San Marcos, located in Hays County, Texas, serves as the county seat and is part of the larger Austin Metropolitan Area. The city’s boundaries stretch into Caldwell and Guadalupe counties, and its prime location along Interstate 35 places it conveniently between Austin and San Antonio.
The San Marcos River has been a steady source of water for thousands of years, providing a hospitable environment for human habitation. Archaeological evidence linked to the Clovis culture has been discovered along the riverbanks, indicating that people have been living in the area for over 10,000 years. Additionally, the river is home to the third-largest collection of springs in Texas, and remarkably, it has never stopped flowing in recorded history.
In 1991, a group of demonstrators seeking to legitimize marijuana use participating in a nonviolent act of defiance were apprehended, earning them the name the San Marcos Seven.
In the year 2022, residents of the city legal to have small amounts marijuana without facing criminal charges.
In the city, there were 67,553 individuals, 23,769 households, and 10,635 families living there according to the 2020 United States census.
The city is crossed by the San Marcos River and the Blanco River, both of which belong to the Guadalupe watershed. Additionally, Cottonwood Creek, Purgatory Creek, Sink Creek, and Willow Springs Creek also run through the area.
San Marcos serves as the host city for Texas State University, a diverse and esteemed public research institution that has been providing top-notch education since 1899.
San Marcos is covered by the Hays Consolidated Independent School District, which includes Blanco Vista Elementary School, situated in the far northeastern area of the city, within the San Marcos boundaries.
Public transportation options in the Capital Area include the Capital Area Rural Transportation System and the San Marcos Municipal Airport. The San Marcos Station is a stop for the Texas Eagle train operated by Amtrak.
Multiple educational institutions in the area contribute a steady stream of skilled workers to the local labor pool. Notable establishments in this regard are Texas State University, which ranks as the fourth largest university in the state, and Gary Job Corps, a program offering education and vocational training.
Various recreational options are offered at Sewell Park, including volleyball, picnicking, and swimming or tubing. It is famous for being the location where certain recent Texas State graduates take a celebratory plunge into the San Marcos River following their commencement ceremony.
The community of San Marcos is enthusiastic about the athletic programs at Texas State University, fondly referred to as the Texas State Bobcats. The football team has had notable success, winning the NCAA Division II National Championships in 1982 and 1983, and now competes in the NCAA Division I (FBS) Sun Belt Conference. The Bobcats play their home games at Bobcat Stadium, which has a seating capacity of over 33,000. Strahan Arena hosts basketball and volleyball games, while baseball games are held at Bobcat Ballpark.
The thrill of amateur sports car racing can be experienced at Harris Hill Raceway.
San Marcos was recognized in Business Week magazine’s survey as one of the top places for raising children in 2010. The United States Census Bureau identified it as the quickest-growing city in the nation in 2013 and 2014. Additionally, it was ranked ninth on Business Insider’s list of the most thrilling small cities in America in December 2013.
In 2016, the San Marcos Arts Commission installed 10 mermaid statues throughout the city, showcasing the city’s rich cultural heritage. The mermaid has been an iconic symbol of San Marcos since the mid-1900s, when women dressed as mermaids performed underwater at the former Aquarena Springs. Each statue stands at 7 ft tall and is mounted on a limestone slab, bringing the total height to approximately 9 ft. Each mermaid is uniquely decorated by a regional artist, highlighting the city’s commitment to celebrating its art, culture, and natural beauty.
The iconic Cheatham Street Warehouse has served as a springboard for the success of numerous renowned musicians, including George Strait, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Randy Rogers, Todd Snider, James McMurtry, and Terri Hendrix. Building on this legacy, the Cheatham Street Foundation is dedicated to upholding and celebrating Texas’ rich musical heritage through educational workshops focused on the business side of the industry.
San Marcos has served as the backdrop for numerous television shows and movies, including popular titles such as Friday Night Lights, D.O.A., Everybody Wants Some!!, Boyhood, American Crime, That’s What I’m Talking About, Piranha, The Ringer, Courage Under Fire, The New Guy, The Faculty, Idiocracy, The Getaway, The War at Home, Little Boy Blue, Flesh and Bone, Race With the Devil, and The Tree of Life.
Points of Attraction
Alkek Library
Bobcat Ballpark
Bobcat Stadium
Calaboose African American History Museum
Cheatham Street Warehouse
Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos
Eye of the Dog Art Center
First United Methodist Church
Fort Street Presbyterian Church
Freeman Ranch
Lyndon Baines Johnson Museum of San Marcos
Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
Old Main
Rio Vista Dam
San Marcos Mill Tract
San Marcos Outlet Malls
Texas State University
Sewell Park
Strahan Coliseum
Wonder Cave
Prominent individuals include George Strait, a musician who has won a Grammy Award. Lyndon B. Johnson, who served as the thirty-sixth President of the United States, was educated at Texas State University–San Marcos. Charles Austin is an Olympic gold medalist, while Powers Boothe is an actor who has won an Emmy Award. Catalina Vasquez Villalpando was the 39th Treasurer of the United States, Tino Villanueva is a poet and writer, and Eddie Durham was a jazz guitarist and pioneer in early electric guitar.
Monclova, Coahuila in Mexico and Santiago, Nuevo León in Mexico are sister cities.