Answers to Go
Q. Is San Marcos really the “Mermaid Capital of Texas?” Why?
Yes — San Marcos is the A. Mermaid Capital of Texas! On May 23, Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Concurrent Resolution 9 (SCR9), designating San Marcos as the official Mermaid Capital of Texas for a 10-year period beginning in 2021. SCR9 notes that “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.”
The “Aquamaids” as they were called (not mermaids) were original to the amusement park, Aquarena Springs. These amazing women entertained at least 350,000 visitors every year at the peak of the park’s popularity. These performers are the origin of the San Marcos mermaid. In 1950, Paul Rogers (the owner at the time) decided to develop the property for tourists and went to Florida to see similar attractions there. At Weeki Wachee Spring, he met a man named Don Russell and was so impressed by him that he invited him to join the Aquarena project. He agreed to come and brought his wife, Margaret, with him. Margaret Russell had been a mermaid at Weeki Wachee Spring and initiated the first underwater show and trained the first Aquamaids. The Aquamaids staged exhibitions of synchronized swimming and other wonderful watery feats (including picnics and swimming with pigs) in the underwater theater, the Submarine Theatre, built by Paul Rogers in 1950. Shows continued until the 1990s when Texas State acquired the park and it became what it is today, the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment. The Meadows Center has created a space for people to take nature walks on established trails, study educational exhibits, and even set out on glass-bottom boat tours, just like in the days of Aquarena.
Mermaids are honored in San Marcos. There are 10 mermaid statues all around downtown that were decorated by artists selected by the San Marcos Arts Commission. This attraction has been called “the Mermaid March.” The library has its own mermaid installation, but not in the form of a statue. Three stained glass mermaids inspire people to create since they are hung in the Makerspace room at the library.
The legend of the mermaid also lives on in the Mermaid Society of Texas, headquartered in San Marcos. Founded in 2016, its mission is “To utilize our creative platform to inspire community engagement and connection among like-spirited partners to support environmental awareness and education for youth.” The education for youth can be seen at the San Marcos Public Library where it recently presented storytime, reading books about mermaids and discussing the importance of the river’s environment. The Mermaid Society also has a two-week festival, this year Sept. 11 – Sept. 25, that culminates with a Mermaid Promenade and downtown Street Faire.
The library has paid special attention to books on mermaids. The children’s collection has the most variety, but the adult collection has a good selection, too, including “The Mermaid” by Christina Henry, a work of fiction featuring P.T Barnum. The library also has several copies of “The Fountains of Saint Mark,” by Ron Coley, about the San Marcos River. It is described as, “… a love story, a legacy to be cherished and held fast. Ron Coley's images illustrate the fragility and strength of this spiritual place. The essays speak to the new world that is waiting for each of us under the rocks in our own backyards.”
Suzanne Sanders is the new columnist for the library. She is the Community Services Manager for the San Marco Public Library and came from the Austin Public Library in 2015 after having served there as a librarian for over 20 years. She gratefully accepts your questions for this column.
