San Marcos is a
mid-sized town in Central Texas, bordering on the Texas Hill Country. It's
situated on Interstate 35 on an ancient earthquake fault about halfway between
Austin and San Antonio. It was founded on the banks of the San Marcos River.
Never in recorded history has the river run dry.
The
area is considered to be among the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the
Northern Hemisphere.
Archeologists have found
evidence at the San Marcos River associated with the Clovis Culture, which
suggests that the river has been the site of human habitation for more than
10,000 years.
In 1689, Spaniard Alonso DeLeon
led an expedition from Mexico to explore Texas and establish missions and
presidios in the region. DeLeon's party reached the river on April 25, the
feast day of St. Mark the Evangelist; thus, the river was named the San Marcos
River.
During the next centuries, Spanish
settlements located at the headwaters of the river, followed by Mexican
families.
Shortly thereafter, the
first Anglos settled in the vicinity of the San Marcos Springs. The town of San
Marcos was soon designated the county seat of Hays County, named for Jack C.
Hays, famous Texas Ranger.
Today, San Marcos has been designated as
"The Fastest Growing City in America." We, the citizens, are not too
happy about this, because we feel we're already becoming crowded.
The city has the Outlet
Malls--Tanger and Prime Outlets. The San
Marcos Outlet Malls are two discrete Outlet Malls. Combined, the two adjacent malls
have more than 350 stores, and an excess of 1,000,000 sq ft. During peak seasons, shoppers at the malls
can reach numbers that effectively triple the population of San Marcos. In
2006, ABC's The View named the San Marcos Outlets the third-best place
to shop in the world.
Texas State
University sits on 457 acres along the banks of the river. The students number
34,000 to date. It's the fifth largest university in the state of Texas. 
We've lived here almost
forty years. One of the best sights is the bluebonnets, the herald to spring,
accompanied by its faithful companion, the Indian Paintbrush.
I set all my novels
and stories in Texas. It's what I know best, and there are endless
possibilities for ideas.
Thank you for sharing my San Marcos, Texas.
Thank you for sharing my San Marcos, Texas.
"I love cold days only if I'm home in front of my fireplace. A few of my favorite things are Italian Nachos, coffee with a good friend, taking snapshots of our three young grandsons, and finding the perfect novel to read. Extreme poverty, abused children and animals, and dishonesty make me very angry and distressed. If I could have one wish it would be a home for every child in the world."
Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas
Blog http://celiayeary.blogspot.com
Sweethearts
of the West Blog http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/
(Photos Provided by: Wikimedia Commons, James D.
Yeary, Celia Yeary)
Hi, Celia,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog. Texas is such a fascinating state with great diversity--and many fine writers.
Best,
Jacqueline Seewald
BEYOND THE BO TREE--new on Kindle
Hi Celia, your love for Texas shines through your books. I have been to San Antonio, Amarillo and Dallas, but never to San Marcos. Thank you for offering it to us.
ReplyDeleteI only lived in Texas for a short time, a little over a year, when my husband was stationed at Fort Hood back in 1970, but it shines brightly in my memory. We traveled all over the state and I enjoyed the small towns we visited as well as San Antonio and Waco. Towns like San Marcos are just beautiful. We arrived in the spring and I remember well the mass of blue bonnets that greeted us. They were impressive.
ReplyDeleteI love your stories. They have a real down home feel to them like I actually know the characters personally. I haven't read Crystal Lake Reunion yet, but it's on my list.
I wish you the very best.
I've never had the good fortune to visit Texas...maybe someday. It is on my bucket list!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the wonderful history lesson about your spot in Texas. You make it come alive with your words.
Thanks for sharing.
Celia, I loved reading your fascinating post about San Marcos. I have passed by for years en route to Austin, and always wanted to stop and learn more about it. Now, I have soneone to visit and meet for lunch. Maybe we can get some plotting done, too. :)) Great post! ((Hugs)) Ashley
ReplyDeleteHi Celia, Thank you for the lovely blog. It put a part of Texas I've never seen in a whole new light. My experience is driving through long stretches of the panhandle outracing the tumbleweed, and I-20 past endless nothing but oil wells.
ReplyDeleteI'm probably driving West again soon, and If I can, I'll stop and visit you in your charming town.
Well, Celia, I'm ready to move to San Marcos now. You always do a great job on your posts of describing your beloved home state, and in your books and short stories, too. My cousin's son went to college there and just loved it.
ReplyDeleteCheryl
Ít's so much fun to learn about different parts of our country. Thanks for including the history of San Marcos.
ReplyDeleteCelia, it was great to get a better image of San Marcos. Now I can "see" you better against that background you have painted so vividly. I think university towns have a special stmosphere that other towns lack. They seem to vibrate with energy and activity and charm. Thanks for sharing this info re San Marcos.
ReplyDeleteHi, Celia,
ReplyDeleteNice summary on your neck of the woods. I've been to several areas of Texas, but not the hill country. A cousin keeps urging a visit.
Hi Celia,
ReplyDeleteI loved hearing about San Marcos. How cool that it has been inhabited for 12,000 years.
I don't recall passing through San Marcos the one time we drove through Texas. I do remember it taking two entire days to get through your state, but it was a pleasant drive.
Enjoyed your post!
Lovely to find out more about your home town, Celia. One day I might get to Texas and see those bluebonnets!
ReplyDeletePaula Martin - Romance Author
Lovely pictures. Looks like a wonderful place to live!
ReplyDeleteMorgan Mandel
Celia, I love San Marcos. I'm so sorry it's growing so rapidly. How sad! We visited the Springs when they had the Aquarena show and rode in a glass-bottomed boat. Such a lovely experience. Since then, we've only driven through your town. We plan someday to visit again. San Marcos is a beautiful town.
ReplyDeleteTo all the lovely people who commented: Since those captchas and I just do not get along, I will write a single note of appreciation for your wonderful comments and observations. While for some towns--"you can't get there from here," anyone can find San Marcos. IH35 goes right through parts of it, but the major town is west of the interstate, up the hill. Yes, it's quite hilly in places. Anyone who want's to stop and call and visit, just give me a call. I love west of town outside the city limits, so it's not easy to find. Love and blessings to you all, and I'm sure everyone lives in a special place--it's called "home."
ReplyDeleteHave found this information very interesting. In 2011, almost moved to Richmond, TX but plans fell through. Lovely history all around the state.
ReplyDelete