Corpus Christi, Texas

1995Murder of Selena Quintanilla: Tejano superstar Selena was killed in Corpus Christi by her fan club president at age 23, sparking worldwide mourning and cementing her as a cultural icon.

1919Devastating Hurricane: A Category 3 hurricane killed over 280 people and destroyed most waterfront structures, leading to the seawall's construction.

1941NAS Corpus Christi Opens: The world's largest naval air training facility opened. George H.W. Bush was among the thousands who trained there during WWII.

1845Mexican-American War Staging: Zachary Taylor assembled 4,000 troops before marching south, temporarily making Corpus Christi the largest city in Texas.

1926Port Opens: The deep-water port transformed Corpus Christi into a major shipping hub — today the third-largest U.S. port by tonnage.

1839Kinney's Trading Post: Colonel Henry Kinney's trading post on the bay attracted settlers and became the nucleus of the city.

2017Hurricane Harvey: Harvey made Category 4 landfall nearby, causing significant damage before devastating Houston with flooding.

1970Petrochemical Boom: Offshore oil and Gulf Coast refineries made Corpus Christi a petrochemical industry center.

1947Padre Island Development: Development began on the world's longest barrier island. Padre Island National Seashore was established in 1962.

1914Causeway to North Beach: The first causeway opened the waterfront for recreation, establishing beach tourism central to the city's identity.