The city of San Marcos has launched a new initiative to honor the places and people who made major impacts on the historic Dunbar neighborhood.
The overview
The neighborhood is located near Dunbar Park, where the Dunbar History Walk will be installed. Community members will submit honorees to be added to the walk annually. A submission review committee will select which individuals are honored with a marker.
The Dunbar Systems Foundation brought the project to the city as a way to acknowledge and honor the history of the community and the people who influenced it, said Charlotte Wattigny, city of San Marcos Convention and Visitor Bureau creative and marketing manager.
People and businesses eligible for the history walk must have had a connection to the neighborhood and made a meaningful difference or impact on the community. For a person to be considered, they must also have been deceased for at least two years.
The city will install the first 15 markers this fall and 10 markers each year moving forward. The project will be funded using hotel occupancy tax revenue, or tourism dollars, and will be planned through the public art program.
The background
The park features a recreation center, built in the 1980s, designed in a style similar to the historic Dunbar school, according to the city.
The original building was moved to the current park site in 1918, but burned down in an arson attack March 15, 1986.
The school offered organized instruction to African American students in San Marcos from 1877 to 1964, when integration of the students had completed and the school closed, according to the city.
“The Dunbar History Walk is a visible way to recognize the intangible heritage and tell the story of the Dunbar neighborhood,” Wattigny said.
Looking forward
Submissions for 2026 honorees are due by Feb. 28. Community members may fill out a submission on the Visit San Marcos website. Those submitting honorees should include the person or business’s name and a small description of their significance to the Dundar neighborhood.
The city will hold a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 19 at the San Marcos Activity Center to provide additional information on the project.
