San Marcos, Texas Real Estate Agents and Community Profile

Located between Austin and San Antonio, on the Interstate 35 corridor, San Marcos, Hays County is the perfect destination no matter what you are looking for. A great place for the family vacation, it is an equally nice destination for a college break outing, a romantic getaway, a shopping trip, or a conference venue. Its convenient location in Central Texas makes it a convenient base for your travel plans, because it is so close to all the attractions and conveniences. San Marcos also has a unique multicultural heritage in the area, and its history and culture is a mix of African-American, Anglo, German, Hispanic, and many other influences. It is the county seat of Hays County, Texas, and home to over 50,000 people. The Texas State University at San Marcos is the fifth largest university in the state, and has a student body of over 30,000. Placed at the very gateway to the Hill Country, the city is within a stone's throw of natural attractions, tourist attractions, and some of the best shopping in the state. In fact, the Business Week's annual survey, of 2010, rates San Marcos as one of the Best Places to Raise Kids.

The city culture bears the enriching influences of the amazing diversity of San Marcos. A growing Hispanic population, a smaller, influential African-American population, and many more, all add their bit to the overall feel of the place. The city celebrates these influences through annual events highlighting different cultures. Another greatly enriching presence is the Texas State University. Its large student body, and the fresh influx of young people every year, keeps San Marcos vibrant and hip. The university, and the many local schools also provide recreational and entertainment options through student productions, music performances, and athletic events. Economically, the city is diversified, with business, industry, retail, education, and the government sector making up the major portions of the economy. San Marcos is also a nice place to live, with twenty three city parks spread over a total of over 200 acres, the San Marcos River which provides opportunities for swimming, tubing, or canoeing, a glass bottom boat ride at the Aquarena Center, and the River Walkway with lush landscaping.

San Marcos seems to have been a popular destination for some 12,000 years, and is considered to one of the oldest sites in the entire Northern Hemisphere to have continuous human habitation. Archeological digs in Spring Lake, San Marcos River, have uncovered artifacts that place human presence in this area to as far back as the Clovis Indians, the oldest in the western hemisphere. In more modern times, the Spaniards figure in a major way, with Alonso de Leon's men coming across the river in 1689, on St Mark's Day, and naming it San Marcos River in his honor. A few Mexican families had settled the crossing of the El Camino Real and the San Marcos River by 1808, in a settlement called Villa de San Marcos de Neve. They had to abandon the settlement by 1812, however, due to the frequent floods and the many raids by Indians. The first Anglos began to inhabit the area around 1846.

In 1848, Hays County was organized, and San Marcos was designated the county seat. In the years that followed, it became an important center for ginning and milling. Then the International-Great Northern Railroad arrived in the area in 1881. San Marcos became a center of commerce and transport, especially of cattle and cotton. World War II, and its industrial demands, forced San Marcos to diversify into manufacturing and light industrial sectors leading to further growth. The Aquarena Springs, and Wonder World, were opened and established as tourist attractions in the 1960s. Following this, tourism became a central part of the San Marcos economy. Around the same time, the Southwest Texas State University also grew into an important educational institution in the region, and the Gary Job Corps Training Center was opened in 1965. These developments made education the largest industry, by far, in the city.

The amazingly strategic location of the city puts residents and visitors within easy reach of all possible amenities. The city is home to world famous shopping outlets and malls, drawing huge number of people from the US and Mexico. The San Marcos River is a naturalists' paradise, with a aquatic species some of which are not found anywhere else on the planet. Rock climbers and cave enthusiasts are drawn by Wonder World, the site of earthquake created caverns, and hikers love the great views that the Hill Country offers.