86R29244 JGH-D
By: Zwiener H.C.R. No. 176
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, For thousands of years, the mermaid has been one of
the most striking symbols of humanity's connection with the natural
world, and over the past century, this legendary figure has come to
represent the city of San Marcos and its special relationship to the
water resources of Central Texas; and
WHEREAS, The story of the mermaid in San Marcos begins with
the abundant springs that every day release 100 million gallons of
freshwater from the Edwards Aquifer into the San Marcos River;
considered a sacred place by Native Americans and regarded as the
creation site of the Coahuiltecans, the springs have drawn people
to their banks for more than 11,500 years, making this area what is
thought to be one of the oldest continually inhabited sites in North
America; and
WHEREAS, In 1845, Edward Burleson, a former vice president of
the Republic of Texas, dammed the headwaters of the San Marcos,
thereby creating Spring Lake; over the ensuing years, the water
from the lake powered gristmills, sawmills, an ice factory, and an
electric light works; the San Marcos River also constituted an
important water stop along the Chisholm Trail; and
WHEREAS, A. B. Rogers bought the Burleson homestead in the
1920s and built a resort hotel on the shore of the lake; he later
began offering rides in glass-bottomed boats that allowed visitors
to see through the crystal-clear water to the bubbling springs
beneath; his son Paul, who succeeded him, established the Aquarena
Springs amusement park on the property, and in 1950 he built an
underwater theater, where young women known as "aquamaids" staged
exhibitions of synchronized swimming and underwater ballet; at the
peak of its popularity, the park drew up to 350,000 visitors every
year and was featured in Life magazine, with the submerged theater
making it to the cover of Popular Mechanics; in time, the show came
to include Glurpo, a pipe-smoking clown, and a swimming pig named
Ralph; and
WHEREAS, The performances continued until the 1990s, when
Texas State University acquired the park and set a new course for
the property; today, the site hosts the Meadows Center for Water and
the Environment, which conducts research and educational programs
focused on promoting sustainable water management and
environmental stewardship; the critical nature of its work is
underscored by the fact that the Edwards Aquifer supplies drinking
water to several million people and serves as the principal source
of water for agriculture and industry throughout the region, while
waters discharged by the aquifer also support recreation and
tourism; in addition, the aquifer system sustains over 40 highly
adapted species, a number of which are either threatened or
endangered, including five found in the San Marcos springs and a
stretch of river just below; and
WHEREAS, In 2016, the Mermaid Society of San Marcos was
created to foster harmony between environmental sustainability,
the arts, and economic growth; the society has established an
annual Mermaid Week, which includes a parade, the Mermaid Society
Art Ball, and the Mermaid SPLASH festival; moreover, the city has
funded mermaid-themed public art through a program supported by the
hotel occupancy tax; among the works underwritten by this
initiative are murals and a series of seven-foot-tall statues, each
one decorated by a different artist; and
WHEREAS, By adopting the mermaid as a symbol of the city, the
people of San Marcos are encouraging public interest in the natural
environment and highlighting the central role their community is
playing in preserving the water resources of the Lone Star State;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby designate the city of San Marcos as the official Mermaid
Capital of Texas; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section
391.003(e), Government Code, this designation remain in effect
until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally
passed by the legislature.