Марлин, Техас: История и современность города минеральных вод

City in Texas, United States

Marlin is a city in Falls County, Texas, United States. Its population was 5,462 at the 2020 census. Since 1851, it has been the county seat of Falls County. Marlin has been given the nickname "The Hot Mineral Water City of Texas" by the 76th Texas State Legislature. Mineral water was discovered there in 1892.

The city of Marlin is located 4 mile (6 km) east of the Brazos River, which runs through the center of the county. The low falls on the river southwest of present day Marlin was the site of Sarahville de Viesca, established in 1834 by Sterling C. Robertson. The act of the state legislature creating Falls County that passed on January 28, 1850, established Viesca (renamed Fort Milam) as the county seat. Citizens petitioned to choose their own location and a vote was held on January 21, 1851, that established the county seat at Adams, near the home of Dr. Allensworth Adams. On March 22, 1851, the Falls County commissioners court voted to rename Adams the "Town of Marlin" to honor former Robertson County alcalde John Marlin.

A high school commencement ceremony in Texas was called off after the district found that only of five of 33 students were eligible to graduate, officials said Friday. Marlin HS, 30 miles southeast of Waco, had been set to pass out diplomas on Thursday May 26, 2023, before the MISD revealed that a number of pupils "did not meet requirements due to attendance or grades." In announcing the ceremony postponement, Superintendent Darryl Henson said that students in his district "will he held to the same high standard as any other student in Texas." "We maintain high expectations, not as an imposition, but as a show of faith in our students' abilities," Henson said in a statement to the community. Superintendent Henson and his staff audited student files this past weekend to find only five were eligible to graduate, district spokesperson Leah Wayne told NBC News on Friday. The ineligibility stemmed from a myriad of reasons, including failing grades, attendance, verification and documentation issues.

The town of Marlin was formally incorporated by the state legislature on January 12, 1867. Two former slaves served as elected or appointed officials in Marlin: Nelson Denson and Lige Moore. The new Arlington Hotel hosted notable community events and statewide conventions. Other than the Hilton and the numerous boarding houses (such as Captain Bourrupt's and the Harris Houses), the town had several other hotels, among them the Fannin, the Majestic, and the Imperial; most were on Coleman Street and within a few blocks of the public hot water fountain and the mineral water wells—on a sort of bath house row. In 1929, Conrad Hilton began construction of a Hilton Hotel that was opened on May 27, 1930, at a cost of $375,000 and to which Marlin citizens and businesses contributed $50,000. The team's selection of Marlin can be credited to Ted Sullivan. The Chicago Tribune quoted Sullivan in an article published on February 7, 1904: "If I had looked the United States over for a spring training ground for a ball club, I do not believe I could have found a spot I would pick ahead of Marlin Springs [Charles] Comiskey asked me last December when I was coming to Texas to pick him out a place to train. I met a man in Dallas, who told me he left his crutches at Marlin; that he went there suffering with rheumatism. I took a run down to Marlin and I found the ideal spot for training grounds. The place has a magnificent hotel. Adjoining this place is a beautiful natatorium equipped with hot sulphur and all kinds of baths The ball grounds here are on even surface and are only four blocks from the hotel. This is the spot I selected for the Chicago American league club " The White Sox left Marlin on March 17 "with expressions of regret and of hope that its individuals will be with the White Sox next spring when they return here for a similar stay." Among those on the White Sox who trained in Marlin was George Davis. On the last full day (March 16), Manager Nixey Callahan had the team make a ten mile round trip walk to the Brazos River after dinner.

The St. Louis Cardinals chose "Marlin Springs" as their 1905 spring training site after delays in preparations of a site in Houston. As a result, the Chicago White Sox chose to train in New Orleans. The Cardinals arrived in Marlin on March 6, 1905 and "a large gathering of local fans [were] on hand to welcome the big leaguers." Visits to the hot mineral water baths were a part of the team's daily routine. A St. Louis newspaper reported that "[practice] ends at 4 o'clock and the players get to the bath about 15 minutes later. The baths are hot, and it takes until 5 before the players are cooled off enough to go to the hotel, which is but a couple of steps distant. The baths not only put the players in first class condition and remove any surplus weight, but they also tend to prevent soreness." The Cardinals broke camp at Marlin on March 17, 1905.

The Cincinnati Reds baseball team held spring training in Marlin in 1906 and 1907.

The New York Giants baseball team held spring training in Marlin from 1908 to 1918.

Telephones began appearing in households in Marlin in 1900. Automobiles, electricity, and Lone Star Gas followed shortly. By the mid 1900s, Marlin had a bottling company, stock pens, a brickyard, a turkey processing plant (the building can still be seen on Williams Street/South Business Highway 6), a saddlery, a water crystallization plant, and a pottery plant.

The loss of major employers in the late 20th and early 21st centuries resulted in a loss of population and a reduction in the city's tax base. While at the census in 2000, Marlin had a population of 6,628 (a modest increase of 242 people from 1990), by 2010, its population had declined to 5,967 residents. According to the US and Texas census, Marlin's largest population peaked at two times in its history, 1950 and 1980, with 7009 being its highest. First to change hands or close was the Swift turkey processing plant. Next was Marlin Mills, a carpet manufacturing company, closed during the 1980s economic decline. A styrofoam company, open in another building in Marlin's industrial park, caught fire and the remains were demolished. A dress manufacturing plant, which catered to large businesses, such as the airline industry, closed. Wallace, a business form printing company5 employing hundreds, closed in the mid 2000s. In the early 2000s, 1100 small to medium sized VA hospitals closed all over the US, one of which was the Thomas T. Connally Veterans Affairs Hospital, a five floor building located at the corner of Ward and Virginia Streets. The hospital closed in 2005, resulting in the loss of more than 100 jobs, as the economy in Marlin continued to wane. More recent investments include the construction of a three story, 60 room Best Western Hotel on Texas State Highway 6, at Farm to Market Road 147. However, plans for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to open a medical facility for prisoners at the former Veterans' Affairs Hospital, expected to add an additional 100 to 150 jobs to the Marlin economy, did not materialize. Funds were reallocated to renovate the TDJC hospital in Galveston, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Rita.

The Heart of Texas Council of Governments granted the city of Marlin $35,000 to remove 15 dilapidated buildings and structures in the town, which included 300 tons of debris. Over 6 mile (10 km) of water lines were constructed on 20 streets in 2011. The city's crime rate decreased by 45% in 2011. In December 2015, a protest occurred after the city water had been turned off for almost a week. Even after the city and the state had extensively renovated the water treatment system, the man who had worked for the city as the water systems manager, instead of calling for repairs, cut wires when alarms sounded instead of fixing the problems. The state found the disengaging of the systems when they removed panels to determine the problems. This led to a city wide water crisis that caused the water system to repair extensive damage.

On May 4, 2019, Marlin native Carolyn Lofton was elected as the first black woman to serve as mayor. She stated that she was motivated to run "on a desire to uplift and improve the community in which I live for all those who are currently here and those who seek to make a home here."

Marlin is located in east central Falls County at (31.307975, −96.892975). Texas State Highway 6 runs along the eastern edge of the city, leading northwest 30 mile (48 km) to Waco and southeast 56 mile (90 km) to Bryan. Texas State Highway 7 runs through the center of town as Bridge Street and Live Oak Street, leading east 16 mile (26 km) to Kosse and west 10 mile (16 km) to Chilton. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which , or 1.09%, is covered by water.

Marlin and Falls County are served by the Marlin Municipal Airport, located 4 mile (6 km) northeast of the center of Marlin.

+Marlin racial composition as of 2020 (NH = Non Hispanic)RaceNumberPercentageWhite (NH)1,53028.01%Black or African American (NH)2,32042.48%Native American or Alaska Native (NH)160.29%Asian (NH)230.42%Pacific Islander (NH)30.05%Some other race (NH)30.05%Mixed/multiracial (NH)1462.67%Hispanic or Latino1,42126.02%Total5,462
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,462 people, 1,889 households, and 874 families residing in the city. As of the census He replaced Darrell Allen, who was shot and killed in November of that year. Nathan Sodek was named chief in October 2018. He killed himself in September 2019 when Texas Rangers served him a warrant in connection of an investigation of sexual misconduct.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates the Marlin Unit, a transfer facility for men, in the City of Marlin. The unit opened in June 1992 and was transferred to the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) in May 1995. When it was a part of TYC, the facility, named the Marlin Orientation and Assessment Unit, served as the place of orientation for children of both sexes being committed into TYC from the facility's opening in 1995 to its transfer out of TYC in 2007. In September 2007 the facility was transferred back to the TDCJ. The TDCJ also operates the William P. Hobby Unit, a prison for women located southwest of Marlin in unincorporated Falls County and named for former Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby.

The United States Postal Service operates the Marlin Post Office.

The City of Marlin is served by the Marlin Independent School District.

The city of Marlin has had several newspapers. The current newspaper that has been serving Marlin since 1890 is the Marlin Democrat, issued every Wednesday. Another newspaper published in the 19th and 20th centuries was The Falls County Freeman, which served the African American community. The Marlin Ball was established in 1874 by T. C. Oltorf and continued until about 1901. The Falls County Record was popular during the 1940s and 1950s. The Marlin Democrat and The Rosebud News remain the only active newspapers in Falls County.

Leadbelly (1976), starring Roger E. Mosley, was filmed on and around Wood Street in 1974. Infamous (2006), starring Sandra Bullock, was filmed around Falls County Courthouse and unrestored homes of Marlin. Making New Family Memories in Rural Texas (2016), was filmed in 2016.

The climate in the area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Marlin has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.