Historical Museum of South Padre Island

Historical Museum of South Padre Island The South Padre Island Historical Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, began June 2008. It is dedicated to the creation of a Museum on South Padre Island.

The South Padre Island Historical Foundation is dedicated to the creation of a historical museum for preserving the history of the Island. At first glance, the richness of this history is not apparent. However, it is through planning and dedication that the memories of the Island will be obtained from, and shared with, the many families who have lived in the area along with the multitude of visitors that are fortunate to visit South Padre Island. The organizing members are Dennis Franke, Steve Hathcock, and Rod Bates. The advisory board members are Tom Meurer, Sandy Boswell, Anna Stahl, Raydean Hensz, Julie Edelstein Best, Troy Giles, David Tannenbaum, and Karen Moore. Ed Meza is the Curator for the museum. The Historic Museum of South Padre Island has lofty goals for the future and the groundwork has been set with the current displays that can be viewed at the South Padre Island Convention Centre located at 7355 Padre Blvd. The South Padre Island Community Foundation provided seed money to assist in the museum's creation of these beautiful displays. The ultimate goal for the museum is to acquire ownership of a building that will house and display the Island's history with room to bring in exhibits, maintain oral history accounts, and provide an educational and entertaining element for South Padre Island.

Packed sandy shores, families playing in the waves, colorful sailboats on the water, and high-rise buildings lining the ...
10/14/2026

Packed sandy shores, families playing in the waves, colorful sailboats on the water, and high-rise buildings lining the coast. This vintage photo captures the energy of a South Padre Island beach scene in the 1980s.

💬 Were you visiting South Padre Island in the '80s? Tell us what you remember in the comments!

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce


🌴 Remember Bahia Mar Resort? A South Padre Island landmark!With its waterfront setting, marina, and resort atmosphere, B...
10/09/2026

🌴 Remember Bahia Mar Resort? A South Padre Island landmark!

With its waterfront setting, marina, and resort atmosphere, Bahia Mar Resort has been part of the South Padre Island experience for generations. Its location along the bay helped make it a memorable destination for visitors looking to enjoy the island’s coastal beauty, boating, and laid-back lifestyle. 🌊⛵

From days spent on the water to memories made along the coast, Bahia Mar holds a special place in the story of South Padre Island.

📸 Do you remember visiting Bahia Mar Resort?

Share your favorite memories, old photos, or stories in the comments!

We’d love to hear what you remember about this island destination.

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce


🦐 Remember when La Jaiba Seafood Restaurant was part of the South Padre Island experience?For locals and visitors, La Ja...
10/07/2026

🦐 Remember when La Jaiba Seafood Restaurant was part of the South Padre Island experience?

For locals and visitors, La Jaiba Seafood Restaurant was more than a place to grab a meal. It was one of the island’s familiar gathering spots, serving up seafood and capturing the relaxed, laid-back character of South Padre Island.

Restaurants like La Jaiba became part of the memories that shaped the island, giving generations of visitors a place to gather, share a meal, and enjoy island life. 🌴🌊

Did you ever dine at La Jaiba? What did you order?

👇 Share your memories, photos, or stories in the comments.
We’d love to hear from you!

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce


🏝️ South Padre Island in the 1980sAerial views like these give us a fascinating look at South Padre Island during the 19...
10/05/2026

🏝️ South Padre Island in the 1980s

Aerial views like these give us a fascinating look at South Padre Island during the 1980s, when the island was rapidly taking shape as a major coastal destination.

Resort properties, condominiums, roads, waterways, and new developments were becoming a much bigger part of the island landscape. At the same time, the wide beaches and open stretches of sand were still a defining part of South Padre Island.

These photographs capture a moment of change, showing an island transitioning from its earlier years into the resort community many visitors know today.

📸 Were you visiting South Padre Island in the 1980s?
What do you remember about the island during this time?

Share your memories with us! 👇

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce


🏖️ South Padre Island in the Mid-1970sThis mid-1970s beach scene captures a simpler era — families and visitors enjoying...
10/02/2026

🏖️ South Padre Island in the Mid-1970s

This mid-1970s beach scene captures a simpler era — families and visitors enjoying the sand, swimming in the Gulf, relaxing under beach umbrellas, and spending the day by the water. 🌊☀️

The beach may look familiar, but so much has changed. The people, clothing, beach gear, and shoreline give us a glimpse of what a summer day on South Padre Island looked like nearly 50 years ago.

📸 Do you remember visiting South Padre Island in the 1970s? What do you remember most about the beach back then?

Share your memories with us in the comments! 👇

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce


🌴 A Look Back: Sandy Retreat Resort & Driftwood RestaurantIn the late 1960s, the Sandy Retreat Resort was already becomi...
09/29/2026

🌴 A Look Back: Sandy Retreat Resort & Driftwood Restaurant

In the late 1960s, the Sandy Retreat Resort was already becoming part of the South Padre Island experience.

Located along the beach, the resort offered guests a private beach, swimming pools, accommodations, and the Driftwood Restaurant & Lounge. It was also one of the places where early Island visitors gathered during the Easter vacation traditions that would eventually grow into South Padre Island’s Spring Break culture.

📸 Do you remember the Sandy Retreat or Driftwood Restaurant?
Share your memories or photos with us!

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce

🌴 Remember Jesse’s Cantina & Restaurant?For more than two decades, Jesse’s Cantina was part of the South Padre Island di...
09/25/2026

🌴 Remember Jesse’s Cantina & Restaurant?

For more than two decades, Jesse’s Cantina was part of the South Padre Island dining scene.

Jesse Bermea opened the restaurant on Padre Boulevard in 1984, and it became a familiar Island institution for locals and visitors. By the 2000s, Jesse’s was still serving generations of guests and was remembered for its Mexican food, including enchiladas and carnitas.

The restaurant eventually closed in 2007, marking the end of another chapter in South Padre Island’s changing restaurant history.

📸 Did you ever eat at Jesse’s Cantina?
What do you remember most about it — the food, the atmosphere, or the people?

Share your memories or old photos in the comments and help us preserve South Padre Island history.

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce


🌊 A piece of old South Padre Island.The Dunes Resort Motel was part of an earlier chapter in the island’s tourism histor...
09/22/2026

🌊 A piece of old South Padre Island.

The Dunes Resort Motel was part of an earlier chapter in the island’s tourism history, when visitors came to South Padre Island for the beaches, sunshine, and laid-back coastal experience.

Long before today’s resort developments transformed the island, motels like the Dunes helped welcome generations of visitors to the coast. 🏝️

📸 Did you visit the Dunes Resort Motel?
Do you have a story, photograph, or memory from those days?

Share it below and help us preserve the history of South Padre Island!

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce


🏝️ Remember when South Padre Island was just beginning to take shape?During the 1970s, South Padre Island was changing q...
09/18/2026

🏝️ Remember when South Padre Island was just beginning to take shape?

During the 1970s, South Padre Island was changing quickly. New businesses, hotels, and condominium communities were appearing across the island as more people discovered its potential as a coastal destination.

One of those developments was La Solana Condominiums.

📍 Located along West Red Snapper Street, La Solana was part of a wave of condominium projects that helped transform the island’s landscape during this era.

📸 Did you or someone in your family spend time at La Solana?

Share your memories, stories, or old photos with us in the comments. Let’s keep the island’s history alive together.

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce


Address

615 Padre Boulevard
South Padre Island, TX
78597

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

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