Sink Springs
San Marcos, Hays County, Texas
Marker Inscription
An important element in the development of San Marcos, the Sink Springs are a part of a system of springs in the area which feed the San Marcos River. The flow of the springs is forced by artesian pressure through the San Marcos fault. Since the late 19th century the Sink Springs, located on land once owned by Republic of Texas pioneers Thomas Jefferson Chambers and Edward Burleson, have provided water for a variety of purposes, including residential use, the irrigation of commercial farms, and the operation of a woolen mill and a dairy. (1991)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The Sink Springs are part of the artesian spring system that pushes water up through the San Marcos fault to feed the San Marcos River. The land around them once belonged to Republic of Texas figures Thomas Jefferson Chambers and Edward Burleson, and since the late nineteenth century their steady flow has been put to work for homes, farm irrigation, a woolen mill, and a dairy. Their reliable water was central to the growth of San Marcos.
Why it matters
The springs show how abundant Hill Country water shaped Texas settlement patterns, drawing pioneers and powering the mills and farms that turned a frontier crossing into a lasting town.
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Related people
- · Thomas Jefferson Chambers
- · Edward Burleson
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Riverhead Farm
San Marcos, TX
In 1905 William Green set out to build a modern, self-sustaining farm along the San Marcos River, drawing irrigation from the river and Sink Springs to supply an ambitious truck-farming operation. Headquartered at the former home of Major Edward Burleson Jr. and backed by his father's capital, Green raised Berkshire hogs and Jersey cattle and grew fruit and vegetables, especially onions, for market. He harnessed hydroelectric power for irrigation and to make ice for insulating railcars, creating an integrated farm-to-market system. Though the business closed in 1909, his methods pointed toward more advanced agricultural practices.
The Old Lime Kiln
San Marcos, TX
This brick-and-rock kiln stands on land once part of an 1834 Mexican grant later owned by Gen. Edward Burleson, a leading figure in early Texas. In 1887 J. J. Belger and James Cahill built the kiln to burn local limestone into lime for farming and construction. The operation ran until about 1910, when cheaper commercial lime made it obsolete.
San Marcos Mill Tract
San Marcos, TX
This riverside tract passed from an 1831 Mexican land grant to Edward Burleson, a Republic of Texas soldier and statesman who had commanded troops at San Jacinto and served as the young republic's vice-president. In the late 1840s Burleson built the first dam on the San Marcos River to power a grist mill and sawmill. The "Mill Tract" grew into the town's industrial heart, later hosting a cotton gin, ice factories, a water works, and an electric plant.
Site of San Marcos National Fish Hatchery
San Marcos, TX
Established in 1893 on the old W. D. Wood place, this was the first federal fish hatchery in Texas, raising fish to stock streams and ponds for sport. In later years it served as a pilot plant for new hatchery techniques and even bred the South African tilapia in an attempt to introduce non-native game fish. Stocking largemouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, and channel catfish, it operated until closing in 1965 as the growing city hemmed it in.