46th annual Historic Spring Tour features the architecture of TXST

All things Bobcat will soon be open to exploration and celebration as the Heritage Association of San Marcos presents the 46th Annual Historic Spring Tour, “Town & Gown: The Art and Architecture of Texas State University” this May.

The tour is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 20 and it will be followed by a “Welcome To and Welcome Home Mixer” for coaches G.J. Kinne and David Bailiff.

The footprint of the university, its historic buildings and the school’s impact on Hays County, are the highly anticipated features of this year’s event, according to association officials.

At 120 years and counting, Texas State’s architectural range represents Victorian Gothic, Greek and Spanish Colonial Revival, Art Deco and now modern styles–making it an ideal point of departure for the association’s spotlight.

The historic architecture on this year’s tour will include the 1903-era Victorian Gothic Old Main, the Taylor-Murphy History Building and Courtyard, the Thornton International House, the Richard A. Castro Undergraduate Admissions Building, the Comal Building, Flowers Hall and the Undergraduate Academic Center with its well known arch.

For so many who come to campus, the university’s first building, and only campus structure until 1908, is the iconic redroofed Victorian Gothic Old Main which was built in 1903.

Edward Northcraft receives the architectural credit for Old Main. He worked with architect Alfred Muller on the design of a building in Huntsville. Surprisingly, what is also now the historical and cultural symbol of the university first had a silver metal roof. That roof was replaced with the highly recognizable red tiles beginning in 1944.

The building has through the years been home to an auditorium, a chapel, and an administrative building. Old Main is now anchor to the university’s College of Fine Arts and Communication and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

At the heart of the campus is the area colloquially and affectionately known as the Quad. A highlight for many guests to the campus, the Quad is the focus of university life and is characterized by many of the university’s key pieces of large sculpture.

Organizers said that presale tickets are $25 through May 19 and $30 on the day of the event. Tickets to the “Welcome To and Welcome Home Mixer” are $45. To find additional information, go to heritagesanmarcos. org for tickets, Maker-Space registration, parking information, check-in locations, and tour maps.

The association has a long history of bringing homes of both architectural and historic note to the attention of the public. In 1975 and 1976, for example, the San Marcos Bicentennial Commission Heritage Tour and then, the Bicentennial Tour, had numerous homes on the tour including the LBJ Alumni House and the General Edward Burleson Cabin as well as Old Main. In the 1970s, many historical organizations across the United States were celebrating the Bicentennial, the 200th anniversary of the United States.

Each year through the 1980s and beyond, an ongoing set of homes and families has been opened to the public in San Marcos. By highlighting these homes over the years, the attention brought to the rich cultural heritage of the area has helped maintain an appreciation for preserving what represents the ever-maturing persona of San Marcos over time.

The tour this year will allow participants to see for themselves the wealth of historic structures, sculpture and art that now form the visual personality of the university, in particular, which has grown in reputation and standing over the decades, according to Heritage officials. Other key venues and locations include The Bruce and Gloria Ingram Hall and MakerSpace, the Albert B. Alkek Library, and the Alkek One MakerSpace fabrication shop. The tour will also feature art from The Wittliff Collections.

The tour route, traveling from the East end to the West end of the campus, at minimum will take visitors to the following: The Vaquero is a bronze statue is in excess of 18 feet tall located at the east end of the Quad in Old Main Plaza. It was designed by Clete Shields and was donated by Bill and Sally Wittliff in 2013 to commemorate Texas’ “rich and enduring heritage with Mexico.”

Next is the LBJ Statue which honors the only U.S. president to graduate from a Texas university. It is a near-life-sized bronze sculpture by sculptor Lawrence Ludtke in 2006. This statue commemorates Lyndon B. Johnson, the nation’s 36th president during his years as a student at Texas State, when it was known as the Southwest Texas State Teachers College.

Of great interest to many is the Bobcat Statue. The school’s mascot is known for ferocity and courage, and the university adopted it as its mascot in 1921. Following intense student participation to bring it into existence, this statue was created by noted artist Matthew Palmer and was placed on campus in 2008.

The Fighting Stallions sculpture is located at the West end of the Quad between Derrick Hall and Evans Liberal Arts Building. It is a 17-foothigh aluminum sculpture gifted to the university in 1951 by Anna Hyatt Huntington and her husband, Archer Huntington. The area near the statute is now a popular gathering place for students and is of one of the early court challenges with regard to the creation of free speech zones following the suspension of 10 students who were protesting the Vietnam War.

Each week from now until May 20, there will be additional information highlighting aspects of the tour in the Daily Record. For any questions or sponsorship interest please call Bronwyn Sergi on (512)757-0730.

Barbara Audet contributed to this article.

Town & Gown: The Art and Architecture of Texas State University May 20 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. heritagesanmarcos.com