Month: July 2017

Historic Champion Building’s Fish Mural Undergoes Restoration

Port Isabel, Texas

In 1906, just seven years after the 1899 construction of the Champion building, local fisherman and artist, Jose Morales was commissioned to paint a fish mural on the front of the 2-story structure. It was meant to promote sport fishing in the area. Over 200 images represent the species that can be found in the Laguna Madre Bay and the Gulf of Mexico off the beaches of South Padre Island.

Over the decades, the mural has been restored several times. Weather and other factors create conditions that require periodic restoration, so it was early in the spring of 2017 that plans were made to undergo this latest restoration. The Museums of Port Isabel has commissioned local artist, Angel Hernandez, to restore the 212 images that grace the building.

 

Other improvements also being made on the grounds of the Champion building includes the reconstruction of the walkway that leads to the Port Isabel Historical Museum entrance. Designed using the architectural details on the front of the Champion building, the walkway will feature the same millwork, proportions and colors that make up the gallery on the south side of the structure.

 

The Museums of Port Isabel will be fundraising for the historical fish mural. Those interested in participating can select the fish they would like to sponsor and contact Museum staff for payment processing. Selections are first come, first served. The project is estimated to be completed in the next couple of months.

The Fish Mural was celebrated on October 27th at 7 p.m. Festivities will include recognition of the donors and a presentation of the history of the fish mural. Details to follow. For more information on the fish sponsorship, please visit: http://bit.ly/champbldg, email info@portisabel-texas.com or call 956/943-7602.

See what’s sold and what’s available: http://bit.ly/mopi-sold

Donors:

Image #	Species	Donor
1	Background	The Sherwin-Williams Company 1750 State Highway 100, Ste C Port Isabel, Texas
2	Striped Mullet
3	Florida Pompano
4	Antlantic Spadefish
5	Spanish Mackeral
6	Gray Angelfish
7	Gag Grouper
8	Blacksaddled Coral Grouper?
9
10	Blacksaddled Coral Grouper?
11	Gray (Mangrove) Snapper?	The Gorball Girls	85
12	Red Snapper	Gary, Ellen & Monica Snider	85
13	Striped Bass
14	Spotted Sea Trout	Family of Dr. John R. Palmer, Jr. DDS Brownsville, Texas	85
15	Gray (Mangrove) Snapper?
16	White Pelican	Mary Ann & Roger Brown	200
17	Crevalle Jack
18	Wahoo	Ben & Linda Champion Family of Ben H. Champion	85
19	Blacktip Shark	In Memory of Bobby Marchan	85
20	Southern Stingray	First United Methodist Church Port Isabel	85
21	Longnose Gar
22	Green Sea Turtle(?) Possible Loggerhead	Sea Turtle, Inc. In Honor of Ila Fox Loetscher and Our Volunteers	85
23	Sheepshead
24	Rock Hind
25	Atlantic Spadefish
26	Clearnose Skate	Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors	85
27	Ocean Sunfish
28	Striped Bass
29	Tiger Shark?
30	Black Grouper? (may be a Gag)
31	Snook
32	Red Grouper
33	Gray (Mangrove) Snapper?
34
35	Greater Amberjack
36
37	Gag Grouper
38	Ocean Sunfish
39	Green Sea Turtle? Possible Loggerhead	Sea Turtle, Inc. Established 1977 South Padre Island, TX	85
40	Southern Kingfish
41	Snook	Jasper’s Casino Port Isabel, Texas	85
42	Rock Beauty
43	Green Sea Turtle? Possible Loggerhead	The Collier Family Kevin, Kristi & Kirby	200
44
45	Striped Mullet
46	Atlantic Croaker
47	Gray (Mangrove) Snapper?	Robert & Linda Cutter	85
48	Atlantic (?) Flying Fish
49	Atlantic Spadefish	Mel & Donna Poyzer	85
50
51	Spotted Sea Trout	Mr. & Mrs. Cary Causey	85
52	Gag Grouper	In Memory of Mr. & Mrs. Archie Causey	85
53	Southern Flounder?	Joe & Lu Human	85
54	Red Grouper
55	Cobia
56	Mutton Snapper
57
58		Ernie, Hetch and David Gombos My Beloved parents and brother By Lar Gombos	85
59	Sandbar Shark? (very large dorsal)
60		Karen Causey & Family	85
61		Kim Causey Manos & Family	85
62	Atlantic Croaker	Curtis Causey & Family	85
63	Greater Amberjack	Alice Mansfield	85
64	Frigatebird	In Memory of Alan H. Coburn Valerie Bates	200
65
66	Striped Mullet
67
68	Southern Kingfish
69	Gag Grouper
70	Gray Snapper
71	Spanish Mackeral
72		Robert & Linda Cutter	85
73	Spotted Sea Trout	In Memory of Captain Dick Dennis of the Altered Attitude	85
74	Gray (Mangrove) Snapper?
75	Blacksaddled Coral Grouper?
76	Rock Beauty
77	Atlantic Torpedo?
78	Gray (Mangrove) Snapper?
79	Blue Crab	Gary, Ellen & Monica Snider	85
80	Striped Bass
81	Rock Hind	Kim & Anrita Baier Family	85
82	Gag Grouper
83	Red Snapper
84	Atlantic? Flying Fish
85	Snook	Ygnacio & Sylvia Garza family	85
86	Southern Flounder?	In Memory of Sue Randall Dennis of the Altered Attitude	85
87	Goliath Grouper?
88	Wahoo	Texas International Fishing Tournament	85
89	Caribbean Reef Squid	Texas International Fishing Tournament	85
90	Spanish Mackeral	Texas International Fishing Tournament	85
91	Shark	Texas International Fishing Tournament	85
92	Greater Amberjack	Texas International Fishing Tournament	85
93	Gray Triggerfish	Texas International Fishing Tournament	85
94	Southern Hake	Texas International Fishing Tournament	85
95	Blackwing Flying Fish
96	Rock Beauty
97
98	Clearnose Skate
99	Spotted Sea Trout	In Loving Memory of Dr. Ray & Mary Simmons 2007, 2018	85
100	Florida Pompano
101	Shark	Joshua & Elsa, Joseph, Juan, Elyssa & Jacob Garza Family	85
102	Mutton Snapper?
103
104	Red Snapper
105	Striped Bass
106	Ocean Sunfish
107	Gag Grouper
108	Atlantic Croaker
109	Red Grouper	First United Methodist Church Port Isabel	85
110		Robert & Kim Gonzales Daughter of Thomas P. Champion, Jr.	85
111	Snook
112	Gray (Mangrove) Snapper?
113	Red Snapper	The Family of Thomas P. Champion, Sr.	85
114	Snook
115	Red Snapper	Uvaldo (Val) Champion Jr.	85
116	Atlantic Spadefish	Suzanne Champion	85
117		Annemarie Champion Brand	85
118	Gray Triggerfish	Joseph B. Champion	85
119	Crevalle Jack
120
121
122	Bald Eagle	Southwind Inn	200
123	White Marlin	In Memory of my Beloved Mother Leonor Pro Meza who Adored & Enjoyed Port Isabel, Ed Pro Meza	85
124	Wahoo
125	Spanish Mackeral
126	Florida Pompano
127	Red Drum	Joe & Lu Human	85
128	Gray Triggerfish
129	Blacksaddled Coral Grouper?
130	Gag Grouper
131	Rock Beauty	First United Methodist Church Port Isabel	85
132	Atlantic Croaker	Wayne (Tex) Hueppelshauser Special Friend, Bobby Wells	85
133	Greater Amberjack	For my dear Port Isabellian, Amber Shintaku-Bates Valerie Bates	85
134	Cobia	In Loving Memory of William B. Barrera Enriqueta Holland Barrera	85
135	Rock Hind
136	Gag Grouper	In Memoriam of Richard Gorball From his Family	85
137	Red Grouper?	The Benito Longoria Family	85
138	Clearnose Skate	Norma & Manuel Hinojosa	85
139	Gray (Mangrove) Snapper?	In Memory of Martha Longoria Champion	85
140	Wahoo	Charlotte & Edward Champion	85
141	Spotted Sea Trout	The Jacobs Family Bill, Linda Lily, James, Justine	85
142	Atlantic Spadefish	In Memory of John Chano & Elvira Guerra Champion	85
143	Blackfin or Yellowfin Tuna	Christopher Champion	85
144	Red Grouper?	Sarah & Jake Champion	85
145	Tripletail	Carlos & Patricia Champion	85
146		Fred & Benita Longoria Champion	85
147		Jason & Cristina Champion Sims	85
148	Black Tip Shark	From Mary Bertha Granddaughter & Daughter of Charles & Bertha Champion	200
149	Goosefish?	Debbie Green for Grandparents LaVerne & Phyllis Bedell and Carmen & Emery Green Sr.	85
150	Striped Sea Bass
151	Blacktip Shark	Richard Champion	85
152	Snook	In Memory of Jesus R. Zurita Juan V. Zurita & Adan O. Zurita From Inocente Zurita & Family	85
153	Spanish Mackeral	Darlene Coates	85
154	Mutton Snapper?	Celina Barrera Scott Heather Barrera Scott William Hunter Owen	85
155	Rock Beauty	In Memory of Rev. Claude & Mary Hennessee By David & Sam Hennessee	85
156		Las Ventanas Condominiums HOA South Padre Island	85
157	Crevalle Jack	Darlene Coates	85
158	Florida Pompano	Darlene Coates	85
159	Atlantic Torpedo?	Duane A. Rasmussen	85
160	Tarpon	Barbara “Bobby” Wells	500
161	Sheepshead	In Memory of Uvaldo & Bertha Champion From Mr. & Mrs. Ed. L. Ayers Jr.	85
162	Flounder	M. N. Caudill	85
163	Spotted Sea Trout	In Honor of Mr. & Mrs. Sanders Leo & Nancy	85
164	Black Drum	Our lovely daughter, April Lee Champion Ayers	85
165	Roundel Skate	Edith R. Rasmussen	85
166	Red Drum	Darlene Coates	85
167	Striped Mullet	Our GREAT Childhood Memories Dana Louise and Deedra Sue	85
168	Goosefish	Emery Green III In Honor of LaVerne & Phyllis Bedell and Carmen & Emery Green Sr.	85
169	Shark	Israel “Winnie” Gonzalez Mary O. Gonzalez	200
170	White Shrimp	Brazos Fisheries by the Cateora Family	85
171	Gulf Menhaden
172	Striped Bass	In Loving Memory of Gordon & Barb Good 2002 & 2016	85
173	Ocean Sunfish	George & Virginia Haynie Gause	85
174	Red Drum	Joseph, Samantha, Ashley & Stephanie Saenz . Descendents of Mary Katherine Champion Saenz	85
175	Snook	Joe & Miros Saenz Son of Mary Katherine Champion Saenz	85
176	Florida Pompano	SOLDBarrera & DiCorte Families Luci and Mike DiCorte Michael William DiCorte	85
177	Atlantic Spadefish	Perry Jr. & Mary Aby	85
178	Dolphinfish (aka Mahi)	Laguna Madre Art League	85
179	Gag Grouper	Steve Bearden – Port Isabel San Benito Navigation District	85
180	Sailfish	Donated by the Frank D. Yturria Family	700
181	Hardhead Catfish
182	Crevalle Jack
183	Gulf Flounder	Laguna Madre Museum Foundation	85
184	Sheepshead	Greg & Shari Atwell Chase and Travis, Descendants of Joanne Champion Van Cleave	85
185	Red Snapper	In Memory of my Husband Albert L. Scharen	85
186		Ernestina Barrera In Honor of her service to the City of Port Isabel	85
187	Gray (Mangrove) Snapper?	Chase & Alexis Atwell Piper Atwell, 3x GG-Daughter of Charles A. Champion	85
188
189	Blue Angelfish	St. Andrew’s by the Sea Episcopal Church	85
190	Tarpon	Carlos & Jeannie Flores Julisa, Tommy & Steve Rivera	85
191	Red Drum	Arnulfo Aguilar Villarreal & Family	85
192	Scaled Sardine
193
194	Blackwing? Flying Fish	Debbie Green for Grandparents LaVerne & Phyllis Bedell and Carmen & Emery Green Sr.	85
195	Black Tip Shark
196
197	Striped Sea Bass	Anonymous	85
198		M. N. Caudill	85
199	Southern Hake
200	Gofftopsail Catfish	First United Methodist Church Port Isabel	85
201	Lightening Whelk	In Loving Memory of Mary Jo Wilson 1930-2016	85
202	Ocean Sunfish	Tim & Linda Sanderson daughter of Mary Katherine Champion Saenz	85
203	Blue Crab	The Reed Children in Honor of their Parents Howard and Cecelia Reed	85
204	Florida Pompano
205	Crab	Anonymous	85
206	Lookdown	Louis & Shirley Champion Kathy, Tom, Terry and Freddy	85
207	Mako/Tiger Shark	Justin & Amy Champion Miles Champion Mason & Mackenzie White	85
208	Clearnose Skate	Rey & Rose Champion	85
209	Spotted Sea Trout	Brett & Jenilee Champion Augustus Champion	85
210	Manta Ray	Charles & Katy Champion Charlie, Louis, Joann Mary & Fred	600
211	Greater Amberjack
212	Snook	Calvin & Sandra Byrd	85
213	Lighthouse	In Loving Memory of my Husband Robert & Son Rex, Gloria Bates	200

Contact Information:

Jeannie Flores, Museum Director
956/943-7602
museumdirector@copitx.com