There seems to be little doubt that Padre Island will quickly take its place as one of the nation’s outstanding recreational spots. With only three semitropical beach areas in the United States, the southern parts of Florida, California, and Texas, Padre is the largest and last undeveloped warm water beach area left. On Valentine’s Day, 1954, the beautiful Queen Isabella Causeway opened at the southern tip of the island.

The climate is as good as Miami’s, and it is blessed with one of the finest white sand beaches in the world. Laguna Madre is a natural water sports basin, and the deep sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico is already world famous.

Padre Island’s principal developer, John L. Tompkins, whose grandfather marched down Padre with Taylor’s army during the Mexican War in 1846, is known locally as “Mr. Padre Island,” and has focused international attention on the area’s resort possibilities.

When Padre Island’s future as a National Seashore Park began to be considered in Congress, a popular song, called “Come with me to Padre Island,” was dedicated to the island. It was composed and recorded by your author, Loraine Daly of San Antonio, Texas, and Carl Johnson of Dallas, Texas. It served to introduce this little-known tropical island to many who were not acquainted with it.

Envisioned in the island’s near-term future are a marina, a king-sized aquarium—where the public can view marine life—and an oceanographic laboratory.

Brownsville, which neighbors the southern tip of Padre, has long been known as the gateway to Latin America. None of us can deny the significance of having one of our brightest resort areas right at the doorstep of the entrance to our country.