Places to Visit in Texas / San Marcos

Western Trips takes a road trip to San Marcos Texas where culture, art and history all mix together. San Marcos is located between Austin and San Antonio Texas along the Interstate 35 corridor. San Marcos makes a fine Texas vacation stop.

A view from San Marcos Square

An underwater archeological dig in Spring Lake at the headwaters of the San Marcos River uncovered artifacts dating back to the Clovis Indians. The Clovis Indians date back some 12,000 years and are the oldest known inhabitants of the western hemisphere.

Early Anglo Settlement

The city of San Marcos is near a trail once known as El Camino Real. The trail  crosses the San Marcos River three miles southeast of downtown. The first Anglo settlers settled in the area in late 1846 in a place named San Marcos Springs.  The town of San Marcos was founded by three people. These were Edward Burleson, Eli Merriman and William Lindsey. The first cabin in the area was Burleson's two room cabin at the highest elevation of town. The original Burleson cabin was destroyed by a storm in 1917 but has since been restored.  Edward Burleson went on to build the first school in San Marcos, and a gristmill where today you'll find the Salt Grass Steakhouse. Merriman was a Yale graduated medical doctor and was one of the first physicians in San Marcos.

First United Methodist Church, San Marcos TX

Hays County, of which San Marcos is the county seat, was established by the Texas legislature in 1848. Hays County Texas is named after the former Texas Ranger and military officer of the Mexican American War, John Coffee Hays. Hays also fought against the Comanche Indians and after migrating to California was instrumental in the founding of Oakland California and served as sheriff of San Francisco County.

Hays was in California during the Civil War years and wasn't involved in either political or military pursuits. John Coffee Hays died in California in 1883 and is buried in Oakland.

Hays County Courthouse

San Marcos Downtown Square

The prominent structure in downtown San Marcos is the Hays County Courthouse. The courthouse was built in 1909 and has been restored. The courthouse was built in a Classical Revival style of architecture. The design was utilized almost identically with the construction of the courthouse in Ft. Bend County. The architect for both courthouses was the same, the firm of C.H. Page and Brother. Later the firm changed their name to Page Brothers.

Like many county courthouses in Texas, there were other earlier ones. Hays County had four courthouses in total. The years of their construction were 1861, 1869, 1882 and 1909.

Texas State University

San Marcos Texas is home to Texas State University-San Marcos. In 1899 the Texas Legislature created Southwest Texas State Normal School which opened its doors in 1903. The school grew over the years and it's name was changed several times. The first name was Normal College, followed by Teacher's College, Texas University and then in 2003 the name was changed to Texas State University-San Marcos.

Old Main Bldg on Texas State University campus

One of the school's students was President Lyndon Johnson who grew up in the Texas Hill Country. The campus is in one of the most beautiful settings in Texas. The campus is in a hilly area with the San Marcos River flowing through it. Today's student body comes from all over the world and the enrollment is about 35,000 students.

The red-roofed, castle-like landmark shown in this article was Texas State’s first building. The structure named the Old Main Building was the only structure on campus until 1908. The building was designed by architect E. Northcraft. and was built in a style known as Victorian Gothic. The first classes in this building began in 1903 and as the campus grew, the Old Main Building served as the school's administration building. If you have an opportunity to visit the campus you'll want to see this marvelous structure.

Historic Residential Districts

Several residential neighborhoods in San Marcos are designated as historic districts. The homes you'll see there are Victorian, Classical Revival, and Craftsman architecture built between 1880 and the 1940’s. Also shown on the above photo is the First United Methodist Church. The church is just a block off the town square and is easily seen from afar. The sanctuary was built in 1893. The sanctuary was constructed in the shape of a cross with cypress lumber and sits on large cedar posts. The first pipe organ was put in place in 1912. The church's congregation goes as far back as 1847 when the town was first being settled.

Three additional Western Trips photo articles you'll enjoy are a Visit to the Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg Texas...The Historic Driskill Hotel in downtown Austin...and the Spanish Missions of San Antonio Texas.

LBJ Museum of San Marcos

Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, spent his college years in San Marcos while he attended what is now Texas State University-San Marcos  from 1927 to 1930.

During these years, LBJ was an active member of the school's debate team. The LBJ Museum of San Marcos focuses on his formative years and how his early experiences as a college student and schoolteacher impacted the community and the nation. Among the many exhibits are early photographs, local news stories, a book collection and presidential memorabilia along with paintings and renderings. The museum is located on the San Marcos Square directly across from the Hays County Courthouse.

Located in the scenic Texas Hill Country and filled with so much early Texas history, San Marcos makes an excellent addition to any Texas vacation planner.


(Photos from author's private collection)




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