Padre Island is a barrier island that stretches for about 100 miles (160 kilometers) along the south Texas coast. Laguna Madre, an estuary (lagoon), separates it from the mainland. Causeways give access to Corpus Christi and Port Isabel, near Brownsville. Brazos Santiago Pass and the Mansfield Channel connect Laguna Madre to the Gulf of Mexico. The island is a recreational center and wildlife habitat. In 1962, a national seashore was authorized for Padre Island. The island was named for Padre (Father) Nicolas Balli, a Spanish priest who started a ranch there about 1800.
