Marfa, Texas | |
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 Downtown Marfa | |
 Seal | |
 Location of Marfa in Presidio County | |
  Marfa Location in Texas Show map of Texas Marfa Location in the United States of America Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:30°18′38″N104°01′32″W / 30.31056°N 104.02556°W /30.31056; -104.02556[1] | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| County | Presidio |
| Named after | Marfa Strogoff, a character in the novelMichael Strogoff |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Manuel V. Baeza[2] |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.63 sq mi (4.22 km2) |
| • Land | 1.63 sq mi (4.22 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,698 ft (1,432 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 1,788 |
| • Density | 1,000/sq mi (385/km2) |
| Demonym | Marfan |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 79843 |
| Area code | 432 |
| FIPS code | 48-46620[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411031[1] |
| Website | cityofmarfa |
Marfa is a city in the high desert of theTrans-Pecos in farwest Texas, United States, between theDavis Mountains andBig Bend National Park, at an elevation of 4685 feet. It is thecounty seat ofPresidio County. The city was founded in the early 1880s as awater stop. The population of Marfa peaked in the 1930s and as of the 2020 United States Census the population is 1,788.
Today Marfa is a tourist destination and a major center forminimalist art. Major attractions includeBuilding 98, theChinati Foundation, and theMarfa lights.
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Marfa was founded in the early 1880s as arailroad water stop. The town was named "Marfa" (Russian for "Martha") at the suggestion of the wife of a railroad executive. Although some historians have hypothesized that the name came from a character inFyodor Dostoevsky's novelThe Brothers Karamazov,[5] Marfa was actually named after Marfa Strogoff, a character inJules Verne's novelMichael Strogoff.[6][7] According to Sterry Butcher of theTexas Monthly, a writer researched the Karamazov story and deemed it false, but did not receive any letters to the editor after he submitted the story to the newspaper, and therefore "No one cared. The story we had suited Marfa just fine."[8]
The town grew quickly during the 1920s.[9]
The Marfa Army Air Field served as a training facility for several thousand pilots during World War II, including the American actorRobert Sterling, before closing in 1945. The base was also used as the training ground for many of the United States Army'schemical mortar battalions.
Marfa experienced economic issues after the war ended and after adrought impaired agricultural output. ArtistDonald Judd arrived in 1973 and began buying properties to renovate, which resulted inbohemian interest in the community.[10] In 2012Vanity Fair described it as a "playground" for "art-world pioneers and pilgrims".[11] Marfa is about 60 miles from the Mexico-U.S. border.
Marfa is in northeastern Presidio County within theChihuahuan Desert. The town is approximately 20 miles south ofFort Davis onTexas Route 17 and about 18 miles west ofAlpine onUS Route 67.[12] According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.6 sq mi (4.1 km2), all land.
Marfa experiences asemi-arid climate (BSk) with hot summers and cool winters. Due to its elevation and aridity, thediurnal temperature variation is substantial.
| Climate data for Marfa #2, Texas. (Elevation 4,790ft) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 81 (27) | 86 (30) | 90 (32) | 96 (36) | 102 (39) | 106 (41) | 103 (39) | 104 (40) | 100 (38) | 95 (35) | 86 (30) | 79 (26) | 106 (41) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 60.2 (15.7) | 63.9 (17.7) | 71.2 (21.8) | 78.8 (26.0) | 85.8 (29.9) | 91.2 (32.9) | 89.6 (32.0) | 87.5 (30.8) | 83.6 (28.7) | 77.3 (25.2) | 67.6 (19.8) | 60.8 (16.0) | 76.5 (24.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 42.9 (6.1) | 46.0 (7.8) | 52.3 (11.3) | 60.1 (15.6) | 67.9 (19.9) | 74.4 (23.6) | 74.9 (23.8) | 73.3 (22.9) | 68.7 (20.4) | 60.7 (15.9) | 50.5 (10.3) | 43.7 (6.5) | 59.6 (15.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 25.7 (−3.5) | 28.1 (−2.2) | 33.5 (0.8) | 41.4 (5.2) | 50.1 (10.1) | 57.6 (14.2) | 60.2 (15.7) | 59.1 (15.1) | 54.0 (12.2) | 44.1 (6.7) | 33.4 (0.8) | 26.6 (−3.0) | 42.8 (6.0) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −2 (−19) | 0 (−18) | 6 (−14) | 17 (−8) | 27 (−3) | 39 (4) | 53 (12) | 50 (10) | 36 (2) | 16 (−9) | −1 (−18) | 2 (−17) | −2 (−19) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 0.42 (11) | 0.47 (12) | 0.31 (7.9) | 0.59 (15) | 1.17 (30) | 1.78 (45) | 2.73 (69) | 2.89 (73) | 2.57 (65) | 1.39 (35) | 0.58 (15) | 0.50 (13) | 15.41 (391) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.7 (1.8) | 0.6 (1.5) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.4 (1.0) | 0.4 (1.0) | 2.2 (5.6) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 59 |
| Source:Western Regional Climate Center,Desert Research Institute[13] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 3,553 | — | |
| 1930 | 3,909 | 10.0% | |
| 1940 | 3,805 | −2.7% | |
| 1950 | 3,603 | −5.3% | |
| 1960 | 2,799 | −22.3% | |
| 1970 | 2,647 | −5.4% | |
| 1980 | 2,466 | −6.8% | |
| 1990 | 2,424 | −1.7% | |
| 2000 | 2,121 | −12.5% | |
| 2010 | 1,981 | −6.6% | |
| 2020 | 1,788 | −9.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[14] 1850–1900[15] 1910[16] 1920[17] 1930[18] 1940[19] 1950[20] 1960[21] 1970[22] 1980[23] 1990[24] 2000[25] 2010[26] 2020[27] | |||
Marfa first appeared as a city in the1920 U.S. census.[18]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[28] | Pop 2010[29] | Pop 2020[27] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 616 | 595 | 678 | 29.04% | 30.04% | 37.92% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 5 | 8 | 13 | 0.24% | 0.40% | 0.73% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 8 | 3 | 4 | 0.38% | 0.15% | 0.22% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1 | 1 | 12 | 0.05% | 0.05% | 0.67% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0.09% | 0.10% | 0.11% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 7 | 12 | 24 | 0.33% | 0.61% | 1.34% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,482 | 1,360 | 1,055 | 69.87% | 68.65% | 59.00% |
| Total | 2,121 | 1,981 | 1,788 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 census, Marfa had a population of 1,788. The median age was 47.8 years. 16.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 24.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.1 males age 18 and over.[30]
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[31]
There were 838 households in Marfa, of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 36.8% were married-couple households, 22.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 34.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 39.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[30]
There were 1,077 housing units, of which 22.2% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.6%.[30]
| Race | Number | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,040 | 58.2% |
| Black or African American | 15 | 0.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 18 | 1.0% |
| Asian | 13 | 0.7% |
| Native Hawaiian andOther Pacific Islander | 0 | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 229 | 12.8% |
| Two or more races | 473 | 26.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 1,055 | 59.0% |
As of the2010 United States census, 1,981 people, 864 households, and 555 families resided in the city.[4] The population density was 1,354 inhabitants per square mile (523/km2). The 1,126 housing units averaged 719.1 per square mile (276.9/km2). Theracial makeup of the city was 30% White, 0.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 7.50% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 68.7% of the population. Of 863 households, 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were not families. About 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.99. The age distribution of the population shows 24.9% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $24,712, and for a family was $32,328. Males had a median income of $25,804 versus $18,382 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $14,636. About 15.7% of families and 20.6% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 24.6% of those under age 18 and 26.9% of those age 65 or over.
The area around Marfa is known as a cultural center for contemporary artists and artisans. In 1971,Minimalist artistDonald Judd moved to Marfa from New York. After renting summer houses for a few years, he bought two large hangars and some smaller buildings and began to install his art permanently. This had started with his building in New York but the buildings in Marfa allowed him to install his works on a larger scale. In 1976, he bought the first of two ranches that became his primary places of residence, continuing a long love affair with the desert landscape surrounding Marfa. Later, with assistance from the Dia Art Foundation in New York, Judd acquired decommissionedFort D. A. Russell, and in 1979 began transforming the fort's buildings into art spaces. Judd's vision was to house large collections of individual artists' work on permanent display, as a sort of antimuseum. Judd believed the prevailing model of manymuseums, where various art exhibits are shown for limited times, does not allow the viewer an understanding of the artist or their work as they had intended.
Following Judd's death in 1994, two foundations have worked to maintain his legacy: theChinati Foundation andJudd Foundation. Since its inauguration in 1986, Chinati has held an open-house event that attracts visitors from around the world to visit Marfa's art.[33] Between 1997 and 2008, both foundations cosponsored this event. The Chinati Foundation now occupies more than 30 buildings in Marfa and has permanently displayed work by 13 artists.[34]
In recent years, a new wave of artists has moved to Marfa to live and work. As a result, new gallery spaces have opened in the downtown area. The Crowley Theater and its annex host public events with seating for over 175 as a public service to nonprofit foundations. Furthermore, TheLannan Foundation has established a writers-in-residency program, a Marfa theater group has formed, and a multifunctional art space called Ballroom Marfa has begun to show art films, host musical performances, and exhibit other art installations. The city is also 37 miles (60 km) fromPrada Marfa, a pop art exhibit, and is home toCobra Rock Boot Company and The Wrong Store.
Marfa Myths, an annual music festival and multidisciplinary cultural program, was founded in 2014 by the nonprofit contemporary arts foundation Ballroom Marfa and Brooklyn-based music labelMexican Summer. The festival brings together a diversity of emerging and established artists and musicians to work creatively and collaboratively across music, film, and visual arts contexts. The festival is inherently embedded in the landscape of Far West Texas and deeply engaged with Marfa's cultural history and present-day community.
Building 98, also located in Marfa, is a project of the International Woman's Foundation, which has operated an artist-in-residency program since 2002. The International Woman's Foundation was responsible for placing Fort D.A. Russell on the National Register of Historic Places as an effort to preserve the historic importance of the site.[35] The facility's studio galleries host artists who desire to exhibit work in the region at a premier venue. In late September 2012 through early April 2013, the foundation held a major retrospective of the works ofWilhelmina Weber Furlong at Building 98 featuring over 75 unseen works of the early American woman modernist. Building 98 is located at historic Fort D. A. Russell; it is the home of Marfa's German POW murals.[36][37] The facility also features theGeorge Sugarman sculpture courtyard.[35]
Marfa is the location of theMarfa lights, visible on clear nights between Marfa and the Paisano Pass when one is facing southwest (toward the Chinati Mountains). According to theHandbook of Texas Online, "at times they appear colored as they twinkle in the distance. They move about, split apart, melt together, disappear, and reappear. Presidio County residents have watched the lights for over a hundred years." The first historical record of them dates to 1883.[38] Presidio County has built a viewing station 9 miles east of town on US 67 near the site of the old air base. Each year, enthusiasts gather for the annual Marfa Lights Festival.
Various movie productions have filmed in and around parts of Marfa. The 1950 filmHigh Lonesome and the 1956Warner Bros. filmGiant were filmed in Marfa.[39][40][41]
In August 2006, two films were partially shot in Marfa:There Will Be Blood andNo Country for Old Men.[42][43]
The music video forBetween the Buried and Me's "Obfuscation" takes place in Marfa in the late 50s[44]
Larry Clark's 2012 filmMarfa Girl was filmed exclusively in Marfa.[45] Also,Far Marfa, written and directed by Cory Van Dyke, made its debut in 2012.[46]
Morley Safer presented a60 Minutes segment in on August 4, 2013, titled "Marfa, Texas, the Capital of Quirkiness."[47]
In 2017, Marfa was featured as the setting of the Amazon seriesI Love Dick, an adaptation ofChris Kraus's 1997 novel, which was set inPasadena, California.[48][49][50]
Marfa was also the filming location for the music video ofthe xx song "On Hold."
Marfa is featured in the 2019Simpsons episode "Mad About the Toy."[51]
"Marfa" is the eighth track on Texassymphonic rock bandMother Falcon's second studio album,You Knew.[52] It is also the name of songs byWildcat! Wildcat!,S. Carey, andPaul Cauthen ("Marfa Lights").[53][54][55]
Marfa is featured inBen Lerner's 2014 novel10:04.[56]
Beyoncé references Marfa in the song "II Hands II Heaven" on her 2024 album,Cowboy Carter.
Parts of Due West (2025 film) were filmed in Marfa.
Parts ofFandango (1985 film) were filmed in Marfa and mentioned by name in the movie.
Marfa is home toNational Public Radio-affiliated stationKRTS.
Marfa houses the offices of theBig Bend Sentinel, serving Marfa, andInternational/Internacional, serving Presidio, in one building.[57] The former is a weekly newspaper covering the areas of Marfa, Fort Davis, Presidio, and far West Texas.Marfa Magazine is a yearly publication distributed from Marfa. It focuses on issues and general information about Marfa, Alpine, and Fort Davis.[citation needed]
On October 1, 2009, the city council voted to no longer have a local police department. At the time, the Presidio County Sheriff's Department and Texas Highway Patrol provided law enforcement for the city, as well as the county as a whole. As of 2019, however, the Marfa Police Department has been re-established, and five officers, including a chief and lieutenant, oversee law enforcement within the city limits.
Marfa is served by theMarfa Independent School District. Within it, Marfa Elementary School and Marfa Junior/Senior High School serve the city.
Hispanic students attended the segregatedBlackwell School from 1909 to 1965. The school was authorized to be aNational Historic Site in 2022.[58]
Marfa International School,[59] a private school, opened in 2012,[citation needed] serving students in grades 1–8, with scholarships available based on need.[citation needed] However, it closed in 2016.[60]
Presidio County is within theOdessa College District for community college.[61]
Marfa and the surrounding area are served by the Marfa Public Library, which houses a diverse collection in a variety of formats. The library began in 1947 when the Marfa Lions Club and the Marfa Study Club agreed to establish a library for the citizens of the area.[62] The library was originally housed in the historic U.S.O. building, but was moved to a city-owned building after the city took over the project. After meeting the requirements of theTexas State Library, it became a member of the Texas Trans-Pecos Library System.[62] The present library building was donated to the City of Marfa in 1973 by the first chairperson, Laura Bailey, and her husband Bishop.[62] Future expansions and renovations to the current building are also planned.
US 90: U.S. Route 90 runs through town along San Antonio St., leading northwest 74 miles (119 km) toVan Horn with access toI-10 and east 26 miles (42 km) toAlpine.
US 67: U.S. Route 67 runs south from town along S Highland Ave., leading 59 miles (95 km) toPresidio and 60 miles (97 km) to thePresidio-Ojinaga International Border Crossing. At the intersection of Highland Ave. and San Antonio St., US 67 runs concurrently with US 90 throughAlpine before turning north towardsFort Stockton.
SH 17: Texas State Highway 17 meanders north through town, following Highland St., E Lincoln St., and N Dean St., before leading 21 miles (34 km) north towards Fort Davis.Amtrak'sSunset Limited, which operates betweenNew Orleans andLos Angeles three days a week, passes through the city, but does not stop; thenearest station is located inAlpine, 26 mi (42 km) northeast.
Greyhound Lines operates an intercity bus service from theWestern Union office.[63]
Commercial air service is available at eitherMidland International Air and Space Port (IATA:MAF,ICAO:KMAF,FAALID:MAF) orEl Paso International Airport (IATA:ELP,ICAO:KELP,FAALID:ELP).[64] The airports are, respectively, 182 miles (292 km) northeast, and 189 miles (304 km) northwest.[65]Marfa Municipal Airport (IATA:MRF,ICAO:KMRF,FAALID:MRF) is a county-operated public-use airport 3 miles (5 km) to the north of the city in unincorporated Presidio County.
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