Editing Rockport, Texas

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Rockport, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| nickname           = The Texas Riviera
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = Rockport, Texas.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = Rockport flag.png
| image_seal         = 
| image_map          = TXMap-doton-Rockport.PNG
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Rockport, Texas
| image_map1         = Aransas Rockport.svg
| mapsize1           = 250px
| map_caption1       = 
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Texas|County]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_name1  = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Aransas County, Texas|Aransas]]
| established_title  = Incorporated
| established_date   = August 18, 1870<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cityofrockport.com/DocumentCenter/View/9208 |title=Archived copy |access-date=April 12, 2017 |archive-date=April 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413072157/http://www.cityofrockport.com/DocumentCenter/View/9208 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Lowell Timothy Jayroe
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 54.63
| area_land_km2      = 42.85
| area_water_km2     = 11.78
| area_total_sq_mi   = 21.09
| area_land_sq_mi    = 16.55
| area_water_sq_mi   = 4.55
| elevation_m        = 2
| elevation_ft       = 7
| coordinates        = {{coord|28|2|55|N|97|2|28|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_total   = 10070
| population_density_km2 = auto
| website            = {{URL|www.cityofrockport.com}}
| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code        = 78381-78382
| area_code          = [[Area code 361|361]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-62804<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/rockportcitytexas,aransascountytexas,US/fips#fips|title=QuickFacts: Rockport city, Texas; Aransas County, Texas; United States|work=[[United States Census Bureau|US Census Bureau]]|access-date=July 10, 2019}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1345420<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
| footnotes          = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 2021
| population_est     = 10436
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
}}

'''Rockport''' is a city and [[county seat]] of [[Aransas County, Texas|Aransas County]], [[Texas]], United States. The population was 10,070 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

Rockport is adjacent to the town of [[Fulton, Texas|Fulton]], and many refer to the combined communities as "Rockport-Fulton"; however, Rockport and Fulton are legally separate municipalities.

==History==
===19th Century===
Following the Civil War, a number of people considered developing the Live Oak Peninsula.  Joseph F. Smith, who had founded the nearby town of St. Mary's in 1850, joined with Thomas H. Mathis and his cousin J.M. Mathis, who were agents of the Morgan Steamship line, and built a wharf at the site of what would later become the town of Rockport, in 1867. The same year, George W. Fulton and his wife, Texas heiress, and Joseph Smith's cousin, Harriet Smith Fulton moved to her extensive land holdings on the peninsula.  Fulton also took an interest in the development of Rockport, as well as creating the town of Fulton farther up the coastline. In response, a nascent cattle-slaughtering and packing operation at the wharf expanded rapidly, allowing Rockport to be officially incorporated as a town in 1870; its name arising from the rock ledge that runs along the shore. Thomas Mathis became Rockport's first mayor after being appointed by the governor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fmacr|title=Mathis, Thomas Henry|publisher= Texas State Historical Association|access-date=September 9, 2017}}</ref> A year later in 1871, the town achieved "city" status after continued growth.<ref name="Rockport, Tx">{{cite web| url= https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hgr05|title=Rockport, Tx |publisher= Texas State Historical Association|access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref>

In 1871, the Mathis cousins teamed up with local ranching families of George W. Fulton and Thomas M. Coleman to raise and slaughter cattle for shipment out of the city's wharf on their steamship line. The partnership proved highly successful and continued to draw people and businesses to the city.  The national Panic of 1873 took its share of the town's prosperity and caused a slump for the next few years.  The meatpacking market was slow to recover, and the Mathis cousins abandoned the ranching partnership in 1879.  Fulton and Coleman then re-formed their ranching partnership, an organization that continued into the 1930s.  For many years Fulton and others petitioned for the railroad to extend their lines to Rockport to provide a second source of transportation and break the Morgan Line's monopoly on the Coastal Bend ports.  After offering free rights of way across the Coleman-Fulton ranch, and hundreds of acres in town lots, finally, in 1888 the railroad arrived. The Morgan Steamship company now had competition, and as the local cattle ranchers began shipping live cattle by train, The Morgan Line withdrew from serving the Coastal Bend. Another brief growth spurt began and soon ended, here and across Texas, due to some bad winters and the development of the cattle industry in the mid-west. The railroad, however, brought tourists, and the city's economy grew with several large hotels catering to that industry.  Rockport's economy soon came to be dominated by shipbuilding and tourism toward the end of the 19th century. At the same time, the railroad offered speedy transportation for crops, and a land boom caused by farming followed until brought to a halt with the national [[Panic of 1893]].<ref name="Rockport, Tx"/>

===20th Century===
Rockport's economy continued struggling into the early 20th century and took another hit in 1919 when a major hurricane decimated the region. A slow recovery ensued stalling additional development. The city's fortunes however began to improve in 1925 following the establishment of a lucrative shrimping industry which grew further during the 1930s and benefited from the construction of a harbor in 1935. Shrimping activity decreased during World War II but recovered thereafter, boosting the town along with an important boat-building industry that developed in this period as well. By the century's end, shrimping continued to be an important part of the Rockport economy alongside fishing and tourism.<ref name="Rockport, Tx"/>

===21st Century===
On August 25, 2017, [[Hurricane Harvey]] ''(name now retired)''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/harvey-irma-maria-and-nate-retired-by-world-meteorological-organization|last=Feltgen|first=Dennis|date=April 12, 2018|title=Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate retired by the World Meteorological Organization|work=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]|access-date=June 27, 2019}}</ref> made landfall near the city as a [[category 4 hurricane|Category 4 storm]] on the [[Saffir–Simpson scale]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2017/al09/al092017.public.023.shtml?|last=Beven|first=John L.|date=August 25, 2017|title=Bulletin Hurricane Harvey Advisory Number 23|work=[[National Hurricane Center]]|access-date=August 26, 2017}}</ref> Harvey caused one death and catastrophic damage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/25/us/hurricane-harvey/index.html|last1=Chavez|first1=Nicole|last2=Levenson|first2=Eric|last3=Almasy|first3=Steve|date=August 25, 2017|title=Powerful Hurricane Harvey makes landfall in Texas|work=[[CNN]]|access-date=June 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910094837/https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/25/us/hurricane-harvey/index.html |archive-date=September 10, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> One person died in a house fire in the city, unable to be rescued due to the extreme weather conditions,<ref name="debris">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-least-1-dead-after-storm-hits-texas-causing-n796316|last1=McCausland |first1=Phil |last2=Arkin |first2=Daniel|date=August 27, 2017|title=Hurricane Harvey: At Least 2 Dead After Storm Hits Texas Coast|work=[[NBC News]]|access-date=June 27, 2019}}</ref> entire blocks were destroyed by the hurricane's violent eyewall winds, the city's courthouse was severely damaged when a [[cargo trailer]] was hurled into it, coming to a stop halfway through the structure, the gymnasium of the [[Rockport-Fulton High School]] lost multiple walls while the school itself suffered considerable damage,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.golfchannel.com/news/after-storm-recovery-ground-zero-after-hurricane-harvey|last=Lavner |first=Ryan|date=March 27, 2018|title=Harvey's Ground Zero: Search Continues for Missing Along Texas Coast|work=[[Golf Channel on NBC|NBC Golf Channel]]|access-date=June 27, 2019}}</ref> many homes, apartment buildings, and businesses sustained major structural damage from the intense winds, and several were completely destroyed. Numerous boats were damaged or sunk at a marina in town, airplanes and structures were destroyed at the [[Aransas County Airport]], and the [[Fairfield Inn by Marriott|Fairfield Inn]] was severely damaged as well,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/hurricane-harvey-corpus-christi-impacts |last=Breslin|first=Sean |date=August 26, 2017|title=Hurricane Harvey Damages Buildings in Rockport; At Least 10 Injured|work=[[The Weather Channel]]|access-date=June 27, 2019}}</ref> About 20 percent of Rockport's population was displaced, as they were still unable to return to their homes a year after the hurricane.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2018/08/24/hurricane-harvey-year-later-rockport-cant-find-housing-evacuees/|last=Walters |first=Edgar|date=August 24, 2018|title=No place back home: A year after Harvey, Rockport can't house all its displaced residents|work=[[The Texas Tribune]]|access-date=April 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430134001/https://www.texastribune.org/2018/08/24/hurricane-harvey-year-later-rockport-cant-find-housing-evacuees/ |archive-date=April 30, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Geography==

Rockport is located on the Live Oak Peninsula, which divides the western shore of [[Aransas Bay]], an arm of the [[Gulf of Mexico]], and the eastern shore of [[Copano Bay]]. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|47.9|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|36.1|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|11.8|km2|order=flip}}, or 28.84%, is water.<ref>{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer Files 2016-Places-Texas|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/gazetteer.html|website=US Census|access-date=11 January 2017}}</ref>

===Climate===

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild-to-cool winters.  According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Rockport has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=407714&cityname=Rockport,+Texas,+United+States+of+America&units=|title=Rockport, Texas Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)|website=Weatherbase|access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref>

{{Weather box
 | width       = auto
 | collapsed   = yes
 | single line = yes
 | location    = Rockport, Texas (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1959–2013, 2023–present)
 | Jan record high F  = 87
 | Feb record high F  = 90
 | Mar record high F  = 99
 | Apr record high F  = 100
 | May record high F  = 98
 | Jun record high F  = 102
 | Jul record high F  = 100
 | Aug record high F  = 102
 | Sep record high F  = 105
 | Oct record high F  = 97
 | Nov record high F  = 96
 | Dec record high F  = 87
 | year record high F = 
 | Jan high F = 65.2
 | Feb high F = 67.2
 | Mar high F = 72.6
 | Apr high F = 78.8
 | May high F = 84.5
 | Jun high F = 89.8
 | Jul high F = 91.6
 | Aug high F = 92.5
 | Sep high F = 90.1
 | Oct high F = 83.7
 | Nov high F = 75.3
 | Dec high F = 67.5
 | year high F = 80.0
 | Jan mean F = 55.6
 | Feb mean F = 58.3
 | Mar mean F = 64.2
 | Apr mean F = 71.7
 | May mean F = 78.4
 | Jun mean F = 83.5
 | Jul mean F = 85.3
 | Aug mean F = 85.6
 | Sep mean F = 82.4
 | Oct mean F = 75.1
 | Nov mean F = 66.1
 | Dec mean F = 57.7
 | year mean F = 72.0
 | Jan low F = 46.0
 | Feb low F = 49.3
 | Mar low F = 55.8
 | Apr low F = 64.5
 | May low F = 72.3
 | Jun low F = 77.3
 | Jul low F = 79.1
 | Aug low F = 78.7
 | Sep low F = 74.7
 | Oct low F = 66.5
 | Nov low F = 57.0
 | Dec low F = 47.8
 | year low F = 64.1
 | Jan record low F  = 14
 | Feb record low F  = 22
 | Mar record low F  = 23
 | Apr record low F  = 38
 | May record low F  = 48
 | Jun record low F  = 57
 | Jul record low F  = 64
 | Aug record low F  = 64
 | Sep record low F  = 50
 | Oct record low F  = 29
 | Nov record low F  = 27
 | Dec record low F  = 12
 | year record low F = 
 | precipitation colour   = green
 | Jan precipitation inch = 2.42
 | Feb precipitation inch = 2.20
 | Mar precipitation inch = 2.40
 | Apr precipitation inch = 1.76
 | May precipitation inch = 3.10
 | Jun precipitation inch = 3.17
 | Jul precipitation inch = 3.46
 | Aug precipitation inch = 2.57
 | Sep precipitation inch = 5.08
 | Oct precipitation inch = 4.22
 | Nov precipitation inch = 3.02
 | Dec precipitation inch = 1.78
 | year precipitation inch = 35.18
 | unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
 | Jan precipitation days  = 7.3
 | Feb precipitation days  = 6.8
 | Mar precipitation days  = 5.5
 | Apr precipitation days  = 5.1
 | May precipitation days  = 5.3
 | Jun precipitation days  = 6.1
 | Jul precipitation days  = 5.5
 | Aug precipitation days  = 5.6
 | Sep precipitation days  = 8.7
 | Oct precipitation days  = 6.5
 | Nov precipitation days  = 5.7
 | Dec precipitation days  = 6.5
 | year precipitation days = 74.6
 | Jan snow inch = 0.0
 | Feb snow inch = 0.0
 | Mar snow inch = 0.0
 | Apr snow inch = 0.0
 | May snow inch = 0.0
 | Jun snow inch = 0.0
 | Jul snow inch = 0.0
 | Aug snow inch = 0.0
 | Sep snow inch = 0.0
 | Oct snow inch = 0.0
 | Nov snow inch = 0.0
 | Dec snow inch = 0.2
 | year snow inch = 0.2
 | unit snow days = 0.1 in
 | Jan snow days  = 0.0
 | Feb snow days  = 0.0
 | Mar snow days  = 0.0
 | Apr snow days  = 0.0
 | May snow days  = 0.0
 | Jun snow days  = 0.0
 | Jul snow days  = 0.0
 | Aug snow days  = 0.0
 | Sep snow days  = 0.0
 | Oct snow days  = 0.0
 | Nov snow days  = 0.0
 | Dec snow days  = 0.0
 | year snow days = 0.0
 | source = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="NOWData">{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=crp
|title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = February 28, 2024}}</ref><ref name="NCEI">{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly&stations=USC00417704&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = February 28, 2024}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 1069
|1900= 1153
|1910= 1382
|1920= 1545
|1930= 1140
|1940= 1729
|1950= 2266
|1960= 2989
|1970= 3879
|1980= 3686
|1990= 4753
|2000= 7385
|2010= 8766
|2020= 10070
|estyear= 2021
|estimate= 10436
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|work=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=June 27, 2019}}</ref>
}}

===2020 Census data===

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Rockport racial composition'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4862804&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-21 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><br /> (NH = Non-Hispanic){{efn|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/en.html|title=Census.gov|website=Census.gov}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|7,070
|70.21%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|121
|1.2%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|36
|0.36%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|268
|2.66%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|7
|0.07%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|24
|0.24%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|360
|3.57%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|2,184
|21.69%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''10,070'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 10,070 people, 4,205 households, and 2,886 families residing in the city.

=== 2018 Census data ===
As of 2018 (estimated) there are 10,759 people, an undisclosed number of households and 3,651 families residing in the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/rockportcitytexas,aransascountytexas,US/PST045218|date=2018|title=QuickFacts: Rockport city, Texas; Aransas County, Texas; United States|work=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=July 10, 2019}}</ref>

==Arts and culture==
[[File: Hoopes smith house 2006.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Hoopes-Smith House]] in Rockport is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Aransas County, Texas|National Register of Historic Places]].]]

===Area attractions===
Rockport is a popular tourist destination for its access to various forms of marine recreation and attractions such as boating, fishing (bay, offshore, wade, beach, and pier), duck hunting, waterskiing, swimming, birdwatching, and seafood. 
The city's largest public beach, Rockport Beach Park,<ref name="rockportbeach-texas.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.rockportbeach-texas.com/|title=Rockport Texas Beach|website=www.rockportbeach-texas.com|access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref> offers an array of community facilities including a playground and two beach pavilions.

The city hosts several fairs and expositions each year including the Seafair, and a Wine Festival. The Rockport Art Festival, held annually since 1970, is a major event with art exhibitions, auctions, and vendors congregating in the city around the Fourth of July holiday. The Rockport Film Festival is another yearly festival that has screened and judged entries since its founding in 2007. Another event taking place in Rockport is the Rockport-Fulton Market Days which occurs on the third Saturday-Sunday of every month. Vendors travel from around the state of Texas to showcase their handmade art, crafts, and more. Featuring live music, 10 or more food trucks, and over 160 vendors each month, this event attracts tourists from around the country. The newest festival taking place in Rockport is the annual Pirate Fest which is in its third year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://fultonoysterfest.org/|title=Fulton Oysterfest}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rockportfilmfestival.com/|title=Rockport Film Festival|website=Rockport Film Festival}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rockportartcenter.com/calendar/eventdetail.php?uid=1269 |title=Calendar {{!}} ROCKPORT CENTER for the ARTS |website=www.rockportartcenter.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904063147/http://www.rockportartcenter.com/calendar/eventdetail.php?uid=1269 |archive-date=2017-09-04}}</ref>

Rockport is also home to an aquarium and multiple historic sites such as the [[George W. Fulton Mansion|Fulton Mansion]] and the city's heritage district. The community also hosts the Texas Maritime Museum,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://texasmaritimemuseum.org/|title=Texas Maritime Museum|website=Texas Maritime Museum|access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref> as well as numerous art galleries, restaurants, and shops. Area visitor accommodations are provided by a wide range of lodgings, from small bed and breakfasts to major hotels and RV facilities.

===Library===
The Aransas County Public Library is located at 701 E. Mimosa Street in Rockport.

==Parks and recreation==

[[File:Big tree.jpg|thumb|The Big Tree]]

===The Big Tree===
Large windswept [[live oak]]s are a dominating feature of the area, and the state's oldest live oak, the [[The Big Tree, Rockport|"Big Tree"]], resides on nearby Lamar Peninsula.

===Rockport Beach Park<ref name="rockportbeach-texas.com"/>===
Rockport Beach Park is a large public beach fronting [[Aransas Bay]]. It features two pavilions, a saltwater pool, boat-launching ramps, and various other amenities.

===Boating and marinas===
There are a number of marinas, boat-launching ramps, marine service businesses, and [[ship chandler]]s in the area (catering to both recreational and commercial vessels of either the sail or power variety). Several marinas are operated by the [[Aransas County Navigation District]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acnd.org/|title=Aransas County Navigation District|website=www.acnd.org|access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref> The Key Allegro Marina, with its home-lined canals and party atmosphere, is a popular destination among visitors. There is also a large ski basin called Little Bay that provides an area for water skiing, boating, and jet skiing.

===The Big Blue Crab===
The Big Blue Crab is a local park and attraction located on the banks of Little Bay next to the historic Sea View Motel. It features an elevated blue crab sculpture that is the world's largest. Originally constructed in the 1950s, the crab fell apart in the 1970s, but the city rebuilt the attraction in 2012 to even larger proportions. The crab suffered major damage five years later in Hurricane Harvey. As the community got well on its way to restoring and cleaning up the damage left from the storm a group was formed and begin plans to have a new Crab Built and set in the place of the old one. The new Crab would need to be built to be able to withstand not only the ravages of time but also to sustain any future storms that may impact the area. Proposals for artists were sent out and a renowned artist named Joe Barrington was selected for the project. The crab arrived in Aransas County on Tuesday, July 27 and installation began July 28th, 2021.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://rockportfulton.com/the-big-blue-crab-of-rockport-texas/|title=The Big Blue Crab of Rockport, Texas|publisher=RockportFulton.com|access-date=28 July 2021}}</ref>

===Birdwatching===
The area around and in Rockport is noted as a prime [[birdwatching]] center, located on a major North American migratory bird route, the [[Central Flyway]].

====Whooping cranes====
[[Whooping crane]]s winter in the large [[Aransas National Wildlife Refuge]] located nearby. Local organizations such as the Aransas Bird and Nature Club have helped preserve unique birdwatching reserves like the [[Connie Hagar]] sanctuary and Aransas Woods that are easily accessible. Located along the migration route of several species of [[hummingbird]]s, the city hosts an annual "Hummer and Birding Expo" which includes tours of local residences where hundreds of [[ruby-throated hummingbird]]s can be viewed at feeders.

==Education==
[[File:Former rockport school 2014.jpg|thumb|Former Rockport school, 2014]]

===Public schools===

Almost all of Rockport is served by the [[Aransas County Independent School District]], and the city is home to the [[Rockport-Fulton High School]] Pirates. Sacred Heart School, a private school, also serves the community.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shsrockport.org/|title=Sacred Heart School|website=Sacred Heart School|access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref>

A small section of Rockport is in the [[Aransas Pass Independent School District]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48007_aransas/DC20SD_C48007.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Aransas County, TX|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2022-06-28}}</ref>

==Notable people==

* [[Ernie Caceres]], musician
* [[Guy Clark]],  American country and folk singer, musician, songwriter, recording artist, and performer<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2013-07-19/we-were-from-texas/|title = Guy Clark remembers his wife Susanna and their best friend, Townes van Zandt}}</ref>
* [[Caitlin Clark|Sarah Johnston]], WNBA player
* [[Dat Nguyen]], football player; grew up in Rockport
* [[List of American supercentenarians|Margaret Skeete]], oldest living American during 1993 and 1994, and the oldest person ever from Texas
* [[John H. Wood, Jr.]], first federal judge assassinated in the 20th century
* [[George Strait]], Country singer: also retired in Rockport
* [[Bill Williams (game designer)|Bill Williams]], game designer and author, creator of ''[[Mind Walker]]''

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Texas}}
* {{wikivoyage-inline|Rockport (Texas)|Rockport, Texas}}
* {{Official website|http://www.cityofrockport.com/}}
* [https://www.rockportfulton.com/ RockportFulton.com Official Local Area Guide]
* [http://www.rockport-fulton.org/ Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce]

{{Aransas County, Texas}}
{{Texas}}
{{Texas county seats}}

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[[Category:Cities in Aransas County, Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:County seats in Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in the Corpus Christi metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Texas]]