Aquarena Springs is the headwaters of the San Marcos River. It was developed in 1900's as an amusement park until it as closed down in the mid-1990's. Most of all the old amusement park structures are going to removed by the Army Corp over the next year and replanted with native grasses, trees and such. I understand many of the reasons why this is going to happen: the old structures are very costly to maintain and very, very unsafe; the area is the recharge zone for the springs that feed the San Marcos river and vulnerable to pollution; and, finally, the area is a hugely significant archeological treasure, it contains one of the longest continually inhabited sites in North America, about 12,000 years.
But, to return it to a pristine state, out with the old, funky character.
When I was a kid, we would hear about Ralph the swimming pig. And the mermaids who would give underwater performances.
And, the site houses some of the most picturesque sculptures in the central Texas area: the sculptures of Buck Winn that surround the cable car. These are art nouveau-esque sculptures are gorgeous creatures. Sublime. They were made in the 1960's. A steel armature, encased in the fiberglass. The pieces originally lite up at night. But, alas, years of deterioration and paint have lessened the transparency of the works. And, I guess, Buck Winn used some home made recipe for his fiberglass construction.
