The 

“Indian Point” can refer to Indian Point Park in Portland, Texas, a waterfront park with a fishing pier, or the historic port city of Indianola, founded as Indian Point in Calhoun County before being renamed. There is also a geographic location called Indian Point, which is a landmass on the Nueces County line that separates Nueces and Corpus Christi Bays.  

Indian Point Park in Portland, Texas 

• Description: A popular waterfront park on the causeway between Portland and Corpus Christi. 
• Features: A free fishing pier (partially made of wood and concrete), picnic areas, a shade structure, and is a popular spot for birdwatching. 
• History: One historical marker at the park commemorates the mass grave of 1919 hurricane victims. 

Indianola, the historic “Indian Point” 

• Description: Founded as Indian Point in 1846 by Sam Addison White and William M. Cook in Calhoun County. 
• History: The town was renamed Indianola in 1849 and became a major port and entry point for immigrants to western Texas. It was devastated by hurricanes in 1875 and 1886, leading to its abandonment by 1887. 
• Location: Today, the original site is mostly underwater due to storm erosion. 
• Points of Interest: A diorama of Old Indianola’s port can be seen at the Calhoun County Museum. 

Geographic location 

• Description: A landmass located on the Nueces County line, southwest of Portland, that separates Nueces Bay and Corpus Christi Bay. 
• Geographical Features: It is a point of land that extends into the bays as “Indian Reef”. 
• Bridge: State Highway 35 forms a bridge from this point to Rincon Point. 

Indian Point refers primarily to a scenic area and recreational park in Portland, Texas, known for its fishing pier, birdwatching, and bay views. There is also a historical townsite named Indianola, which was originally founded as Indian Point. 

Indian Point Park and Pier (Portland, TX) 

Located in Portland, Texas, at the boundary of Nueces Bay and Corpus Christi Bay, Indian Point is a popular outdoor destination. 

• Activities: Popular activities include fishing (species caught include black drum and trout), birdwatching (part of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail), and walking along the boardwalk and hike/bike trails.
• Amenities: The park features a free, 24/7 accessible pier, an iconic shade pavilion, gathering spaces, picnic tables, BBQ areas, and fish cleaning stations with running water.
• Accessibility: The pier and park are wheelchair accessible with ramps.
• Views: Visitors can enjoy picturesque views of the coastline, the bay, the bay bridges, and the Corpus Christi skyline. The location is particularly noted for beautiful sunset views.
• Location: The address is 100 US Highway 181, Portland, TX 78374. 

The Karankawa were a nomadic indigenous people who lived along the Texas Gulf Coast from Galveston to Corpus Christi. Encountered by early European explorers, they were hunters and gatherers who used longbows, hunted with shell-tipped arrows, and lived in wigwams. They were also known for their strong build, body painting, and for using alligator fat as insect repellent. During the 19th century, European colonization led to their decline through disease, displacement, and conflict, and they were ultimately expelled from their lands.  

Karankawa are an Indigenous cultural group whose traditional homelands are located along the Texas Gulf Coast from Galveston Bay to Corpus Christi Bay. Historically considered extinct, descendants are now actively reclaiming their heritage and culture, affirming that they are still present. 

Traditional Lifeways and Culture

The Karankawa were a nomadic people, composed of several independent groups or clans, who migrated seasonally between the barrier islands and the mainland. Their movements were primarily determined by the availability of food, which they acquired through hunting, fishing, and gathering. 

• Diet and Tools: Staples included bison, deer, and various fish, supplemented by a wide variety of plants. They used long bows and arrows, fashioning projectile points from shells. They used dugout canoes for navigating the coastal waters and lived in wigwams.
• Appearance: Karankawa men were often noted for being unusually tall, while women were shorter and stouter. They often covered their bodies with alligator or bear grease and dirt to repel mosquitoes and adorned themselves with tattoos, body paint, and piercings.
• Language: They spoke a common language called Karankawan. The name Karankawa is widely believed to mean “dog-lovers” or “dog-raisers,” as they reportedly kept a fox-like or coyote-like breed of dogs.
• Social Practices: They engaged in ceremonial cannibalism, where they ate the flesh of captured enemy warriors to acquire their power, a practice not unique to the Karankawa among Texas tribes. 

History and Contemporary Status

The Karankawa were among the first Native Americans in Texas to encounter Europeans, starting with the shipwrecked Spanish expedition of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1528. Initial relations were sometimes friendly, but conflicts arose as Spanish, French, and later Anglo-American settlers attempted to establish a permanent presence on their land. 

• Conflict and Displacement: After a series of conflicts, the Karankawa were systematically displaced and killed between the 1820s and 1850s, a period marked by “exterminatory warfare”. By the late 1850s, the remaining few had fled south into Mexico, where they were eventually annihilated in 1858. For generations, the consensus among historians was that the Karankawa were extinct.
• Reclamation and Revitalization: In recent years, descendants have formed groups like the Karankawa Kadla (meaning “mixed people”) to reclaim their heritage and challenge the historical narrative of extinction. They are engaged in cultural revitalization efforts and advocacy, including working to protect ancestral lands from industrial development and collaborating on museum exhibits to tell their own story.
• Official Recognition: In a significant shift in 2020, the Handbook of Texas entry for the Karankawa was updated to acknowledge them as a currently existing cultural group. The descendants are currently working towards state and federal recognition for the tribe. More information can be found on the Karankawas website.