McMullen County

McMullen County sits in a prime South Texas hunting zone with specific deer and turkey bag limits set by TPWD.

Matagorda County · Local History

Bay City replaced an older town as the county seat in 1894

Bay City was founded in 1894 on the Bay Prairie between the Colorado River and Caney Creek, then quickly grew into a railroad and rice-farming hub.

Nueces County · Hurricane Evacuation

I-37 is the main hurricane evacuation route out of Corpus Christi

TxDOT uses I-37 northbound as the primary evacuation corridor for the Corpus Christi area, and the highway shoulder can be converted into an extra travel lane during a storm.

Nueces County · Energy History

Oil and natural gas have shaped Nueces County since the 1920s

Natural gas was discovered in Nueces County in 1922, launching decades of oil and gas production that transformed the local economy.

San Patricio County · Homestead Exemption

Homestead Exemption Can Lower Your Tax Bill

If your home in San Patricio County is your primary residence, you may qualify for a homestead exemption that reduces your taxable value.

Victoria County · Property Tax Basics

Two offices handle your property taxes

In Victoria County, one office sets your property value and a separate office collects your tax bill.

Victoria County · City Limits vs. Unincorporated

Where you live in the county affects what rules apply to your property

Whether your property is inside the city, in the ETJ buffer zone, or in unincorporated county land determines which rules apply.