Rockport Texas - The History, Legends & Lore 1st Printing | Page 53

LEGEND: ROCKPORT PALM TREE CRAB This story is about 30 years old, and it refers to a Land Crab that was spotted on the top of a local Date Palm that’s a few blocks behind of the old Rockport Elementary. The Crab supposedly remained on the tree for about a month before dissapearing. LORE: There is a terrestrial, treetop dwelling, Land Crab in the World, but it lives on Coconut Trees (a type of Palm not native to Rockport) that are located across the Indian Ocean - nearly the other side of the Earth. These are Giant Coconut Crabs (sp. Birgus latro), and they grow over a foot long & up to 38 lbs. ROCKPORT PINE TREE (sp. Pinus taeda) Also called the Loblolly Pine, they’re considered common beginning in Central Texas, but south of Edna, Texas, they’re hardly seen, unless they were planted there intentionally, like the little Pine Woods on Hwy 35 North that had to be cleared out recently due to disease. These Trees are proof that Pine Trees will grow in our area. LEGEND #1: ROCKPORT PINE TREES There’s a Legend in our RockportFulton Community that two wealthy individuals made a $1 Dollar, ‘Gentleman’s Bet’ over whether or not Pine Trees could grow in our area. The result is our little Rockport Pine Woods. LEGEND #2: ROCKPORT PINE TREES This Legend is much like Legend #1, only the ‘Bet’ was for $1 per Pine Tree that grew. 52