Aquarena Springs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aquarena Springs was a resort and amusement park built around the San Marcos Springs in San Marcos, Texas, United States, which various owners operated from 1928 until 1996. Today, it is home to the Texas State University-San Marcos Aquarena Center.
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[edit] History
The San Marcos Springs are the headwaters of the San Marcos River. This site, where more than 200 springs bubble up from the Edwards Aquifer and discharge an average of 225 million gallons of water daily, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in North America. Artifacts discovered in digs conducted from 1979 to 1982 date back 12,000 years.
The first Europeans to visit the springs were probably Spanish explorers in 1689. The springs were an important stop on the Old San Antonio Road and the Chisholm Trail. In 1847, former Republic of Texas vice president Edward Burleson purchased the land surrounding the headwaters of the river and built a cabin on the hill overlooking the headwaters. Two years later Burleson built a dam just below the springs to power a mill; this dam, which created Spring Lake, still exists today. A.B. Rogers purchased the property in 1926 and his son, Paul, developed a hotel there in 1928 and introduced glass bottom boats on the lake.
Spring Lake has been been visited by notable individuals including Robert E. Lee, Jay Gould, and Helen Miller Shepard due to its beauty.[1]
In the 1950s, construction of a submarine theater and large spillway at one end of the lake to produce a swimming pool led to the opening of an amusement park at the site in 1951. Other features of the park were the Alpine Swiss Sky Ride (a Von Roll skyride), an Intamin AG 220 foot Sky Spiral that moved vertically above the lake and rotated 360º, and "mermaid" performers that could be viewed from the submarine theater. By far, the most popular attraction was "Ralph, the Famous Swimming Pig." Ralph swam in the "Underwater Show" performing tricks and his famous "swine dive" until the park closed. At its peak, Aquarena Springs attracted 250,000 visitors annually.
In 1994, Aquarena Springs was purchased by Texas State University. Aquarena Springs was operated as an amusement park until 1996, when the park was closed and converted by the university to an environmental learning center now known as Aquarena Center. The center still offers glass bottom boat tours, plus environmental education tours, an endangered species exhibit and natural aquarium and scientific diving training.
The center added a Wetlands Boardwalk in a shallow area of Spring Lake. The boardwalk, made of recycled plastic lumber, floats on the water and circles a marshy area that showcases the flora and fauna of a wetland ecosystem.
Aquarena Center has been designated as a "critical habitat," subject to the Endangered Species Act, because the springs are home to the fountain darter, the Texas Blind Salamander, the San Marcos Salamander, the San Marcos gambusia, and Texas Wild Rice. It is feared the San Marcos gambusia may be extinct as none have been seen since 1983.
Plans call for the removal of most of the old amusement park structures as fund become available. These include the submarine theater, Sky Spiral, and Swiss Sky Ride. However, the glass-bottomed boat tours will remain.
[edit] Filmography
The Aquarena Springs Amusement Park was the actual location of the resort in the 1978 film "Piranha", directed by Joe Dante.
[edit] References
- ^ Finty, Tom; Editorial Staff (1904). Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide. Harvard University: Belo & Company. pp. 286-287. http://books.google.com/books?id=CukCAAAAYAAJ.
- "What is Aquarena Center". Texas State University San Marcos Aquarena Center. Retrieved Jul. 28, 2005.
- Aquarena Center from the Handbook of Texas Online
- "Aquarena Springs". TexasEscapes.com. Retrieved Jul. 28, 2005.
- "San Marcos Springs". The Edwards Aquifer Homepage. Retrieved Jul. 28, 2005.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aquarena Springs |
- Aquarena Center at Texas State University
- Dive America -- information on scuba diving at the Aquarena Center
- Diving into Spring
- Aquarena Springs Photo Gallery
Coordinates: 29°53′35″N 97°55′53″W / 29.89304°N 97.93128°W
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