Glass-Bottom Boat No. 3, undated
Glass-Bottom Boat No. 3, Aquarena Springs, San Marcos, Texas, undated
Spring Lake, which is part of the Texas State University campus, is designated as a critical habitat for eight threatened or endangered species. However, interest in the springs and the aquatic wildlife within the lake dates back more than 70 years.
The first official glass-bottom boat tour of Spring Lake was held on August 10, 1947. Word quickly spread about the glass-bottom boat tours, where Spring Lake's clear water allowed for fantastic views of wildlife, vegetation, and bubbling underwater springs. Between 1945 and 1994, a total of eight hand-crafted glass-bottom boats were added to the fleet to keep up with the demand for tours.
Since the first official tour in 1947, glass-bottom boat tours have allowed visitors to see the beauty of the bubbling springs and the species that make their home in Spring Lake.
Between 1945 and 1994, a total of eight hand-crafted glass-bottom boats were added to the fleet to keep up with the demand for tours. Glass-bottom boat tours of Spring Lake are still offered by the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment.
Negative no. SMDR_Undated-3_001
Image from the San Marcos Daily Record Negative Collection.
University Archives, Texas State University.
Digitized and printed by the Digital Media Lab.