rudy garcia – Museums of Port Isabel

January 16, 2020

Telling Our Stories ~ Shrimp Tales: Port Isabel and Brownsville Shrimping History

Museums Telling Our Stories The Museums of Port Isabel and the Laguna Madre Museum Foundation are proud to present its “Telling Our Stories” Series of 2020 on Thursday, January 23rd, at the Port Isabel Event & Cultural Center, 309 East Railroad Ave. @ 7pm. This month’s topic will be on “Shrimp Tales: Port Isabel and Brownsville Shrimping History” a presentation by Mr. Rudy Garcia & Mrs. Pat McGrath Avery.

Mr. Garcia & Mrs. Avery came to this book from different backgrounds and have spent much of the last two (2) years interviewing, researching and writing the first-person stories of shrimpers who lived the life.

Mr. Garcia, born and raised in the Laguna Madre community, spent much of his childhood exploring the shrimp docks, venturing in and out of shrimp houses, boarding boats and conversing with the crews. When he was old enough to work on board a shrimp boat, his father sent him to sea with his Uncle Joe and his cousin Eddie. Mr. Garcia & his wife, Rita Nina reside in Laguna Vista, Texas.

Mrs. Avery and her husband drove her parents down from Kansas to spend winter in the mid-1970s. Returning to her home in land-locked Missouri, she never forgot the shrimp boats and her first taste of Gulf shrimp. By the time she moved here, most of the shrimp boats were gone, but those remaining still captured her interest. Mrs. Avery & her husband Everett live in Brownsville, Texas.

Rudy and Pat teamed up to write the history and share the stories of those who lived it. Mr. Garcia knew many of the shrimping families and the industry. Mrs. Avery had written several historical books featuring first-person accounts. Two (2) years ago they began interviewing shrimpers and are proud to bring their stories to life in Shrimp Tales: Port Isabel and Brownsville Shrimping History. The book highlights the years when an entire area – men, women and children – worked together as a community.

Please join us for an entertaining evening with Mr. Garcia & Mrs. Avery on a presentation on “Shrimp Tales: Port Isabel and Brownsville Shrimping History”. All locals and visitors are welcomed to attend this free presentation. Complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be provided.

‘Telling Our Stories” is an educational program aimed to preserving the heritage of the City of Port Isabel and the Laguna Madre area. Our goals are to preserve and educate our local and natural history through presentations and exhibits. The program is co-sponsored by the Museums of Port Isabel and the Laguna Museum Foundation. “Telling Our Stories” is presented on the fourth (4Th) Thursday of each month from January through September at the Treasures of the Gulf Museum. Admission is FREE.

Sponsored By:
Pirate’s Landing Restaurant, Garcia’s Family & Mr. & Mrs. Avery

For more information on Telling Our Stories or to help sponsor an event, contact Jeannie Marie A. Flores at (956) 943-7602 or visit www.portisabelmuseums.com or you may also send an email to museumdirector@copitx.com.

April 19, 2013April 19, 2013

Telling Our Stories~ Rudy Garcia “Poems & Stories” 4/25 7p 7p

The Museums of Port Isabel and the Laguna Madre Museum Foundation are proud to present its “Telling Our Stories” Series of 2013 on Thursday, April 25^th, at the Treasures of the Gulf Museum, 317 East Railroad Avenue at 7:00 pm. This month’s topic will be “Poems & Stories” by Rudy Garcia.

Rudy Garcia is a lifelong resident of the Laguna Madre area and is employed with The Point Isabel Independent School District. When Rudy, is asked for a Bio by the different venues where he presents, he always says, “I am an educator by vocation and a poet on occasion.” Mr. Garcia is a published author with poets of the east village in New York and numerous other sites and anthology books. He has a book of poems scheduled to come out this summer published by Sarah Book Publishing.

Mr. Garcia presentation will be on poems and stories inspired by the geographic area of the Laguna Madre.

Please join us for an interested evening with Rudy Garcia. All locals and visitors are welcomed to attend this free presentation. Complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be provided.

‘Telling Our Stories” is an educational program aimed to preserving the heritage of the City ofPort Isabeland the Laguna Madre area. Our goals are to preserve and educate our local and natural history through presentations and exhibits. The program is co-sponsored by the Museums of Port Isabel and the Laguna Museum Foundation. “Telling Our Stories” is presented on the last Thursday of each month from January through September at the Treasures of the Gulf Museum. Admission is free.

Sponsored by: El Papa’s Restaurant

May 6, 2011May 6, 2011

Telling Our Stories 5/26 6:30p PI’s “Whyless” (Wireless) Station by Rudy Garcia

“The Whyless (Wireless Station) Building”

The Museums of Port Isabel and the Laguna Madre Museum Foundation are proud to present “Telling Our Stories” the 2011 series on Thursday May 26, inside the Treasures of the Gulf Museum, 317 E. Railroad Ave. at 6:30 p.m. This month’s topic will be “The Whyless Building” by guest speaker Mr. Rudy Garcia.

In 1916, Point Isabel Wireless Station was built on 20 acres with two 330 foot triangular steel towers spaced 1250 feet apart. The Point Isabel site was one of three wireless stations strategically placed by the U.S. Navy to cover the whole of North America. The First New York Cavalry was part of a contingent to set-up the wireless station as seen by the tents and horse-drawn wagons next to the towers. Locals referred the area as the “Whyless” station.

The “Whyless” building, built shortly after 1919 served as a U.S. Military Barracks during WWI. Soon after, it was used as a Life Saving Refuge for victims of the devastating 1933 unnamed hurricane.

Having grown up in Port Isabel Texas as a child, Mr. Garcia now lives in Laguna Vista Texas where he has resided for the past 31 years.

Mr. Garcia attended Pan American University from 1973 – 1976, graduating in 1976 with a Bachelors degree of Science and Psychology with a minor in Sociology and English.

In 1988, Mr. Garcia received a Masters Degree in Education Counseling and Guidance from Pan American University of Brownsville.

“I realized education is my vocation after I left teaching to work for the Texas Department of Health and Human Services as a Child Protective Service Case Worker for three years” said Mr. Garcia.

In total, Mr. Rudy Garcia has devoted 27 years of service working for the Point Isabel ISD.

Please join us as we learn about some of Port Isabel’s forgotten history. All locals and visitors are welcome to attend this free presentation. Complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be available.

“Telling Our Stories” is a free presentation open to the public which is held by the Museums of Port Isabel and the Laguna Madre Museum Foundation. These presentations are set on the final Thursday of the month from January through September at 6:30 pm. Our thanks go out to the Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce, the Port Isabel Merchants Committee, the Laguna Madre Museum Foundation, The El Paseo Arts Foundation, the Economic Development Foundation, and the City of Port Isabel for their continued support.

Sponsored by: SILVER BREEZE, located on 417 E. Maxan St. on Lighthouse Square inside the Faro Market.

The Museums of Port Isabel and the Laguna Madre Museum Foundations goals are to help preserve and educate our local and natural history through presentations and exhibits.

For more information on telling our stories or to help sponsor an event, contact Jeannie Marie A. Flores at 956-943-7602 or visit www.portisabelmuseums.com you may also send an email to museumdirector@copitx.com.