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'San Marcos' is a city in Texas, USA. The population was 34,733 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hays County. Texas State University-San Marcos (formerly Southwest Texas State University) is located in the city.
San Marcos is the only habitat for the endangered Texas Blind Salamander (Eurycea rathbuni). The Aquarena Springs ecological education center is located in San Marcos.

Contents

History

Geography

Demographics

The Springs and Parks

Culture

Education

Transportation

Notable Texans and San Marcos

External links

History

A small group of Mexican families settled in the area where the El Camino Real crossed the San Marcos River in April 1808, calling their settlement ''Villa de San Marcos de Neve''. The settlers were plagued by floods and Indian raids, and the settlement was abandoned in 1812.
In November 1846 the first Anglos settled in the vicinity of the San Marcos Springs. The Texas Legislature organized Hays County on March 1, 1848, and designated San Marcos as the county seat. In 1851 the town center was laid out. The town became a center for ginning and milling local agricultural products.
In the decade following the arrival of the International-Great Northern Railroad in 1881, cattle and cotton provided the basis for the growth of San Marcos as a center for commerce and transportation.
In 1899, Southwest Texas State Normal School was established as a teacher's college to meet demand for public school teachers in Texas. It has since changed its name several times and is now Texas State University-San Marcos.
In the 1960s, with the emergence of Aquarena Springs and Wonder World as attractions, the tourist industry became a growing part of the economy.
The expansion of Texas State and establishment of the Gary Job Corps Training Center in 1965 made education the single largest employer in the city.
San Marcos was affected by the severe flooding in 1998.

Geography

San Marcos is located at (29.879387, -97.938829) in an area locally referred to as Central Texas. This is 29 miles southwest of Austin and 47 miles northeast of San Antonio. Interstate 35 is the main highway through the town and the spring-fed San Marcos River is a notable water feature. The city is also situated on the Balcones Fault. The eastern part of the city is flat while the western part consists of rolling hills.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 47.4 km² (18.3 mi²). Land constitutes 47.2 km² (18.2 mi²), and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.60%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 34,733 people, 12,660 households, and 5,380 families residing in the city. The population density was 736.4/km² (1,907.5/mi²). There were 13,340 housing units at an average density of 282.8/km² (732.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.55% White, 5.53% African American, 0.65% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 17.03% from other races, and 2.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36.50% of the population.
There were 12,660 households out of which 19.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.9% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 57.5% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 15.4% under the age of 18, 41.9% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 10.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,809, and the median income for a family was $37,113. Males had a median income of $25,400 versus $22,953 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,468. About 13.8% of families and 28.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.1% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over.

The Springs and Parks

San Marcos was founded on the site of the San Marcos Springs, which produce the San Marcos River. Even today, San Marcans of all ages enjoy swimming in the cool spring water. Several parks surround the river as it bubbles up from the ground and winds its way through the city.

★ Spring Lake was created by a small dam near the spring. It is home of the Aquarena Springs Center and other educational-centered parks.

★ Sewell Park, operated by Texas State University, is a little further downstream. It is packed with university students when the sun is out and is the focal point of the university.

★ The City of San Marcos Parks and Recreation department operates several other parks downstream, including San Marcos Plaza and Lions' Park.
Tube and canoe rental are available at Lions' Park and Sewell Park. A pedestrian and bike bridge crosses the San Marcos River between San Marcos Plaza and Lions' Park.

Culture

The pace of San Marcos is affected by the come-and-go of the students of Texas State University, which sits on the hill overlooking the town square. During summertime and spring and winter breaks the traffic is calmer, the restaurants less crowded, and the streets of the square quieter.
While there has been a historic 'divide' between the students 'up there' on the hill and the year-long residents 'down there' in the town, there have been recent moves, on behalf of the student body and the general public, to engage each other in moving the city forward and planning together.
Recent city bonds and initiatives have partly been aimed at physically connecting the university better to the town. Plans are in the works to landscape LBJ Drive leading from the town square to the university hill. The recent election, in 2005, of Chris Jones, a university student, to the city council was also the work of students and residents working together.

From 1970 to 2002, San Marcos had an annual chili cookoff, the Chilympiad.
Every year, residents march in the Just For Fun Parade.
San Marcos is a popular outlet mall destination for San Antonians and Austinites. There are two outlet malls in the city that are popular with residents of the two larger cities. San Marcos is a convenient place to put these malls since it is roughly halfway between San Antonio and Austin.

Education

The City of San Marcos is served by the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District. Private schools include the Masters School and the San Marcos Baptist Academy, a boarding college-preparatory military academy. San Marcos is also home of Texas State University, San Marcos.

Transportation

★ San Marcos (Amtrak station)

Notable Texans and San Marcos

★ Lyndon Baines Johnson was educated at Texas State University, then called the Southwest Texas Normal School. Many landmarks on campus and around town are named for him, including LBJ Drive -- a main drag in town -- and the LBJ student center. An LBJ museum is also planned to open on the town square.

★ Country music star George Strait graduated from Southwest Texas State University. A bar in the basement of the LBJ student center bears his name.

★ The rock band Blue October is based in San Marcos.

★ Future NFL impact players Barrick Nealy and Fred Evans are products of Texas State University's football program.

★ Tomás Rivera, an influential figure in Chicano and American literature, is also an alum. A street leading to the LBJ Student Center is named in his honor.

★ Ty Detmer, a Heisman-winning quarterback from Brigham Young University was born in San Marcos.

★ Horror author Scott A. Johnson received his Bachelors Degree from Texas State University, then called Southwest Texas State University, in 2002.

★ Cell biologist Adam Johnson graduated from Texas State University with a master's in biology. His research discovered a role for calcineurin during melanosome motility in the retinal pigment epithelium.

★ Instrumental rock band This will destroy you Call San Marcos home.

External links

★ City of San Marcos

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★ Newspapers:

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★ San Marcos Daily Record