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History in
a Pecan Shell
The county was named for Texas Ranger Captain Jack Hays - The town
after the river (named on St. Mark's Day 1689).
A timeline of significant events in the history of San Marcos:
1755: Spanish build the short-lived San Xavier Mission and
Presidio San Francisco Xavier
1808: The Spanish Governor of Texas attempts another colony,
but floods and Indian raids cause them to abandon efforts in 1812.
1846: First settlers arrive and settle near the confluence
of the Blanco and San Marcos Rivers.
1848: Hays County is created and San Marcos becomes a stagecoach
stop on the Austin-San Antonio run
1860: Cannonville (named after the same William Cannon the
south Austin road is named after) wins an election for county seat,
but records are never transferred and William Cannon's death ends
the rivalry.
1869: Second courthouse is constructed.
1881: The International -Great Northern Railroad reaches San
Marcos - population reaches 2,335
1882: F.M. Ruffini builds the third Hays County courthouse
(as well as the former Blanco County Courthouse in Blanco in 1885)
1903: Southwest Texas Normal School (for teachers) opens -
later becomes Southwest Texas University
1973: Hays County and San Marcos become part of the Austin
Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area. By the mid-1980s at least
20 percent of Hays County's labor force worked in Travis County. San
Marcos itself was estimated to have a population of 25,000 and 20,000
students, for a total of 45,000.
1994: Southwest Texas State University takes over management
of Aquarena Springs. Extensive remodeling has just recently completed. |
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University
building
Photo by John Troesser, 9-01 |
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