Nearest city Brownsville Established 1994 | Area 4.269 km² | |
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Location Cameron County, Texas, United States Governing body Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Address Brownsville, TX 78521, USA Management Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Similar Palo Alto Battlefield National, Brazos Island, Atlanta State Park, Big Spring State Park, Big Boggy National Wildlife R | ||
Boca Chica State Park is a Texas state park located in the Boca Chica Subdelta of the Rio Grande near Brownsville in southeastern Cameron County, Texas. The park was acquired and opened in May 1994.
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History
The area was granted by the State of Tamaulipas to Ygnacio Trevino on January 24, 1829, as part of the Potrero de San Martin Grant (Brazos Island was granted separately and earlier by the King of Spain). A road was built down Brazos Island, across Boca Chica Bay to the Rio Grande in 1846. To cross Boca Chica Bay, General Zachary Taylor built a floating bridge to transport military supplies. Some of the cypress pilings still stand north of a monument.
In July 2007, Texas Parks & Wildlife entered into a 50-year lease agreement with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and is now part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
Activities
Activities permitted on the adjacent Del Mar and Boca Chica Beach include picnicking, wading, swimming, birding, natural history observation, camping, fishing (with a license), and surfing. All are subject to disruption by offshore storms at any season and from June through November by tropical storms and hurricanes.
On August 4, 2014, SpaceX announced plans to build a private spaceport adjacent to the park. Construction began in September 2014.