Tarpon Inn
Why it's listed
Tarpon Inn is a two-story frame hotel with a double veranda on Cotter Street in Port Aransas, Texas. The first inn was built in 1886 by Frank Stephenson using lumber from a Civil War barracks that had housed a jetty work crew. Fire destroyed it in 1900, two replacement buildings followed, and the 1919 hurricane wrecked the larger one. In 1925 lessee James M. Ellis, with help from J. B. Earl of Waco, rebuilt the inn without an architect, copying the earlier barracks form. The design suits the Gulf climate: a northeast orientation catches the breeze, galleries shade the twenty-six rooms, and telephone poles set in concrete reinforce the square pillars. The inn gained fame as Port Aransas became known as the tarpon capital of the world, with some 7,500 signed tarpon scales mounted in its lobby. Guests included Aimee Semple McPherson, Jesse Jones, and Douglas Corrigan. It remains in use as a hotel and restaurant.
Significance in brief: The inn has been a Gulf Coast landmark for close to a century, hosting vacationers and public figures during Port Aransas's rise as a tarpon fishing destination. Its "barracks" style adapts well to the harsh coastal climate, and it is one of the few large structures of this type remaining on the coast. It is also tied to the area's peak popularity from 1920 to 1940.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79003002, listed September 14, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 200 E. Cotter St, Port Aransas |
|---|---|
| County | Nueces County |
| Listed | September 14, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003002 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Frank Stephenson, James M. Ellis |
| Architectural style | "Barracks" style |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operating as a hotel and restaurant; major repairs were undertaken in 1975 and the owners were investigating restoration possibilities. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 27.83761, -97.05992 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79003002.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7686598
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.