The Early Years:
Port Bay Club (“The Club”) is the oldest, continuously operated hunting and fishing club in Texas. “The Club’s” property was acquired in 1909, by a hunting and fishing guide, Andrew Sorenson,
In May of 1912 Sorenson decided to incorporate his operation into a private club, and sold shares at $150 each to 100 members.
Because of the area’s reputation as a sportsman’s paradise, Sorenson had little trouble recruiting his original charter membership.
The Club’s charter members weren’t only Texans, but came from as far away as New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Atlanta, including a former governor of Wisconsin, G. W. Peck.
All this is rather remarkable, since in those days there was little urbanization or infrastructure along the Texas Coast. Many Members traveled to “The Club” by way of the old San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad (later a Southern Pacific branch line) to Gregory, where they were picked up by a local jitney service, or sometimes “The Club” Manager. Due to the challenges involved in getting to “The Club” many Members spent weeks and sometimes months at “The Club”
As a shareholder operated Corporation, “The Club” was managed by a series of Club Managers ranging from G.M. Harrell and Milton Harrell who were father and son, Arthur R. Curry who was Manager for 25 years and an Aransas Co. Sheriff, and Bubba Davis. These Managers strived to maintain the culture and traditions that has served as the foundation for “The Club’s” longevity.
Over the years “The Club” has evolved from a Hunting and Fishing club to a family-oriented Club focused on the heritage of outdoor activities.
As an example, in the 50’s, a group of shareholders used “The Club” as a beach club.
Due to the growing popularity of “The Club”,in 1950 The San Antonio Express, ran a story about Port Bay Club <Click Here To read that story>
Click the image to see the interactive gallery.
ed,
Through the Decades:
Port Bay Club (“The Club”) has continued to evolve and adapt to the change demographic of America’s outdoor enthusiast, as well as considering how the American family has evolved.
Along the way we started to provide Wi-Fi. That may sound simple until you consider we sit in the middle of a marsh and a bay.
We added a communal point with the fire pit and patio. This has become a central focal point for the Membership. There’s a saying around the fire pit. “Most conversation are 20% lies and 80% BS”. We maybe have some fun with ourselves. The Fire pit has created long-lasting friendships over the years.
As part of our centennial celebration, we added a multipurpose $240,000.00 recreation room, that provides a wonderful elevated deck for enjoying your favorite beverage while the sun sets over Copano Bay. No better end to a perfect day.
We continue the tradition of pulling small skiffs, that are designed to fit in duck blinds and platform blinds in the bay.
There is nothing more exciting than seeing hundreds of ducks flying in from the marsh to the bay.
Click the image to see the interactive gallery.
And the Road goes on forever:
Over the decades “The Club” has continued to adapt to the changing demographics of the shareholders. However, the shareholders could not have foreseen what was about to beset “The Club”.
On Aug. 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall over San Jose Island and then near Rockport, in south-central Texas, as a Category 4 hurricane, threatening millions of residents with 130-mph winds, heavy rains, and a massive storm surge that swamped the south-central coast.
It became the country’s first major Category 3 or higher hurricane since Wilma hit Florida in October 2005 and the first major hurricane to strike southern Texas since Celia in 1970. Harvey ranks as the second-most costly hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland since 1900.
Harvey inflicted more than $125 billion in damages in the Texas gulf coast area, “The Club” experienced more than $2.5M in damage.
In typical Port Bay style, the shareholders rolled up their sleeves and began reconstruction. We are now in our final phase with a $1.8M new Dinning and Lodge facilities scheduled to open in the near future.
This undertaking has shown the true Texas grit that the original Port Bay Club’s shareholders demonstrated, by craving “The Club” out of a spit of land and a marsh. That “YES WE CAN” attitude continues as the fabric of “The Club” and its Shareholders.
We think Robert Earl Keen (Texan and Texas Music Star) captured the sprite of Port Bay Club in one of his most popular song. “The road goes on forever and the party never ends”. Come join the Party, the Port Bay family, the Legacy.
Click the image to see the interactive gallery.
The Next “100”
