https://www.austinchronicle.com/features/2000-03-24/76498/
We ran into our friend Joe Hauer recently. He had moved from Austin and we asked him the friendly question, "Why San Marcos?" -- Louis Black
I moved here from Austin because of the ever-increasing congestion and resulting pollution -- basically to get out of everyone's way (I cannot imagine what you are all in such a hurry to do). Austin is always half an hour up the road and easily accessible, except during rush hours. San Marcos offers not only the springs and the river, but the local music scene here is poised for a resurgence.
Partly due to the reduced cost of living and also because of a societal emphasis upon quality instead of quantity, musicians have been moving to town. All the local musicians I know practice at home as loud as they want to with no worry of neighbors or the police dropping by. We all have plenty of space and generally encourage all activity. The club scene is small but active. The Triple Crown is a popular club that showcases local talent, and shows are also held at Gordo's and Southwest Texas State. We all look forward to the reopening of Kent Finlay's Cheatham Street Warehouse, a club long of Central Texas music legend.
The people of San Marcos show as much character and diversity as their surroundings. They have maintained a small town's friendliness and hospitality. Individuals and small groups can still have a big impact here. Recent topics of concern include the dam at Spring Lake and the Comanche Wells controversy. Joe Ptak and Zeal Stefano successfully lead the fight for restricting I-35 to two lanes from the Blanco River to the San Marcos. Widening the road would necessitate new bridge construction, causing damage to this unique and sensitive ecological area, home to five endangered species.
The river's location and the town's layout encourage everyone to get out and enjoy nature's beauty and diversity, although more thought needs to be put into making this a more bicycle-friendly community. We need more bike lanes and clearly marked routes through congested areas.
But don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to sell the town. There are no jobs here. The traffic's terrible. You'd miss Austin. Stay put, grow and prosper. Here in San Marcos, we'll roll along, just like the river.
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