LORE: Aransas and Copano
The Old Copano Landing
Photo: Texas Historical Commission
Bays were a haven for Pirates
back then. The extent of their
‘skullduggery’ can only be
guessed. Reports of alleged
‘Pirate Treasure’ found at Cedar Bayou are a reminder of
their past, local presence.
In 1841, Joseph Plummer was living in his one-story,
shellcrete home. Mr. Plummer had a 640 acre claim
on the old Copano landing. Other settlers followed,
disregarding Plummer’s claim, and built shellcrete
homes only a mile north of Plummer’s house. By
1845, Copano (formerly: Port El Cópano) had become
a community. Plummer abandoned his first home moving only a few miles.
Power had plans of taking over Plummer’s claim, and
in 1850 he began building a house in Copano, using
part of Plummer’s old home.
But James Power died in 1852, at Live
Oak Point, before his home in Copano
was finished.
Joseph Plummer died 7 years later in
the Copano Community he’d helped
establish.
Aransas City was soon abandoned a new colony emerged: St. Mary’s (2
miles from Black Point), and the Civil
War was about to change everything.
LORE: In the 1830’s & 40’s, there
were 2 Schooners that were common visitors to the Port at Aransas
City: The Louisiana, Captained
by D.P. Barhyt, and the Olympus,
Captained by Philip Black.
84
Joseph Plummer’s Tombstone
Photo:
Texas Historical Commission