Bob Hall Pier

The history of Bob Hall Pier in Corpus Christi, Texas is a bit longer than most piers. The first pier was built prior to the 1960's. Unfortunately Hurricane Carla swept through destroying the entire structure. It was made of wood, which made it susceptible to the storms. The second pier was built in the 60's. This time it was named Nueces after Nueces County Commissioner. Again the structure was made out of wood, but this time instead of 600 feet of pier, it was doubled to 1,200 feet. This made the pier the longest one on the Texas Coast. For five years the pier was able to remain as one piece sustaining itself against the tides and storms. Then in 1967 Hurricane Beulah came through the Coastal Bend. At this time the 1,200 foot pier became 600 feet. The county felt it was too short and a year later created a new wooden section 127 feet in length. The pier was most popular in the 1970's where over 3,000 people would come to fish and walk along it. In 1980 the pier was inspected for structural integrity. The seaward 150 feet section had quite a bit of damage. The end of the pier was soon closed to the public so that repairs could be made. For a while the original pier remained standing, but a new one was being built - the Bob Hall Pier. This new pier was built of reinforced concrete, and when Hurricane Allen swept along the coast the old wooden pier was demolished in the storm. A few wooden posts still remain. The new pier, which visitors and residents flock to each year, was designed like a giant Chinese puzzle. There are no bolts or pins. Instead gravity holds the pier together. It was originally thought this could be storm proof because the concrete deck squares can pop out and allow the rest of the structure to remain. The pier cost 1.3 million dollars and the Federal Government offered up the funds. The current pier was constructed in 1982, opening in 1983. There are user fees, which are kept in a special fund to maintain the pier and ensure it remains usable by the public. The pier is 1,240 feet long and 15.5 feet wide. It has a T-head at the end that is 165 feet long and 19 feet wide. The two main attractions of the pier are the Barnacle Bill's Pier House and Grill and Fishing. Residents of Corpus Christi head to the pier to fish from its deck. Quite often many different fish are caught and even sharks. At one point in history a hammerhead was caught on a fishing line. Barnacle Bill's Pier House and Grill and Fishing sits on the edge of the pier over the water. Guests can have a fresh sea food meal each day and look out to the horizon on the Gulf of Mexico. The place is definitely filled with ambience, and at night many couples walk along the beach and pier. It's also about as good as surfing in Texas gets!