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Sunset on Cayo del Oso in Flour Bluff
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I guess taking part in my 40th class reunion made me a bit nostalgic concerning my hometown, Flour Bluff. It is a little community of about 20,000 fiercely independent people that sits on the Encinal Peninsula between Cayo del Oso and Laguna Madre. On Aug. 5, 1961, the City of Corpus Christi, Texas, voted to annex Flour Bluff while Flour Bluff voted to incorporate as a separate city. The Corpus Christi City Council passed an annexation ordinance, and city police began patrolling in Flour Bluff. Suits filed by Flour Bluff residents to block annexation were appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that it did not have jurisdiction in the matter. Even though Flour Bluff officially became part of Corpus Christi, the people don’t really seem to know it. That’s why most Flour Bluffians say they are “going to town,” when in actuality they are simply crossing one of the two Oso bridges into Corpus Christi proper.
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Once known as the “Gateway to Padre Island,” Flour Bluff is home to the award-winning Flour Bluff Independent School District and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, the two largest employers in the community. These two entities have supported each other since World War II when the Navy commissioned the base in 1941. Flour Bluff, like many Texas towns, was influenced by ranching and oil and gas. Add to that tourism, highlighted by fishing, boating, birding, and water sports, the diverse nature of the community starts to take shape.
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An aerial view of Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, Texas, as it appeared on January 27, 1941. The air station was commissioned in March 1941.
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The first school was opened in 1892 in the community of Brighton, later to become Flour Bluff.
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Kite surfing, boating, fishing, and great meals at Laguna Reef in Flour Bluff
Flour Bluff is home to countless species of birds.
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It is possible to live and work in Flour Bluff and never leave except to visit a major hospital, which is just five minutes away. Flour Bluff has its very own HEB Plus and Super Walmart along with a host of unique shops and businesses that meet the everyday needs of the people. It has an active business association, three fire stations (federal, county, and city), a police substation, various banking institutions, eateries of all types, and even a brewery! Add to this three quick-care clinics, local dentists, a vet clinic serving large animals and small pets, accommodations for out-of-town guests, a twenty-four hour gym, multiple auto mechanic shops, storage facilities, car washes, insurance companies, attorneys-at-law, and a host of other businesses that offer the citizens of Flour Bluff basic amenities of life. Of course, churches of all denominations and community organizations enrich the lives of the people, too. If a person wants something more, indoor and outdoor malls are within a ten-minute drive east while the Gulf of Mexico is ten minutes the other direction. Padre Island sports the longest stretch of undeveloped, drivable beach in America (60 miles). Del Mar College, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, and the Craft Training Center provide educational opportunities beyond high school and are all under a 20-minute drive from Flour Bluff.
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Living in Flour Bluff comes in all shapes and sizes. The community offers many housing choices – including affordable housing, and multiple realtors in the area are available to assist newcomers in finding the perfect home. Some residents in Flour Bluff enjoy the rancher’s life and own large pieces of property with room for horses and cows. Others love living on the water. Waterfront properties are available along Oso Bay, Laguna Madre, and parts in between where ponds and canals exist. Many people prefer little or no yard maintenance and live in single or multi-level apartments or condominiums. Flour Bluff welcomes its friends from the colder parts of the country in the many RV parks in the community. Most residents, however, live in quiet neighborhoods filled with the whir of lawnmowers and the laughter of children. Yes, there is indeed something for everyone!
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Flour Bluff offers many outlets for family fun. The community has a public and school pool, little league softball, baseball, and kickball fields, youth football organizations, activities at Flour Bluff Schools (i.e. basketball, football, volleyball, softball, academics, arts, music, NJROTC), a skateboard park, a disc golf park, multiple playgrounds, and other facilities for activities such as martial arts, soccer, tennis, rugby, and horseback riding.
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Seasonal events give everyone something to anticipate. Whether it’s the Navy hosting the Blue Angels, the Flour Bluff Homecoming Parade, the Flour Bluff Business Association Community Christmas, the Flour Bluff Fire Department Santa float, or the Flour Bluff 8th-Grade trip to HEB Camp in the Hill Country, those who know Flour Bluff, know it has a host of unique offerings for the community. Maybe it’s a school that’s excels in everything. Maybe it’s the year-round great weather conducive to outdoor activities like fishing, boating, swimming, and surfing. Maybe it’s the tight-knit community that welcomes people from all over the world to be a part of what is happening here. Maybe it’s the rich history or unique geographical location. Maybe it’s the class reunions, Friday-night football, or visiting with old friends in the grocery line. Whatever it is, Flour Bluff is a great place to live, visit, play, raise a family, and take part in a community that is like no other.
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Spending the weekend with childhood friends (Flour Bluff Class of ’76), driving the Bluff in search of what is new or changed, writing this article, and gathering pictures for it takes me to the heart of a place I have called home for nearly 50 years. Even those who have moved away still feel her tugging at their heartstrings. She definitely leaves an impression. Flour Bluff, like every little “town”, has its problems, but that which is good outweighs them all. I just wish more people could experience living la vida Bluff style!