Tropical Visits Corpus Christi! Our visit to Corpus Christi took us to Heritage Park located in the city’s Museum District and site of 12 Victorian-era homes – the oldest dating to 1851, the Art Museum of South Texas - the cultural center for fine arts located on Corpus Christi Bay and Old Bayview Cemetery – the oldest federal military cemetery in Texas. And, in keeping with the holiday spirit, we also enjoyed a visit to the annual Christmas Tree Forest at the Art Museum.
We learned about Daniel P. Whiting, 19th century Army infantry officer who served under Brigadier General Zachary Taylor during the Mexican War and had the opportunity to experience a mini-version of the “Old Bayview Cemetery Walk” featuring historical reenactors in period costumes.
Heritage Park
The day began at 10:00 am at Heritage Park, located at 1581 N. Chaparral in the Museum District. Twelve Victorian homes are located in Heritage Park, all moved there from their original locations.
Our welcome and refreshments at French-Galvan House included a brief history of Heritage Park and the homes therein provided by Anita Eisenhauer, president of the Nueces County Historical Commission.
Originally located at the corner of Waco and Comanche Streets, the French-Galvan House is a colonial revival home built in 1907-08 for the family of Asa Milton and Frances Garrett French. Mr. French was a native of New Hampshire, surveyor and civil engineer. He settled in Corpus Christi in 1882 after working on the construction of the Texas-Mexican Railroad and became an active civic leader.
The home was acquired by Rafael Galvan in 1942. Galvan was a Corpus Christi policeman for 20 years and a founder and charter member of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). A prominent businessman as well, he also opened a popular ballroom in Corpus Christi. The home remained in the Galvan family for 40 years.
Old Bayview Cemetery/Voices of South Texas & the story of Daniel P. Whiting
From Galvan House and Heritage Park, we drove a short distance to Old Bayview Cemetery located at the corner of W. Broadway and W. Waco Streets. Bayview Cemetery is the oldest federal military cemetery in Texas.
Bayview Cemetery was laid out by US Army Engineers while Brigadier General Zachary Taylor was encamped in Corpus Christi on the eve of the Mexican War in 1846. After Taylor’s army left, the cemetery became the community burial ground. Here are graves of pioneer settlers and of veterans of the War of 1812, Texas War for Independence, Mexican War, Indian campaigns, Civil War and later conflicts.
While at the cemetery, we had the opportunity to experience a mini-version of the “living history” Cemetery Walk & Voices of South Texas historical reenactment by the South Texas Historians re-enactor group. This Walk is a project of the Nueces County Historical Commission and is coordinated by Karen Howden, Commission member.
Ms. Howden also spoke to us in more detail later in the day about the history of the cemetery and the Cemetery Walk.
Local businessman, author and historian Jim Moloney addressed our group with a book review of “A Soldier’s Life – Daniel P.Whiting” after lunch. Corpus Christi Caller-Times columnist and author Murphy Givens was introduced to Whiting’s original diaries by Herb Canales, director of the Corpus Christi Public Libraries in 2002.
The Whiting project, so named by Mr. Givens, sat on the back burner for several years but has recently been edited and published by Mr. Givens and Mr. Moloney.
Daniel P.Whiting was a loyal officer in the US Army for three decades during the middle of the 19th century. As an infantry officer, he seemed to be in the thick of every crisis ~ he was in Florida during the Seminole wars, he was in Indian Territory in today’s Oklahoma, he was in Corpus Christi when Texas became a state and in the bombardment of Fort Brown when the Mexican War began. Whiting was with Zachary Taylor at Monterrey and Winfield Scott at Vera Cruz. He was in Utah Territory during the Mormon troubles and was on garrison duty out West when the Civil War began.
In between all this, he managed to father seven children. Whiting wrote his autobiography during the last years of his service and retired during the Civil War. You won’t want to miss this story of a true-life Forrest Gump!
View of the Corpus Christi Port Bridge from Old Bayview Cemetery.
Christmas Tree Forest at the Art Museum of South Texas
Our next and final stop was be the Art Museum of South Texas located at 1902 N. Shoreline Boulevard.
The Art Museum had its origins in 1945 when the City of Corpus Christi turned its Centennial Museum over to a group of local organizations. By the 1960s, the Museum was outgrowing its space. A group of civic leaders and philanthropists begin a private sector movement to fund a new art museum along the Corpus Christi Bayfront. Completed in 1972, the Museum was designed by internationally renowned architect Philip Johnson.
For several years, it has been a tradition at the Art Museum to host the annual Christmas Tree Forest, a partnership between the Art Museum, HEB and the Junior League of Corpus Christi. The 2011 theme is “Christmas Around the World” with each tree representing the holiday symbols and celebrations of a specific country. This year 30 schools have decorated trees.
Educational Programs
- History of Heritage Park – Anita Eisenhauer – President, Nueces County Historical Commission
- Historical Reenactment at Old Bayview Cemetery – South Texas Historians
- Book Review – “A Soldier’s Life – Daniel P. Whiting” – Jim Moloney- local businessman, author & historian
- History of Old Bayview Cemetery/Voices of South Texas Cemetery Walk – Karen Howden – retired American History teacher & Nueces County Historical Commission member
Our sponsors and hosts for this day: City of Corpus Christi Parks & Recreation Department, Galvan House, Nueces County Historical Commission and the Art Museum of South Texas.
