Old Fish Hatchery Office Building
San Marcos, Hays County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This structure, erected 1894-95, originally served as the office building for the San Marcos National fish Hatchery, established in 1893 near the head of the San Marcos River. The facility closed in 1965 and the site was given to Southwest Texas State University. The building, which features unusually large brackets, then housed the main offices of the school's Aquatic Biological Center until it was moved to this site on the River Walkway. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1982
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Erected in 1894-95, this bracketed building served as the office for the San Marcos National Fish Hatchery, established in 1893 near the head of the spring-fed San Marcos River. When the hatchery closed in 1965 the site passed to Southwest Texas State University, and the old office found new life housing the school's Aquatic Biological Center before being moved to the River Walkway.
Why it matters
Federal fish hatcheries reflect an early conservation impulse to manage and restock America's waters, and this survivor ties that effort to one of Texas's iconic springs.
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Themes & tags
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