Collegeport Day 2020 - CANCELLED
 

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Tribute to Russell Duane Corporon

Russell Corporon passed away on November 30, 2019.  He was the fourth of five children of R. L. “Dick” and Dorothy M. Corporon who raised their family in the Citrus Grove and Collegeport communities.  Russell was a local farmer and rancher and was quite active in the First Presbyterian Church of Collegeport where he served as an Elder. 

Russell played a vital role in our annual Collegeport Day celebrations, always lending a hand wherever he was needed.  He headed up the BBQ committee for our Collegeport Day celebrations for as long as one can remember, and, working with his group of volunteers, prepared the tastiest barbecued brisket you can imagine.  All will remember his welcoming smile and his kind way.

We miss you, Russell.
 

Improvements to Mopac House in 2019

Last year, long overdue renovations to the restrooms were completed just prior to Collegeport Day.  The floor was raised to the level of the library floor, eliminating the step down.  Walls were paneled with tongue and groove siding and the ceilings with beaded board.  Interiors were painted with Sherwin-Williams “Glass of Milk”, and laminate flooring was installed in the larger restroom.  New comfort-height toilets and assist bars were also installed.  New plumbing and electrical wiring were installed.  The addition of a small window unit now provides a reprieve from the heat.

In addition, all of the large windows in the Mopac House were repaired and re-glazed and their exterior casings were primed, as you can see in the header photo.    

Thank you to all of the local volunteers who contributed materials and labor to complete these much-needed improvements.

Earlier this year a $15,000 estimate was received to perform necessary repairs, including sill plates around the Mopac House and Library.  Due to the current quarantine restrictions, we are unable to commit to the project at this time, but hope to have the project completed before Collegeport Day in 2021.  We are committed to preserving this historic landmark. If you would like to partner in this project, your donation may be sent to:

Mopac House Foundation
P. O. Box 175
Collegeport, Texas 77428
 

Percy Corporon related in his book, “Tails of a Poor Fat Boy”, that he had a bad weather education.  “When the weather was to bad to work WE could go to school.”

His stories are reproduced just as he wrote them.

My First Collegeport Day Celebration in 1909 [1910]...
By Percy V. Corporon

When we left Kansas along about the middle of December in 1909, we dug our way through big snow drifts head-high to get to the train to come to Texas. We came in a special excursion car. When we got to Bay City, our car was set on the siding for a while. Some people went out and picked green grass and flowers and brought them back to show them. We felt like we had landed in Heaven, but we later found out it wasn't.

This country was overrun with longhorn cattle and mosquitoes.

We first entered Collegeport from the bay where they had boat service to Palacios. This was before they had railroads to Collegeport.

Our first Collegeport celebration was in 1910, held on a nice open-air pavilion right out in the bay from the end of Main St. There were several big tables with banners over them stating which state they represented. Our Kansas table had the most representatives. We had a big sunflower over our table which is the Kansas state flower.

Mrs. E. Yeamans stood on a platform and gave a big welcoming address to all of us snowdiggers--as Frank King used to call us. I still remember a lot she talked about. She was an outstanding business woman. What time she wasn't on horseback she was in a little Brush automobile driven by her son Victor out selling milk cows to all of us "Newcomers" or in a big two-story dry goods and grocery store with living quarters above. That store stood right where Francis Johnson's house now stands.

Early days in Collegeport, it was a nice little town. It had the Gulf Coast University of Industrial arts where the students worked for the college half-days and studied the other half-day. It also had a United Denominational Church, its own newspaper, The Collegeport Chronicle, a bank, two hotels and several stores. When we got our cement roads and lost our railroad, that spelled death to some of these small towns, but Collegeport goes on with its yearly celebration of a nice homecoming day and a big free barbeque.

I have missed very few since 1910 and, as well as I like to eat, the best is seeing old friends and relatives.

Palacios Beacon, Wednesday, May 29, 1991
 

Theo Smith Family on their launch “The Grace of Collegeport”

 This photo will be added to the Collegeport Day 2021 slide show.
Your additional pictures to the slide show are welcomed.
 

 
For more information, e-mail or call G. W. Franzen

gfranzen@tisd.net  or (979) 240-8778

Search the following link for Collegeport history:

http://www.usgenwebsites.org/TXMatagorda/collegeport.htm

Collegeport Day 2021
 

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