Several places in Corpus Christi have unique names — the Solomon P. Ortiz Center, the Manuel Q. Salinas Park and the Dr. Clotilde P. Garcia Library are just a few.
But who are the people they are named after?
The Caller-Times gathered eight places in Corpus Christi that are named after Hispanic trailblazers that made a difference to the Sparkling City by the Sea.
Antonio E. Garcia Arts & Education Center
2021 Agnes St.
The center, named for South Texas artist Antonio Encarnación Garcia Sr., focuses on art, education and literacy. It has been active since 1993, partnering with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi to provide educational and counseling programming since 2004.
Garcia was an American artist
nicknamed the "Michelangelo of South Texas." During his career from the 1930s to 1970s, his work earned nationwide accolades and he became one of the region's top proponents of the fine arts.
On Sept. 30, it was announced the center will no longer provide educational programming as Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi transitions to a "school-based delivery model" next year. It's unclear what will become of the facility itself, which is owned by the city of Corpus Christi.
Bernardo F. "Ben" Garza
A park and a gym, both at 1815 Howard St., are named after Bernardo F. "Ben" Garza, former leader of Council No. 4 of Order of the Sons of America in Corpus Christi. With his council, The Knights of America and other allied organizations, the League of United Latin American Citizens was formed in 1927.
Garza was elected to be the first president of LULAC at the organization's first convention in Corpus Christi in May 1929.
Born in Brownsville in 1892, Garza was raised in Rockport before moving to Corpus Christi in 1914. He eventually became a prominent businessman and property owner while working for Hispanic rights. In the early 1930s, Garza traveled to Washington to testify before Congress against a bill that would have legalized segregating Hispanic students from Anglos in schools.
Dr. Clotilde P. Garcia Library
5930 Brockhampton St.
The Dr. Clotilde P. Garcia Library is one of the newest libraries in Corpus Christi, as it opened its doors in 2009. It is named after Garcia — a physician, community advocate, founder of the local Spanish American Genealogical Association and sister of Dr. Hector P. Garcia.
The library houses a collection of more than 50,000 items including books, audiobooks, DVDs, Blu-Rays, magazines and even cake pans.
Garcia was born in Tamaulipas, Mexico, in 1917 and earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1938. She was a teacher for 12 years in the Rio Grande Valley area before earning her medical degree in 1954 from the UT School of Medicine in Galveston. She began practicing medicine at Memorial Medical Center in Corpus Christi in 1955.
Dr. Hector P. Garcia
There are several spots in Corpus Christi dedicated to the late Dr. Hector P. Garcia. These include a park at 4305 Greenwood Drive, a post office at 809 Nueces Bay Blvd., a plaza at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi at 6300 Ocean Drive, and a health center at 2606 Hospital Blvd.
Garcia was a physician, veteran and civil rights leader. He completed medical school at the University of Texas at Galveston, where he was the only Mexican American student in his class.
He opened a medical practice in Corpus Christi where he took care of veterans. In 1948, Garcia started the American GI Forum, an organization that advocated for Hispanic veterans, ensuring they received GI benefits for medical care, burial rights and education. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984.
Manuel Q. Salinas Park
1354 Airport Road
Manuel "La Chiva" Q. Salinas was born in Alice in 1927. He was a semipro first baseman in various Texas leagues from the 1950s to 1970s.
According to past Caller-Times reporting, soccer and baseball players across South Texas and Mexico originally called the area Salinas Field before it was officially named.
From the 1970s through 1990s, he organized youth baseball and soccer in Corpus Christi. The park was named after Salinas in July 2010 and opened with seven soccer fields, two football fields, a softball field, a walking trail, a covered pavilion and an amphitheater.
Ramiro "Ram" Chavez Performing Arts Hall
3750 Cimarron Blvd.
Veterans Memorial High School's performing arts hall was named after Ramiro "Ram" Chavez, a local Army veteran and co-founder of the Corpus Christi Veterans Band, in 2024.
He spent most of his career as a band director and educator for several Corpus Christi Independent School District campuses. Chavez was also a decorated United States Army combat medic during the Vietnam War and received a Silver Star for his service.
Chavez and the Corpus Christi Veterans Band could be seen at various city events, including Buc Days, luncheons, Veterans Day gatherings and the Texas Jazz Festival. On Aug. 3, Chavez died at 80 from cancer.
Selena Auditorium
1901 N. Shoreline Blvd.
With more than 2,500 seats, the auditorium was named after the Queen of Tejano, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, in 1996. Several acts have graced the stage over the years, including Jason Mraz, Pat Benatar, the Goo Goo Dolls and the Jonas Brothers.
Selena was born April 16, 1971, in Lake Jackson. Her family later moved to Corpus Christi, where she attended West Oso Junior High School and received her diploma in 1988.
Selena y Los Dinos, a band originally consisting of Selena and her family members, released their first recording in 1983. Three years later, Selena received the female vocalist of the year award at the Tejano Music Awards. In 1994, Selena won a Grammy for best Mexican-American album for "Live." In 2021, she received a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards.
Solomon P. Ortiz International Center
402 Harbor Drive
In 2000, a former cotton warehouse was reimagined and opened as the Solomon P. Ortiz International Center. Since then, the venue has served the community by hosting events ranging from professional gatherings and conferences to weddings and high school dances.
Born in Robstown, Ortiz joined the United States Army in 1960 and served two years.
He was elected Nueces County constable in 1965 and then elected to the county Commissioners Court in 1969, becoming the first Hispanic to serve in that capacity. In 1976, Ortiz was elected county sheriff, another first for a Hispanic person in Nueces County. He resigned in 1982 to run for Congress and served as U.S. representative for Texas' District 27 from 1983 to 2011.
John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Have a story idea? Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Eight Corpus Christi places named after Hispanic trailblazers
