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Queen Isabella Market Day Entertainment
Ensamble La Misión produces an eclectic and international musical repertoire with a wide variety of ethnic and traditional instruments.  Adrian Foncerrada Sr, father, plays quena, flute, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, violin, guitar and charango. Laura Foncerrada, mother and vocalist, plays sampoñas, clave, rainstick, bombo legüero, maracas, accordion and guitar. Sebastian Foncerrada, twelve year old son, keeps the tempo and beat with his extreme ability to play the congas, bombo legüero, and cajón peruano He is currently learning hindu Tabla . Luis W. Foncerrada, seventeen year old son, supports the ensemble with a multifaceted guitar style. He also plays cuatro venezolano and clarinet. All of them are backed up by son Adrian Foncerrada's Jr. rich electric and upright bass. The quintet, family foncerrada, blends voices in original harmonies as they sing in English, Spanish, French, Catalan, Portuguese and Italian. They have played in venues around Mexico, the Rio Grande Valley, and Texas.
From the depths of beautiful South Texas comes EIDMAN HALL, a melodic pop/rock band that has made quite a name for themselves over the past three years. The band consists of lead singer Chris Garcia, guitarist Eddie Hernandez, keyboardist/saxophonist Xavier Gonzalez, and drummer Robert Reyes. EIDMAN HALL's style/sound can be described today as "a different shade of Coldplay with just a touch of The Fray and a smidge of Dave Matthews Band." Other influences include: Vertical Horizon, Gin Blossoms, Goo Goo Dolls, Keane, John Mayer, and Ari Hest. The band has opened up for some big name artists such as Lionel Richie, Vallejo, Ozomatli and Marie Digby. They have also had the opportunity to work and play alongside with Robin Wilson and Scott Johnson of the Gin Blossoms. EIDMAN HALL is currently working hard to finish their upcoming debut CD which should be out early 2008.
Queen Isabella Market Day 2008> History of Port Isabel
Port Isabel, originally named Point Isabel was inhabited by the Coahilitecan Indians prior to European settlements. This quaint fishing village’s strategic location, once having a 25-foot bluff in the area where the Point Isabel Lighthouse now stands, was a natural lookout for viewing both the Laguna Madre Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. This natural formation was instrumental in the settlement and development of this area and was an important force during the U.S./Mexican War, Civil War, and maritime commerce.
At the beginning, Port Isabel was a cattle ranch owned by Don Raphael Garcia, the first recorded owner of the area, having claimed it in 1829. Then known as El Froton de Santa Isabel local ranchers formed business alliances with pirates who sailed their contraband between the Rio Grande and Corpus Christi. El Fronton de Santa Isabel (Point Isabel) became the base for the growing Port of Matamoros and the privateer fleet.
In 1846, General Zachary Taylor established Fort Polk, a military encampment named in honor of President Polk during the U.S./Mexican War. The fort included one of the largest military hospitals in the United States. Famous individuals including Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and other notable men were stationed at this fort. A year later in 1847, Simon Mussina attempted to establish the city of Point Isabel along the Laguna Madre west of the fort. In 1850, the United States Army evacuated and by 1851, Mussina’s attempts failed.
However, in 1850, the U.S. government appropriated $15,000 for the construction of a beacon and lighthouse at Brazos Santiago. Through much controversy, Point Isabel was selected for the lighthouse location rather than Brazos Santiago. By 1851, the customhouse was situated in the former commanding officer’s quarters of Fort Polk, and the site selected for the lighthouse was the interior of the main earthen bastion of the Fort.
The Point Isabel Lighthouse was completed and lighted on April 20, 1853 along with the beacon at Brazos Santiago on Padre Island, a square wooden tower painted black. The Lighthouse served as a valuable function as a lookout tower during the Mexican insurrections and the Civil War.
In 1865, Point Isabel lost its importance as a port due to a military bridge having been builit from Boca Chica to Bagdad, Mexico, a prosperous shipping town. In 1866 and 1867, bad weather destroyed Bagdad and once again Point Isabel prospered as a port.
In the 1870s, the new Rio Grande Railroad track was installed and businesses were established south of the lighthouse. In 1875, a new town plat was developed and the streets were named by the daughters of Don Raphael Garcia. In the early 1900s, a new railroad linking Corpus Christi to Brownsville along with the sinking of the lighter Luzon at the railroad wharf led to a decline in shipping traffic, and in 1905 the lighthouse was permanently closed.
By 1915, the population of Point Isabel declined to 300. At this time, the Wireless Station, one of the largest radio stations used for the military, was set up southwest of the lighthouse on 22 acres.
In the early 1920’s, a new vision for Point Isabel was realized. The Port Isabel Land Company purchased the lighthouse from J.S. Ford of Brownsville, made necessary repairs, and opened it up as a tourist attraction. In 1928, the City was incorporated and the slogan “Building a City were a City belongs” set the premises of changing this small fishing village into a tourist area. Streets were paved, canals were constructed, electric lights installed and industry and mercantile businesses established.
Today, Port Isabel has blossomed once again with many unique shops, restaurants, historic hotels, and museums that make up this historic and colorful area.
Museums of Port Isabel Background
The Museums of Port Isabel is comprised of three unique museums that interpret the colorful history of Port Isabel and the Laguna Madre area. The museum complex includes: the Port Isabel Historical Museum, the Treasures of the Gulf Museum and the Point Isabel Lighthouse and Keeper’s Cottage.
The Port Isabel Historical Museum which is housed in the historic Charles Champion building opened its doors in 1997 and chronicles the history of Port Isabel and South Padre Island from the time of the Coahuilitican Indians to glory days of the Shrimp Industry. This two-story museum showcases artifacts, videos, and hands-on displays for a well-rounded walk through history. The Historical Museum has one of the largest collections of Mexican military artifacts from the U.S. Mexican War in the world.
The Treasures of the Gulf Museum opened in 2000 and is housed adjacent to the Historical Museum in the former Merchant Marine Bank building. The Treasures Museum interprets the 1554 Shipwrecks, which were excavated in the 1960s, 30 miles from Port Isabel on the Port Mansfield Cut. Silver coins, plates, cannons, murals and a Children’s Discovery area tell the story of this ill-fated fleet that was washed ashore during an April storm in 1554.
The Point Isabel Lighthouse, which was restored to its 1880s appearance in 2000, continues to lure tourists to climb the 75 steps to the top to enjoy a breathtaking 16-mile view in any direction of the beautiful Laguna Madre. Originally constructed in 1852, the Lighthouse has withstood hurricanes and wars. During the Civil War, both the Union and Confederates forces used the lighthouse as a lookout. In 1952, the Lighthouse was renovated and made into a state park. The Lighthouse is the second smallest state park in Texas and one of the very few lighthouses opened to the public.
The Lighthouse Keepers Cottage was built in 1995 from original 1850s blueprints and now houses an exhibit featuring the history of the Port Isabel Lighthouse. It also serves as the offices of the Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce and as a Tourist Information Center for the City of Port Isabel. During the year, the Lighthouse Park is the site for several festivals including the Queen Isabella and Lighthouse Market Days, Day of the Dead Celebration, and Christmas Caroling. During the summer, movies will be shown on the side of the lighthouse as the Lighthouse Establishment Cinema, a free summer program hosted by the Museums for the public.
The roots of the Museums of Port Isabel system began in 1981 by 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, which designated a room in the library to be used for museum displays. LMMF also restored the Lady Bea shrimp boat into a fishing industry. Displayed next to the library on Beulah Lee Park, the Lady Bea drew thousands of visitors, who were curious about boarding an actual shrimp boat and learning about the industry.
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 officials realized that 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 businesses to the area. Statistically, the Point Isabel Lighthouse was attracting over 30,000 tourists per year and the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDot) estimated 400,000 vehicles were crossing the Queen Isabel Causeway per month. Bearing this in mind, it was decided that the creation of additional attractions would benefit from the high traffic number and in turn would benefit local business with the increase of tourists stopping in Port Isabel to enjoy its historical ambiance and attractions. The project evolved into a community effort as individuals, businesses, corporations, and foundations assisted the City’s efforts both financially and through volunteer hours. The Port Isabel Economic Development Corporation purchased the former Merchant Marine Bank building and the property south of it for future expansion. The City passed an ordinance to develop the Department of Historical Preservation and hired a professional museum director to oversee the Museums and historical districts in the city.
The Museums of Port Isabel continues to offer tours and enhance the heritage experience of the Laguna Madre with seasonal exhibits and programs. One of the programs featured is “Telling Our Stories”, a popular oral history project that started four years ago. Speakers, including historians, naturalists, and the public are invited to present topics that interpret the history of our area. The presentations are recorded and placed in the Museum archives for future study. The program is free and is held on the last Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Treasures of the Gulf Museum.
Our seasonal exhibits and events showcase Hispanic Month, Veteran’s Day, Day of the Dead and the Christmas holiday. The Museum also takes presentations to the classroom and to organizations upon request. Various topics concerning local history and museum operations are presented. The Museum’s collection is used by scholars and students researching local and regional history.
The Museum also markets the area through its Community Gallery. Located on Highway 100 in front of the Treasures of the Gulf Museum, the Community Gallery is a 24 hour display that showcases the history of the Texas International Fishing Tournament (T.I.F.T.), the Museums, area festivals, the Queen Isabella Causeway, and the El Paseo de Santa Isabella Hike and Bike Trail project.
The Museum offers membership and volunteer programs, hosts fundraisers throughout the year including the Taste of the Tropics Fundraiser in February, and the Queen Isabella and Lighthouse Market Days in April and October. One of our newest projects is the Lighthouse Establishment Cinema (LHEC) which involves showing movies on the side of the Port Isabel Lighthouse during the summer months. The event is free to the public who are invited to bring blankets and folding chairs and enjoy a movie under the stars.
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