Mermaid Capital of Texas
Mythical new public art installation swims its way into Austin suburb
KVUE — A new public art project featuring 10 mermaid statues went up on July 17 in different parts of San Marcos.
Lanette Cummings and her children were on a mission to photograph all 10 on Tuesday. "Mermaids are a great way to go," Cummings said.
The colorful art installations will be up for the next year-and-a-half.
But what do mermaids have to do with the city? A lot, said July Moreno, the founder of the Mermaid Society SMTX. She started the group to make people think beyond the city's image. "The symbol of the mermaid ... I felt could be very powerful for our community," said Moreno.
"When people think of San Marcos, they immediately, at least for the most part when they're traveling here, [they think of] the outlet malls, which is wonderful, and while we are grateful for that ... then it's just kind of a pass-through town," Moreno said.
Moreno said the mermaids came from the Aquamaids show that started in the 1950s and ended in the 1990s at Aquarena Springs. It included Ralph the pig, who is memorialized in one of the statues.
Moreno said the mermaids also act as protectors of the San Marcos River.
"We are the only city in Texas that can make the claim to the mermaid because of Aquarena Springs, and we are really excited and proud about that, because San Marcos is really the Mermaid Capital of Texas," said Moreno.
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