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 Cofran's Texas . . . Hill Country Portal A Powerful Information Database & Gateway Service for the Texas Hill Country MARBLE FALLS, Texas "Marble Falls... for a weekend, or a lifetime"  Elevation: 823 ftArea: 6.7 sm
Tax Rate (2010): 2.3135/$100 County: Burnet
Zip Code: 78654, 78657 Area Code: (830) 693Time Zone: CST
Coordinates: 30° 34' 27" N, 98° 16' 41" W Location: In S part of county; 25 mi N of Johnson City 13 mi SE of Burnet, SE of Mason, 30 mi SE of Llano Highways: US 281, 2147, FR 1431 Creeks: Rivers: ColoradoLakes: LBJ, Marble Falls (see Highland Lakes)Parks: There are many parks along the lakes and in the area (see below) Quick Link To: Directory Listings in Marble Falls BACKGROUND INFORMATION CITY:
CITY OF MARBLE FALLS: 830-693-3615; Fax: 830-693-6737 800 Third St, Marble Falls, TX 78654 Web: www.ci.marble-falls.tx.us; E-mail: rhendricks@ci.marble-falls.tx.us CHAMBER and TOURISM: 
MARBLE FALLS/LAKE LBJ CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
830-693-4449; 800-759-8178 916 Second Street, Marble Falls, TX 78654 Web: www.marblefalls.org; Email: info@marblefalls.org MARBLE FALLS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP: 830-693-3615; 800 Third Street, Marble Falls, TX 78654. www.marblefallseconomy.com MARBLE FALLS TOURISM GUIDE: www.marble-falls.net 
HIGHLAND LAKES: www.highlandlakes.com BURNET COUNTY TOURISM: www.thehighlandlakes.org.org HILL COUNTRY PORTAL: Highland Lakes Profile TEXAS HILL COUNTRY REGIONAL CHRISTMAS LIGHTING TRAIL: www.tex-fest.com/regional/index.htm. Tourism spotlight on this town. MARBLE FALLS TOUR GUIDE: 512-755-4664; A "step-on" ATGA Certified Tour Guide with years of experience offers customized tours of the Texas Hill Country. E-mail: phundley@281.com. NEIGHBORING TOWNS: 5 mi NE of Cottonwood Shores; 8 mi E of Granite Shoals, 9 mi SE of Highland Haven; 7 mi NE of Horseshoe Bay; 3 mi NE of Meadowlakes, 6 mi S of Suddath, Deerhaven and Blue Lake Estates. Just a little ways further out of town: 12 mi SE of Kingsland; 24 mi (via Hwy 71) E of Sunrise Beach; 26 mi SE of Buchanan Dam 
MAJOR ATTRACTIONS: LAKE LBJ: see Highland Lakes LAKE MARBLE FALLS: see Highland Lakes HISTORIC MAIN STREET DISTRICT: Historic buildings brought back to life as shops, restaurants, sculpture, festivals, farmers market and a theater. Historic Main Street Assoc: 830-385-9289 or info@historicmainstreet.org, www.historicmainstreet.org FALLS ON THE COLORADO MUSEUM: Displays the history and culture of the Central Texas region centered in Burnet County. Artifacts, documents, photos, books and culturally important icons and memorabilia on display, as well as an area for research. See full details in Directory below. .jpg "Lake Marble Falls")
FOX MEMORIAL MARKER & PANORAMIC VIEW: A monument overlooking Colorado River and scenic Hill Country is dedicated to Oscar J. Fox, composer of the classic popular song, "Hills of Home." In roadside park on U.S. 281 just S of town S of the bridge. SWEET BERRY FARM: Pick your own strawberries and blackberries. Hay rides, horse rides, petting farm, hay mazes, fall pumpkin patch, flowers, face painting, picnic area and more. School, group and civic activities. See full details in Directory below. MARBLE FALLS HISTORIC TRAIN DEPOT & CHAMBER VISITOR CENTER: 830-759-8178; S of Hwy 1431 on Hwy 281 in Marble Falls. Depot is more than 100 years old. Mon-Fri: 8a-5p. GRANITE MOUNTAIN/COLD SPRING TEXAS GRANITE COMPANY: Home of "Texas Pink" granite used to build the Texas State Capitol building. The mountain can be viewed from roadside picnic areas. Visitors not admitted to quarry area, but a retail outlet is open to the public. See full details in Directory below. PARKS: 
There are many state, county and LCRA parks in the greater area as profiled on the Parks page. Local city include:
ADAM JOHNSON PARK: 830/693-1769; 230 S Ave J, Marble Falls, TX 78654. www.ci.marble-falls.tx.us/johnson_park.htmlFeatures shade trees, covered picnic areas, playscapes, outdoor stage and restrooms. Popular for reunions and parties. FALLS CREEK PARK & SKATEPARK: 830-693-1769; 900 Yett St, Marble Falls, TX 78654. Skateboarding facility with picnic tables, BBQ pits and a canoe launch site. www.ci.marble-falls.tx.us/falls_creek.html LAKESIDE PARK: 830/693-1769; 307 Buena Vista Dr, Marble Falls, TX 78654. Waterfront park on Lake LBJ features a boat launch, tennis courts, swimming pool, basketball court and picnic area. 1 block W of Hwy 281 bridge. www.ci.marble-falls.tx.us/lakeside_park.html WESTSIDE PARK: 830-693-1769; 1206 2nd St, Marble Falls, TX 78654. The park is 13 acres of fun and relaxation located along Backbone Creek. Includes a disc golf course. NEARBY & HILL COUNTRY-WIDE ATTRACTIONS: See Attractions Because of the close proximity of several communities to Marble Falls, all of them surrounding Lake LBJ and Lake Marble Falls (see above list), there are many golf courses, parks and other attractions within just a few miles of Marble Falls. Some of these nearby attractions include: BLUFFTON: LCRA PARK; LAKE BUCHANAN (Bluffton) BURNET: AUSTIN STEAM TRAIN ASSOCIATION'S "HILL COUNTRY FLYER"; HIGHLAND LAKES AIR MUSEUM; FORT CROGHAN; DELAWARE SPRINGS GOLF COURSE (Burnet) COTTONWOOD SHORES: THE HILL COUNTRY THEATRE (Cottonwood Shores) HORSESHOE BAY: GRANITE BEACH RECREATION AREA; MARRIOTT RESORT & GOLF COURSES (Horseshoe Bay) KINGSLAND: FALKENSTEIN CASTLE; INKS LAKE STATE PARK; INKS LAKE DAM NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY; LONGHORN CAVERN STATE PARK; BUCHANAN DAM; GOLF COURSES; PACKSADDLE MOUNTAIN; HISTORIC RAIL YARD COMPLEX (Kingsland) LAKE BUCHANAN AREA: BUCHANAN DAM & MUSEUM & VISITOR CENTER; VANISHING TEXAS RIVER CRUISE; CANYON OF THE EAGLES LODGE & NATURE PARK; STATE & LCRA PARKS (Buchanan Dam) TOW: FALL CREEK VINEYARDS/WINERY; LAKE BUCHANAN (Tow) EVENT CALENDAR: See Chamber web site shown above. See: Festivals & Events March-April: Bluebonnet Music & Fine Arts Festival (last weekend) Mar: Main Street Market Day (3rd Weekend) April: Highland Lakes Fine Art & Wine Festival (1st & 2nd weekend) www.thunderbirdartists.com April: Wine & Wildflowers Trail (winery tours); Citywide Garage Sale; Paint The Town May: Howdy Roo Chili Cookoff (1st weekend); MayFest (2nd weekend); Marble Falls Rodeo (3rd weekend)  July: 4th-Fireworks in the Park; Founders Day (2nd Sat) June: Soapbox Classic August: Fall Creek Vineyard Grape Stomp; LakeFest Dragboat Races (2nd weekend) (www.marblefallslakefest.com) September: Main Street Market Day (3rd Weekend) October: Citywide Garage Sale; Sculpture on Main; Moonlight Madness November: Highland Arts Guild Fall Show; Walkway of Lights; Christmas Parade; Antiques & Collectibles Show December: Victorian Christmas; Walkway of Lights ON-GOING EVENTS: November-March: Bald Eagle Season Every Thur-Sat, THE FALLS ON THE COLORADO MUSEUM TOURS: 905 3rd St, 10a-5p. 830-798-2157. www.fallsmuseum.org. Tour the museum. Every Third Sat, LIVE MUSIC: At 6-10p, at Boys & Girls Club. 830-898-1784. Bluegrass, Country & Western. 2nd Sat, Quarterly (Mar, May, Sep, Nov), MARKET DAYS: At Rodeo Grounds, 9a-4p. 830-693-4449. Also see Hill Country Market Days, Trade Days, Farmers Markets WEATHER: Weather Underground MEDIA COVERAGE: Latest News (Topix); Newspaper: The Highlander (www.highlandernews.com) MAPS: Google, GeoHack HISTORY & profiles: Handbook of Texas Online: "The falls for which the town was named were used as a landmark by travelers and were referred to as the "great falls" or the "marble falls" of the Colorado River as early as 1817. Charles S. Todd made an effort to establish a town at the falls in 1854. Several lots were sold, but few people built homes there. "Todd's village" faded before it ever really got started, and Todd's land was sold for taxes in 1880. Adam Rankin Johnson saw the falls in 1854 and also wanted to build a city at the site. His project remained a dream, however, until the 1880s. Although there was some difficulty in establishing a clear title to the land, by 1886 Johnson had succeeded in buying one-half and controlling the rest of the original Baker grant, which included the falls area. The Texas Mining and Improvement Company was chartered in June 1887; Johnson and nine others were listed as owners. It handled the business of the new town for several years. Town lots were advertised for sale in July. The Austin and Northwestern Railroad built an extension to Marble Falls from Granite Mountain in 1889. A post office was also established that year with Robert Charlton as postmaster. By 1890 the community had Methodist and Baptist churches, a cotton gin, a gristmill, a tannery, a shoe factory, three general stores, a hotel, a weekly Gazette, and 400 to 600 residents.  Population estimates reached 1,800 by 1896. Marble Falls Alliance University was chartered in 1892, but it was in operation only a few years; its facilities were purchased by the public schools when an independent school district was established in 1908. The first city officials were elected in 1907, when a mayor-alderman form of government was instituted. In 1917 the all-male voting population of Marble Falls elected Orphelia (Birdie) Crosby Harwood the first woman mayor in the United States. Some improvements to the city, such as paved streets and electric street lights came in the late 1920s; others, such as sewer systems, had to wait until after the Great Depression and World War II.
The potential of the Colorado River falls as a source of power was seen by Johnson when he first arrived at the site in 1854, but it was many years before his dream was actually realized. Plans were made to harness the river at the Marble Falls site in 1871; the legislature authorized the building of a dam near Marble Falls to power a milling and manufacturing establishment, but nothing came of the project. The Marble Falls Cotton and Woolen Mills Company built a factory in 1895, but was unable to raise capital to purchase necessary machinery. A dam project was begun on the Colorado River below Marble Falls in 1910, but was not completed. Finally, in 1925 a dam was built to supply electrical power to the Marble Falls Textile Mills Company; the facility was used by Insull Companies in 1935 to supply power to the Hamilton Dam project.  Max Starcke Dam, which formed Lake Marble Falls, was constructed in the early 1950s. Unfortunately, the natural falls were destroyed by the formation of the new lake, but the Marble Falls community benefited from the increased recreational and municipal water supply. Marble Falls served as the principal commercial center for numerous subdivisions and resorts that were built along the lakes after the 1960s. Population estimates for Marble Falls hovered around 1,000 during most of the first half of the twentieth century; after the late 1940s and early 1950s, however, the number of residents increased steadily. In 1940 the population was 1,021; by 1960 it was 2,161. As more people moved to the area to take advantage of lakeside subdivisions, the population and the supporting commercial center grew accordingly: Marble Falls had 2,209 residents and ninety-four businesses in the early 1970s, 3,252 residents and 210 businesses in the early 1980s, and an estimated 4,007 residents and 218 businesses in 1990. By 2000 the population reached 4,959 with 817 businesses."
DEAD MAN'S HOLE: (by Mike Cox in Texas Escapes): "The expression 'he just dropped out of sight' had both figurative and literal meaning in Burnet County during and after the Civil War. Common belief held that folks who disappeared in that area often ended up at the bottom of a 150-plus-deep foot limestone fissure south of Marble Falls aptly named 'Dead Man's Hole.' ". Discovered in 1821, this 155 foot deep cave is believed to have been the dumping place for victims hung from an oak tree over the hole. Self-guided tour, always open. SE of Marble Falls, nearer Spicewood, on CR 401 between Hwy 71 and FM 2147 E. PRIOR NAMES: Todd's Village CEMETERIES: AVAILABLE SERVICES: Gas: yes; Convenience Stores: yes; Restaurants: yes; Lodging: yes; Grocery Stores: yes; Banks: yes; Vehicle Repair: yes; Hospital: no; Med Clinic: yes; Post Office: yes; Public Schools: yes; Cemetery: yes PORTAL WEB CAM GALLERY: Marble Falls OTHER PROFILES: Wikipedia; Podunk Profile; City Data; Texas Escapes; Travel Texas NOTES: We welcome submission of updates, additions, corrections & digital photos, without compensation. BUSINESS & ORGANIZATION DIRECTORY Click: Marble Falls Listings BACK TO PORTAL HOME PAGE advertisements SANDY ROAD GUEST HAUS:
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