The Fulton Fishing Pier in Rockport/Fulton reopened this fall after being destroyed four years ago by Hurricane Harvey.
That might not sound like such a big deal unless you’re an avid angler or pier walker, but Fulton Mayor Kelli Cole summed up what the $1.9 million public-private financed project means to the community: “This project marks the final step of our town in recovering from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Harvey.”
You should know about the sister towns of Fulton-Rockport in Aransas County that there are no high-rises; these are still very much fishing villages. The area is not wealthy and is mostly rural. Without a beach directly on the Gulf of Mexico, the tourist industry attracts mostly fishermen and artists.
In August 2017, Rockport/Fulton took a direct hit from Hurricane Harvey, and the towns went through a meat grinder of 130 mph winds. The county courthouse is still in a repurposed grocery store. It says a lot about the resilience of the community that the area has bounced back better than ever.
There’s plenty to do in Rockport/Fulton: Visit the Texas Maritime Museum and/or the Rockport Center for the Arts, shop in the galleries and stores along Austin Street, check out the Fulton Mansion State Historic Site, take a whooping crane or sunset cruise, walk the beach on an inlet of the bay, dine at GLOW or Moondog Seaside Eatery, or go fishing.
The Fulton Fishing Pier is in a small park at the end of Chaparral Street at 402 N. Fulton Beach Rd. The lighted, 1,200-foot pier is open 24/7 with an attendant during daylight hours. Admission is $5 per pole with a maximum of four poles per angler. Pier walking is free.
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This article appears in November 19 • 2021.
