Flour Bluff, Corpus Christi, Texas

Flour Bluff is a specified area of the city of Corpus Christi, Texas. It is located on Encinal peninsula bordered by Corpus Christi Bay on the north, Oso Bay on the west, the Laguna Madre on the east and the King Ranch to the south. South Padre Island Drive crosses Flour Bluff, dividing it into an upper part, commonly known as North Bluff, (mostly occupied by Corpus Christi Naval Air Station), and a lower part, commonly known as South Bluff. The area is mostly made up of suburban development, with a population consisting mostly of lower-middle income families, with local and national businesses such as Walmart, H-E-B grocery stores, etc.

What is now Flour Bluff Drive was once a railroad branch going off Texas Mexican Railway to the Naval Air Station. Waldron Field, located on the south side of Flour Bluff, was built during World War II and since then has been used as a Navy landing airfield. One can commonly see the orange and white training planes flying around the area. Of historical interest: President George H. W. Bush was relocated at the Navy base for training classes in 1942. Future Senator John McCain crashed a training airplane there in 1965.

According to the Historical Marker located on SH 358 eastbound, near Laguna Shores Road, just west of the JFK Memorial causeway, in the spring of 1838 France blockaded the coast of Mexico during the Pastry War, so-called because of the alleged mistreatment of French citizens, including pastry chefs, living in Mexico. The strategic location of Corpus Christi Bay led to the revival of smuggling in this area. Supplies were carried overland across the Rio Grande, and the illicit trade flourished as Mexico bought sorely needed goods in Texas. President Sam Houston did not wish to antagonize Mexico. However, Mexican patrols at Corpus Christi offended many Texans. In July, 1838, authorities in Texana, Texas heard reports of Mexican activity near the bay. A captured Mexican sea captain said that his government had declared Corpus Christi a port of entry and had dispatched about 400 men to protect it. A summons was issued, calling Texans to rally at Texana on August 7 to drive the invaders from the Republic's boundaries. By the time the volunteers reached the area, some of the Mexicans had landed their supplies near the tip of Corpus Christi Bay and returned to Matamoros. The rest scattered, leaving behind about 100 barrels of flour and parts of a steam engine. The Texans confiscated the usable flour and other contraband, and the site became known as Flour Bluff.

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