The People of Marfa

Marfa was settled in the mid 19th century by two distinct groups: Primarily Anglo-European families started to homestead the area by using the town as a source of supplies and social life and the Mexican families who began to migrate northward to the growing settlement. Both groups can attribute their families back three or four generations.

Marfa now has a population of around 2400. The largest employers are the Border Patrol, the U.S. Department of Immigration and Naturalization and U.S. Customs. As Marfa is the seat of government for Presidio County, a significant number of residents are employed through the county offices.

The town is attracting a remarkable new population of artists as well as second homeowners from cities such as Houston, Austin, Dallas and New York.