City Spotlight: Surfside Beach
Surfside Beach is just a couple of short miles of Gulf shoreline between Galveston and Corpus Christi, and approximately 700 Texans call it home. But just like the secret Texas surf scene that gave it its name, this little coastal village has a deeper history than most folks are aware of.
‘The Cradle of Texas’
When Stephen F. Austin, the proverbial “Father of Texas,” arranged for a few dozen colonists from New Orleans – the first of many – to initially settle the shores of Texas in 1821, it was right here around Surfside Beach where their schooner first struck Texan soil. But the new arrivals (who called themselves the “Texians”) didn’t start surfing the Gulf right away. For the next decade, the Texians were preoccupied with mounting territorial tensions with Mexico. In response to growing concerns that the U.S. would annex Texas, Mexico erected Fort Velasco in 1832, on the eastern shore of the Brazos River, where Surfside Beach stands today.
Hardly a month later, the first blood between Texas and Mexico was shed right here during the Battle of Velasco, a precursor to the true Texas Revolution that would begin in 1835. The Mexican militia at Velasco surrendered and abandoned the fort, which fell into ruins. But today, visitors can explore the reconstructed Fort Velasco near Surfside Beach’s city hall.
Texas won its fight for independence from Mexico with its victory in the 1836 Battle of San Jacinto, but Surfside Beach had one more role to play. Mexico ceded Texas as it signed the Treaties of Velasco, right at the site of the 1832 skirmish. The newly formed Republic of Texas’ interim government had several locations, including Velasco, giving Surfside Beach an unofficial moniker it still totes today: “The Cradle of Texas.”
Surfin’ and Beachin’ at Surfside Beach
There haven’t been battles fought at Surfside Beach for nearly 200 years (but there are peace treaties signed every year, during the town’s annual reenactment of the treaties of Velasco). These days, it’s best known for the two elements in its name: surfing and beaches.
Some folks swear that the best, most consistent waves for surfing Texas’ coasts are found in Surfside Beach. Between long jetties and deep water close to the beach (only about eight miles offshore), there are almost always good waves for experienced surfers. Swing by Surf Station or any of the other local surf shops for local tips and gear before paddling out.
The sandy, salty beach itself is a great hangout for anglers. Wade out or fish off the jetty, and you might reel in flounder or speckled trout. But it’s the red snappers found in offshore fishing that make Surfside Beach a fishing mecca: Charter a ride onto the Gulf with Velasco Charters, Oilfield Outkasts, or any of the other experienced sea captains in Surfside Beach.
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