The early history of Aquarena Springs

By June Leal

San Marcos’ Aquarena Springs is one of the greatest outflows from the Edwards Aquifers. More than 200 springs are made from three large fissures and smaller fissures.

The earliest European settlers to visit the spring were members of the Domingo Teran de los Rios in June of 1691. They spent a few days camped there while they rounded up some horses. Many more expeditions visited the springs and there was also a short-lived Spanish settlement in 1755. In the same year, many missions on the San Gabriel River were abandoned and re-established briefly on the San Marcos River.

In 1808, Don Filipe Roque de la Portilla established another Spanish settlement along the San Marcos River. By 1812, the settlement was abandoned due to severe flooding and harassment from the Tonkawa and Comanche Indian tribes.

Later in 1831, Juan Martin de Veramendi received a land grant that contained the springs. In 1840 the land was sold to Nathaniel Lewis and five years later General Edward Burleson bought the land from Lewis. A few years later, Burleson built a dam across the San Marcos River to run a gristmill, which flooded the springs and formed Spring Lake.

By the last half of the 19^th century, the land was spilt up and the water from the springs was used to power grists, sawmills, an ice factory and electric works.

Through out the history of the springs, it passed through various owners and was used for various resources.

source:

http://edwardsaquifer.net/sanmarcos.html