thumb|Downtown Marlin (2012)

thumb|Glimpse of Falls County Courthouse, shaded by large trees

thumb|Falls Community Hospital in Marlin

thumb|Citizens State Bank in downtown Marlin

thumb|First [[United Methodist Church at 411 Coleman Street in Marlin]]

thumb|First [[Baptist Church (1928 sanctuary) at 309 Coleman Street in Marlin]]

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.

History

Establishment and antebellum era (1851–1861)

The city of Marlin is located 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.

Modern schools

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.

Reconstruction era (1865–1877)

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.

St. Louis Cardinals (1905)

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.

Cincinnati Reds (1906–1907)

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

New York Giants (1908–1918)

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

Modern utilities

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.

Modern history

The 2000s

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 company 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.

2011

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 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.

2019

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."

Geography

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 to Waco and southeast to Bryan. Texas State Highway 7 runs through the center of town as Bridge Street and Live Oak Street, leading east to Kosse and west 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.

Climate

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.

Transportation

Highways and other major roads

  • Texas State Highway 6, also known as Williams, Craik Streets in city limits
  • Texas State Highway 7, also known as Bridge, Live Oak Streets in city limits
  • Farm-to-market road 147, starts at Highway 7 and ends at Highway 14 less than four miles southwest of Groesbeck

Airport

Marlin and Falls County are served by the Marlin Municipal Airport, located northeast of the center of Marlin.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Marlin had a population of 5,462. The median age was 38.4 years, 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18, and 16.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 74.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 66.5 males age 18 and over.

97.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 2.2% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,951 households in Marlin, of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 30.8% were married-couple households, 22.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 40.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 1,910 || 35.0%

|-

| Black or African American || 2,375 || 43.5%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 43 || 0.8%

|-

| Asian || 24 || 0.4%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 3 || 0.1%

|-

| Other || 668 || 12.2%

|-

| Two or more races || 439 || 8.0%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 1,421 || 26.0%

|}

2000 census

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.

State government

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.

Federal government

The United States Postal Service operates the Marlin Post Office.

Education

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

Newspapers

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.

Culture

<!-- encyclopedic?

Events

Marlinites have enjoyed the revival of the Marlin Music and Blues Festival since 2011, but it has not been active at all since 2014. Originally the Wood Street Blues Festival from 2003 to 2005, the event was held in late May on consecutive days in honor of musician Blind Willie Johnson, a former resident of Marlin.

In May 2013, after a hiatus, the famous Marlin Festival Days returned to the city park, but has long been closed. -->

Filmed in Marlin

  • 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 <!-- on and around 106 Tbd Cir --> in 2016.

Notable people

  • Danario Alexander, wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers, was born in Marlin and graduated from Marlin High School in 2006
  • Ken "Coach" Carter (second home), opened an unconventional boarding school in town in the fall of 2009 which has not been open for years and sits vacant
  • Ben Clarkson Connally was appointed a federal district judge by President Harry Truman
  • Tom Connally, U.S. senator, 1928–1952, was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during World War II, and member of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1918–1928
  • Bruce Curry, world champion boxer, was born in Marlin in 1956
  • Bobbi Humphrey, jazz flautist and singer, was born in Marlin in 1950
  • Blind Willie Johnson, blues/gospel street musician, had Marlin as his attributed birthplace, although his birth records are lost; his birthplace has also been traced to Beaumont, Texas
  • Dan Kubiak, state representative, graduated from Marlin High School in 1957
  • Curtis Modkins, running backs coach for Chicago Bears, is a former offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers
  • O.L. Rapson was the first manager of the Grand Rapids Hotel and manager of a small store outside of Marlin
  • Bob (Robert Jasper) Reeves (1892–1960) was a Western movie actor
  • Ben Herbert Rice, Jr. Was a federal district judge appointed by President Harry Truman
  • LaDainian Tomlinson, the great San Diego Chargers and New York Jets running back, was born in Marlin; Tomlinson Hill, an unincorporated community just west of Marlin, is named for antebellum plantation owner James K. Tomlinson, from whom his slaves, including LaDainian Tomlinson's nineteenth century ancestors, took their name
  • Phil Wellman, minor league baseball player and manager, is infamous for a 2007 tirade against umpires after his ejection from a game

<gallery widths="200px" class="center">

Image:PostcardMarlinTXCottonCompressCirca1900to1910.jpg|Cotton compress, about 1905

Image:PostcardMarlinTXCourthouseCirca1900to1910.jpg|Courthouse, about 1905 until 1938

Image:PostcardMarlinTXMainStreetCirca1900to1910.jpg|Main Street, about 1905

Image:PostcardMarlinTXNewHighSchoolCirca1900to1910.jpg|"New High School", about 1905

Image:PostcardMarlinTXSanitariumCirca1900to1910.jpg|Marlin Sanitarium, about 1905

Image:PostcardMarlinTXBathHousesAndSanitoriumCirca1900to1910.jpg|Bath houses and Sanitarium, about 1905

Image:Fallscountycourthouse.jpg|Falls County Courthouse, March, 2009

Image:MarlinMineralWaterFountain.JPG|Fountain running Marlin's hot mineral water

Image:FallsHotel.JPG|Falls Hotel on Coleman St. in 2010

Image:Palace Theater Marlin Wiki (1 of 1).jpg|Palace Theater

Image:Allen Hospital Marlin (1 of 1).jpg|Buie-Allen Hospital

</gallery>

See also

References

  • City of Marlin official website
  • Marlin Chamber of Commerce