CITY OF SAN MARCOS
Main Street America announced Downtown San Marcos as a Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) semifinalist. This prestigious award is the nation’s top award recognizing communities for their excellence in comprehensive preservation-based commercial district revitalization.
It’s no surprise that Downtown San Marcos has advanced so far in the national competition. The organization has spent 40 years transforming the district through infrastructure improvements, sidewalk medallions honoring Indigenous history and endangered river flora, new street signage, and placemaking initiatives like the Legend Has It tour and Downtown Outdoor Gallery.
Most impressive is more than $40 million in public and private reinvestment that Downtown San Marcos helped to secure. This reinvest- ment has resulted in hundreds of new residents and historically low vacancy rates throughout the district.
Downtown San Marcos joins communities from seven other states: Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee and Virginia.
The 2026 Great American Main Street Award ceremony will be held at the opening plenary of the 2026 Main Street Now Conference in Tulsa, Okla. on April 13, 2026, where three semifinalists will be recognized as recipients of the coveted honor.
ABOUT DOWNTOWN SAN MARCOS Downtown San Marcos sits at the intersection of the San Marcos River, Texas State University and a Union Pacific rail line. The district is home to nearly 300 businesses employing over 2,300 people, plus nearly 1,000 residents within the district and 2,000 more within a half mile of its borders. Coupled with weekly farmers markets, the Art Squared arts market, and a vibrant nightlife that draws thousands of visitors annually, Downtown San Marcos is consistently humming with activity.
ABOUT THE TEXAS MAIN STREET PROGRAM In 1980, the state of Texas created the Texas Main Street Program (TMSP), operated through the Texas Historical Commission. The mission of the TMSP is to provide technical expertise, resources and support to Main Street communities in Texas in accordance with Main Street America’s Four Point Approach of organization, economic vitality, design and promotion.
For more information about the Texas Main Street Program, go to thc.texas.gov/preserve/ tourism-and-economic- development/ texas-main-streetprogram
ABOUT THE GREAT AMERICAN MAIN STREET AWARDS The Great American Main Street Award program recognizes community efforts to revitalize commercial districts. Winners are selected from a nationwide pool of applicants by a jury of Main Street professionals and leaders in the fields of community and economic development and historic preservation. Since the award’s inception in 1995, 112 Main Street programs have been honored as GAMSA communities. For more information, visit mainstreet.org.
