Beginnings

The roots of the Museums of Port Isabel system began in 1981 with the development of the Laguna Madre Museum Foundation (LMMF), an organization made up of concerned citizens interested in the preservation of the history of the Laguna Madre area. As an incorporated organization, LMMF sponsored fundraisers and partnered with the City of Port Isabel through its Public Library which designated a room in the library for the Museum’s usage. LMMF also restored the Lady Bea shrimp boat into a fishing industry exhibit. Displayed on the Buelah Lee Park grounds in Port Isabel, the Lady Bea drew thousands of visitors, who climbed the stairs to walk the deck and peer in the windows of the cabin.

In 1995, the Rio Grande Valley Empowerment Zone, a federal program focused on creating economic development in rural areas, awarded Port Isabel and other designated communities in the Valley over $40 million dollars. These funds were shared and used to create innovative ways to promote economic development in each of the participating communities.

Port Isabel city official realized that one of the City’s strong points was its rich history and used part of these funds to establish a museum system that would attract not only tourists but also business to the area. Statistically, the Point Isabel Lighthouse was attracting over 30,000 visitors a year and the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDot) estimated 400,000 vehicles were crossing the Queen Isabella Causeway per month. Bearing this in mind, it was decided the creation of additional attractions would benefit from the high traffic numbers and in turn benefit local business and the Museums were created.