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In 1965 at the request of Alderman William C. Pool, the San Marcos City Council approved changing the name of Austin St. to Lyndon Baines Johnson Dr. In 1987 after Ms. Johnnie Armstead presented a petition of 250 names, the City Council approved changing the name of Porter-Comal Street to Martin Luther King Drive. Other local residents instrumental in petitioning for the name change were Ms. Josie Mack and Mrs. Leslie Hooker. In 1997 during a march celebrating MLK’s birthday community leaders and officials stopped at the corner of LBJ Dr. and Martin Luther King Dr. There they placed a temporary marker to honor the two men the street names represent, and their joint efforts to legislate the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Since then the idea of commemorating the unique intersection of LBJ and MLK Drives was kept alive during subsequent MLK celebrations in San Marcos. In 2008 with the Texas State Common Experience theme, Civic Responsibility and the Legacy of LBJ, the LBJ/MLK Crossroads Project committee formed to permanently transform this unique San Marcos intersection with a memorial to commemorate these two extraordinary men. In 2009 at the MLK march a temporary sign was erected at the intersection of LBJ and MLK Dr. In 2010 Hays County commissioners transferred the 248 square feet located at the corner of LBJ and MLK Drives to the City of San Marcos for the purpose of establishing a monument/marker to honor LBJ and MLK. The survey information for the corner is located here. Local fundraising begins. The San Marcos Arts Commission approved the Crossroads Memorial grant for $100,000. In 2011 a request for qualifications (RFQ) brought submissions from 54 artists. Three finalists were chosen:
In 2012 the finalists presented their designs to the selection committee and to over 100 local residents. After deliberation, the committee and various commissions and the City Council unanimously chose Aaron Hussey’s revised design. The artist’s contract with the City of San Marcos was finalized. In 2013 at the MLK celebration the groundbreaking celebration for the LBJ-MLK Crossroads Memorial was held.
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