Marathon, TX
Music connected to Marathon
About Marathon
- • Singer/songwriter Jo Carol Pierce, known for her unique style, hails from Marathon.
- • The Gage Hotel, a landmark of West Texas hospitality, was founded here in 1927.
- • The railroad's arrival in 1882 established Marathon as a vital transportation hub.
- • A local legend says a lost silver mine remains hidden in the surrounding mountains.
- • The drought of the 1950s devastated ranching, impacting Marathon's economy.
- • It's named after the Greek battlefield; established in 1882, not incorporated.
- • With ~410 residents, its population is smaller than many high school graduating classes.
- • At 4,049 feet, the air is crisp, and the stars feel remarkably close.
- • Ranching and tourism are key to the local economy, supporting many families.
- • A serene escape, it evokes a feeling of peaceful isolation under a vast sky.
- • The closest pro team is the El Paso Chihuahuas (baseball), a minor league affiliate.
- • High school football games against Fort Davis are a classic small-town rivalry.
- • The landscape features volcanic rock formations from the Tertiary period.
- • Nearby is the unique geological feature of Solitario, a laccolith.
- • The area lies within the Rio Grande watershed.
- • Pronghorn antelope roam the grasslands near Marathon.
- • The area is characterized by Chihuahuan Desert scrub vegetation.
- • The Gage Hotel, built in 1927, is a prominent landmark.
- • US 90 passes through town, connecting it to larger cities east and west.