Founded on the banks of the San Marcos River, the area is thought to be among the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the Americas.

[4] In 2010, San Marcos was listed in Business Week's fourth annual survey of the "Best Places to Raise your Kids".

In 1689, Spaniard Alonso de León led an expedition from Mexico to explore Texas and establish missions and presidios in the region.

The governor of the province of Texas, Manuel Antonio Cordero y Bustamante, approached his friend Felipe Roque de la Portilla to organize and oversee the venture.

In letters to government officials, Portilla reported that he left the colony in September 1808 to get more settlers and returned with six new families in late October.

Over the next three years, the settlers made a valiant effort to maintain their new homes, but frequent Indian raids and the failure of the government to send soldiers for protection forced them to abandon the settlement in 1812..[11] The settlers were plagued by floods and Indian raids, and the settlement was abandoned in 1812.

In the decade following the arrival of the International-Great Northern Railroad on September 30, 1880,[13] cattle and cotton provided the basis for the growth of San Marcos as a center for commerce and transportation.

In the late 1940s, former Hollywood director Shadrack Graham produced a documentary about daily life in San Marcos as part of his "Our Hometown" series of films that encouraged commerce and civic activity in small communities.

The film highlights several local businesses from the era, including Smith's Flowers, Waldrin's Cleaners, Lack's Furniture, and the Palace Movie Theater.

[17] In the 1960s, with the establishment of Aquarena Springs[18] and Wonder World[19] as attractions, the tourist industry became a growing part of the city's economy.

By the 1960s, what was then named Southwest Texas State University had grown into an important regional institution,[20] and when coupled with the creation of Gary Job Corps Training Center in 1965,[21] education became the largest industry in San Marcos.

By 1973, San Marcos and Hays County were included by the U. S. Census Bureau in the Austin metropolitan statistical area.

[23] By that year, the city's population had grown to 25,000 citizens, along with an additional Southwest Texas State University student body of 20,000.

A report, released by the U.S. Census Bureau in May 2013, stated that San Marcos had the highest rate of growth among all U.S. cities and towns with at least 50,000 people.

[25] In 1991, protestors advocating for legalization of marijuana conducted a civil disobedience action and were arrested; they became known as the San Marcos Seven.

It includes business incentives, a high quality of life, regional airports and proximity to major international airports, access to major roadways such as IH-35, SH-130, US-183, and IH-10, networking opportunities and support for small businesses and entrepreneurs, a healthy tax structure, and a diverse and talented workforce.

The access points of the area provide an easy route to major cities in Texas such as Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston.

Many other lakes and rivers dot the local landscape, and the region's location within the Texas Hill Country provides easy access to the many outdoor amenities.

In June 2006, The View named the San Marcos Outlet Malls as the third-best place to shop in the world.

The upper river flows through Texas State University and San Marcos and is a popular recreational area.

Because of its location on the Texas State University campus, the park is a popular spot for college students to swim, play, or just hang out.

[45] In 2010, San Marcos was listed in Business Week magazine's fourth annual survey of the "Best Places to Raise your Kids.

"[8] The river is a popular recreational area and is frequented by residents and tourists for tubing, canoeing, swimming, and fishing.

[46] The town center (referred to locally as "the square") was laid out in 1851 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The downtown area surrounding the courthouse is home to many of the city's bars, restaurants, boutiques, and music venues, making it a top entertainment destination.

Designed by Aaron P. Hussey of Baton Rouge, it depicts Johnson and King conversing in the Oval Office.

[53] The downtown area has become home to several graffiti-style murals, including designs depicting Jeff Bridges' character the Dude from The Big Lebowski.

[56][57] The Cheatham Street Warehouse helped launch the careers of George Strait, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Randy Rogers, Todd Snider, James McMurtry, and Terri Hendrix, among others.

Contributing to the music scene in San Marcos, Texas State University hosts the Hill Country Jazz Festival and Eddie Durham Celebration annually.

!, 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.