Aransas Pass Light Station: A Historic Texas Lighthouse

Published: November 1, 1994

Aransas Pass Light Station, on Harbor Island in Aransas County, was built in 1855 by the United States government to facilitate navigation on Aransas Bay. The station has a tapered octagonal brick tower, three wooden auxiliary dwellings, and a radio shack. It is the second oldest lighthouse on the Texas coast and the oldest surviving structure in the Aransas Pass-Corpus Christi area. A state historical marker was placed at the site in 1973, and in 1977 the station was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Marker Files, Texas Historical Commission, Austin.

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The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this entry.

Christopher Long, “Aransas Pass Light Station,” Handbook of Texas Online, accessed April 11, 2026, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/aransas-pass-light-station.

TID: GGA05

Original Publication Date:: November 1, 1994

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Commemorating 250 years of American independence through the stories, people, and places that shaped Texas and the nation.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, Texans have a unique opportunity to reflect on the state’s role in the American story. Through exhibitions, programs, educational initiatives, and community events across Texas, Texas America250 encourages celebration, reflection, and commemoration at both local and statewide levels. At the Texas State Historical Association, we are proud to support this important moment through our mission-driven work in history education and public engagement, including Texas History Day, and we invite students, educators, and communities to explore this milestone in meaningful ways.

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On July 4, 2026, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the greatest nation in the history of the world. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Long may these ideals live in the heart of every Texan and every American. May God bless all who have defended our freedoms that we enjoy each day. And God bless the United States of America.

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Aransas Pass Light Station: A Historic Texas Lighthouse

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