|
|||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
San Marcos, Texas |
| City of San Marcos | |
 |
|
 |
|
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Texas |
| Counties | Caldwell, Guadalupe, Hays |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Susan Narvaiz1 |
| Area | |
| - Total | 18.2 sq mi (47.4 km²) |
| - Land | 18.2 sq mi (47.2 km²) |
| - Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²) |
| Elevation | 617 ft (188 m) |
| Population (2008) | |
| - Total | 50,371 |
| - Density | 1,907.5/sq mi (736.4/km²) |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP codes | 78666-78667 |
| Area code(s) | 512 |
| FIPS code | 48-656002 |
| GNIS feature ID | 13759713 |
| Website: ci.san-marcos.tx.us | |
San Marcos is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, and is the county seat of Hays County. San Marcos is located on the Interstate 35 corridor, between Austin and San Antonio.4 Founded on the banks of the San Marcos River, the area is considered to be among the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the Northern Hemisphere.5 San Marcos is home to Texas State University-San Marcos, and the Aquarena Center .6 The population was 50,371 in 2008.7
Contents |
On St. Mark's Day of 1689, Alonso de Leon's men discovered the river and named it the San Marcos River in honor of Saint Mark. 58
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, today Texas State University-San Marcos, was established as a teacher's college to meet demand for public school teachers in Texas. In 1907 the private institution known as the San Marcos Baptist Academy was established9, furthering education as an important industry for the town. The demands of World War II forced the town's industry to diversify, and with the emergence of a manufacturing and light industrial sector the town began to experience growth.
In the 1960s, with the establishment of Aquarena Springs10 and Wonder World11 as attractions, the tourist industry became a growing part of the city's economy. By the 1960s what was now named Southwest Texas State University had grown into an important regional institution12, and when coupled with the creation of Gary Job Corps Training Center in 196513, education became the largest industry in San Marcos14. The remarkable growth explosion of Austin further allowed San Marcos to prosper.
By 1973, San Marcos and Hays County had joined the Austin Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area.15 By that year the city's population had grown to 25,000 citizens, along with an additional Southwest Texas State University student body of 20,000.
By 1990, the city's population had grown to 28,743, by 2000 it reached 34,733, and by 2008 the city's population had grown to 50,371, and the university now known as Texas State University, boasted a student body of 28,121.16
San Marcos is located at (29.879387, -97.938829)17 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 18.3 square miles (47.4 km²).Land constitutes 18.2 square miles (47.2 km²), and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (0.60%) is water.
The San Marcos River area is considered by many archaeologists to be the oldest, continuously inhabited area in the Northern Hemisphere. 5
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 34,733 people, 12,660 households, and 5,380 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,907.5 people per square mile (736.4/km²). There were 13,340 housing units at an average density of 732.6/sq mi (282.8/km²). 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 San Marcos River rises from the San Marcos Springs, the location of Aquarena Springs. The springs are home to several threatened or endangered species, including the Texas Blind Salamander, Fountain Darter, and Texas Wild Rice. The river is a popular recreational area, and is frequented for tubing, canoeing, swimming, and fishing.
The river begins at San Marcos Springs, rising from the Edwards Aquifer into Spring Lake. Access to much of the headwaters is restricted due to the delicate ecosystem and numerous rare species. The upper river flows through Texas State University and San Marcos, and is a popular recreational area. It is joined by the Blanco River after four miles, passes through Luling and near Gonzales flows into the Guadalupe River after a total of 75 miles (121 km). This course is the first section of the Texas Water Safari.
The culture of San Marcos is greatly enriched by the city's diversity. Home to a growing Hispanic population, and a small but influential African-American population, the city hosts many annual events that highlight its different cultures, such as the annual VIVA! Cinco de May Celebration, the Texas Natural &Western Swing Festival, Juneteenth Celebrations, and the Sights and Sounds of Christmas.
San Marcos benefits greatly by the presence of Texas State University, and its large student population. The influx of youth contributes toward keeping the city vibrant, as exemplified by a thriving music scene. In addition, the university and local school district provide many opportunities for entertainment through the various student artistic productions, and athletic events.
Those in San Marcos enjoy a life centered greatly around nature. The presence of the pristine San Marcos River, and an ample city park system, provides plentiful outdoor opportunities. The admiration for nature lends to a city pride in its scenic natural beauty, and the unique and endangered species which also call San Marcos home.
The square was recently the focus of a multi-million dollar restoration project. It is also one of the primary sources of entertainment for Texas State students.
The city of San Marcos is served by the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District. San Marcos is also home to the San Marcos Baptist Academy, a Baptist boarding college-preparatory military academy. San Marcos is also the home of Texas State University-San Marcos.
Many mcfall's have been born in san marcos as well.
| Find more about San Marcos, Texas on Wikipedia's sister projects: | |
|---|---|
 |
Dictionary definitions |
 |
Textbooks |
 |
Quotations |
 |
Source texts |
 |
Images and media |
 |
News stories |
 |
Learning resources |
|
|
|---|---|
| Government |
City Hall · Hays County Courthouse · Fire · Library · Police |
| Transportation | |
| Education |
Hays CISD · San Marcos Baptist Academy · San Marcos CISD · Texas State University |
| Companies | |
| Parks & Recreation |
Aquarena Springs · Activity Center · Bobcat Stadium · City Park · Conference Center · Dunbar Park · Lucio Park · Playscape · Quail Creek Country Club · Rio Vista Park · San Marcos River · Sewell Park · Strahan Coliseum |
| Other |
Austin · Edwards Aquifer · Freeman Ranch · Gary Job Corps · Hill Country · Lyndon Baines Johnson · Outlet Malls · San Antonio · San Marcos Springs · Wimberley · Wonder Cave · Wonder World |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
