Alpine, Texas
Encyclopedia
Alpine is a city in and the county seat
of Brewster County
, Texas
, United States
. The population was 5,786 people at the 2000 census, and had increased to 5,905 by 2010.
Alpine grew very slowly until Sul Ross State Normal College (now Sul Ross State University
), was opened in 1921. The opening of Big Bend National Park
in the 1940s further spurred the growth of the town. The population was estimated at 396 in 1904. By 1927 it had risen to 3,000. The 1950 census reported Alpine's population at 5,256, but the 1960 census reported only 4,740 residents. A high of approximately 6,200 was reached by 1976. In 1980 residents numbered 5,465 and businesses 108. In 1990 the population was 5,637. In 2000 the population grew to 5,786.
, a member of the Texas State University system, named for Texas Governor
Lawrence Sullivan Ross. Born in Iowa Territory
in 1838 Ross was one year old when he and his family moved to the Republic of Texas
settling in Austin
. L.S. Ross was an original Texian
. He commanded a large brigade of Texas cavalry during the American Civil War
. They were among the most notorious raiders behind Union
occupied territory in the Trans-Mississippi Department
. One little known fact is that Ross is the only native of Iowa to attain general officer rank in the Confederate Army. Ross was Texas' 19th governor and was a deciding force as a liberal reformist in Texas education. Texas public and private education under Sul Ross witnessed integration
reform ahead of its time in 19th century America
.
. Alpine students attend Alpine Elementary School, Alpine Middle School, and Alpine High School. School colors include Purple and Old Gold, and is home to the Alpine Fightin' Bucks and Lady Bucks.
independent baseball
team. A member of the Pecos League
, the Cowboys play their home games at Kokernot Field
.
Alpine was once the home of the distinguished American humorist, H. Allen Smith
.
about 20 miles (32.2 km) east of Marfa
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.6 km²), all of it land.
, there were 5,786 people, 2,429 households, and 1,435 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,416.5 people per square mile (547.5/km²). There were 2,852 housing units at an average density of 698.2 per square mile (269.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.19% White, 1.33% African American, 0.81% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 15.45% from other races
, and 2.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 50.31% of the population.
There were 2,429 households out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples
living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 14.1% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,979, and the median income for a family was $31,658. Males had a median income of $27,720 versus $19,575 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,587. About 15.5% of families and 20.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.3% of those under age 18 and 17.1% of those age 65 or over.
serves general aviation
.
Amtrak
operates the Alpine Station
on the former Southern Pacific Railroad's Sunset Line. It was also served by the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway
.
Greyhound Lines
operates intercity bus service from the KCS Quick Stop.
In recent years, Alpine has served as an unofficial stop for bicyclists riding across the United States due to it's location on the Adventure Cycling Association
's Southern Tier Bicycle Route.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Brewster County
Brewster County, Texas
Brewster County is a county located in western part of the US state of Texas, along the border with Mexico. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. As of the 2000 census, the population is 8,866. In 2009, the population was estimated to be 9,481. Its...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 5,786 people at the 2000 census, and had increased to 5,905 by 2010.
History
The area had been a campsite for cattlemen tending their herds between 1878 and the spring of 1882, when a town of tents was created by railroad workers and their families. Because the section of the railroad was called Osborne, that was the name of the small community for a brief time. The railroad needed access to water from springs owned by brothers named Daniel and Thomas Murphy, so it entered into an agreement with the Murphys to change the name of the section and settlement to Murphyville in exchange for a contract to use the spring. In November 1883 the Murphys registered a plat for the town of Murphyville with the county clerk of Presidio County. The town's name was changed to Alpine on February 3, 1888 following a petition by its residents. At this time a description of the town mentioned a dozen houses, three saloons, a hotel and rooming house, a livery stable, a butcher shop, and a drugstore, which also housed the post office.Alpine grew very slowly until Sul Ross State Normal College (now Sul Ross State University
Sul Ross State University
Sul Ross State University , a public university in Alpine, Texas, is named for former Texas governor, Civil War general Lawrence Sullivan Ross. It was founded in 1917 as Sul Ross Normal College and was made a university in 1969....
), was opened in 1921. The opening of Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park is a national park located in the U.S. state of Texas. Big Bend has national significance as the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the United States, which includes more than 1,200 species of plants, more than 450 species of birds, 56...
in the 1940s further spurred the growth of the town. The population was estimated at 396 in 1904. By 1927 it had risen to 3,000. The 1950 census reported Alpine's population at 5,256, but the 1960 census reported only 4,740 residents. A high of approximately 6,200 was reached by 1976. In 1980 residents numbered 5,465 and businesses 108. In 1990 the population was 5,637. In 2000 the population grew to 5,786.
Colleges and universities
Alpine is home to the main campus of Sul Ross State UniversitySul Ross State University
Sul Ross State University , a public university in Alpine, Texas, is named for former Texas governor, Civil War general Lawrence Sullivan Ross. It was founded in 1917 as Sul Ross Normal College and was made a university in 1969....
, a member of the Texas State University system, named for Texas Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Lawrence Sullivan Ross. Born in Iowa Territory
Iowa Territory
The Territory of Iowa was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Iowa.-History:...
in 1838 Ross was one year old when he and his family moved to the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
settling in Austin
Austin
Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas.Austin may also refer to:-In the United States:*Austin, Arkansas*Austin, Colorado*Austin, Chicago, Illinois*Austin, Indiana*Austin, Minnesota*Austin, Nevada*Austin, Oregon...
. L.S. Ross was an original Texian
Texian
Texian is an archaic, mostly defunct 19th century demonym which defined a settler of current-day Texas, one of the southern states of the United States of America which borders the country of Mexico...
. He commanded a large brigade of Texas cavalry during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. They were among the most notorious raiders behind Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
occupied territory in the Trans-Mississippi Department
Trans-Mississippi Department
The Trans-Mississippi Department was an administrative subdivision of the Confederate States of America west of the Mississippi, consisting of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Indian Territories recognized by the CSA, and parts of Western Louisiana...
. One little known fact is that Ross is the only native of Iowa to attain general officer rank in the Confederate Army. Ross was Texas' 19th governor and was a deciding force as a liberal reformist in Texas education. Texas public and private education under Sul Ross witnessed integration
Racial integration
Racial integration, or simply integration includes desegregation . In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity regardless of race, and the development of a culture that draws on diverse traditions, rather than merely...
reform ahead of its time in 19th century America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
K-12 schools
Alpine is served by Alpine Independent School DistrictAlpine Independent School District
The Alpine Independent School District is a school district based in Alpine, Texas, United States.Alpine ISD has three schools: Alpine Elementary School, , and Alpine High School...
. Alpine students attend Alpine Elementary School, Alpine Middle School, and Alpine High School. School colors include Purple and Old Gold, and is home to the Alpine Fightin' Bucks and Lady Bucks.
Sports
Alpine is home to the http://alpine.pecosleague.comAlpine CowboysAlpine Cowboys
The Alpine Cowboys are a professional baseball team based in Alpine, Texas, in the Big Bend region of West Texas. The Cowboys are a franchise of the Pecos League, which is not affiliated with Major or Minor League Baseball...
independent baseball
Independent baseball
Independent baseball leagues are professional baseball organizations located in the United States and Canada. They are not operated in conjunction with either a Major League Baseball team or an affiliated minor league team. Being independent allows teams to be located close to major-league teams...
team. A member of the Pecos League
Pecos League
The Pecos League is an independent professional baseball league Headquartered in Houston, Tx. which operates in cities in desert mountain regions throughout New Mexico, Southern Colorado and West Texas. Pecos Teams play in cities that do not have Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not...
, the Cowboys play their home games at Kokernot Field
Kokernot Field
Kokernot Field is a baseball stadium located in Alpine, Texas. The field has been called "the Yankee Stadium of Texas" by Texas Monthly magazine. An estimated 6,000 attended a 1951 exhibition featuring Satchel Paige's St. Louis Browns versus the Chicago White Sox...
.
Distinction
Prior to 1959, Alpine was the largest city in the largest county (by area) in the largest state of the Union.Alpine was once the home of the distinguished American humorist, H. Allen Smith
H. Allen Smith
For the congressman see H. Allen SmithHarry Allen Wolfgang Smith was an American journalist and humorist whose books were popular in the 1940s and 1950s, selling millions of copies....
.
Geography
Alpine is located on U.S. Route 90U.S. Route 90
U.S. Route 90 is an east–west United States highway. Despite the "0" in its route number, U.S. 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route; it has always ended at Van Horn, Texas. A short-lived northward extension to U.S...
about 20 miles (32.2 km) east of Marfa
Marfa, Texas
Marfa is a town in the high desert of far West Texas in the Southwestern United States. Located between the Davis Mountains and Big Bend National Park, it is also the county seat of Presidio County. The population was 1,981 at the 2010 census....
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.6 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the 2000 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there were 5,786 people, 2,429 households, and 1,435 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,416.5 people per square mile (547.5/km²). There were 2,852 housing units at an average density of 698.2 per square mile (269.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.19% White, 1.33% African American, 0.81% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 15.45% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 50.31% of the population.
There were 2,429 households out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 14.1% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,979, and the median income for a family was $31,658. Males had a median income of $27,720 versus $19,575 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $13,587. About 15.5% of families and 20.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.3% of those under age 18 and 17.1% of those age 65 or over.
Post Offices
- Alpine Post Office 103 N. 13th Street, Alpine, Texas 79830-9998
- Cpu Sul Ross Post Office 400 N Harrison Street, Alpine, Texas 79832-9991
Transportation
Alpine-Casparis Municipal AirportAlpine-Casparis Municipal Airport
Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located two miles northwest of the central business district of Alpine, a city in Brewster County, Texas, United States. It supports two small runways, and is not meant for large commercial planes...
serves general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
.
Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
operates the Alpine Station
Alpine (Amtrak station)
Alpine Station is an Amtrak station in Alpine, Texas on the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle routes. It is not staffed and has partial wheelchair accessibility, an enclosed waiting area, public payphones, and free parking...
on the former Southern Pacific Railroad's Sunset Line. It was also served by the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway
Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway
The Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway, started in 1900 by American railroad entrepreneur Arthur Edward Stilwell, was the predecessor to the Chihuahua al Pacífico railroad in Mexico. It was intended to reach the Pacific Ocean at Topolobampo, Sinaloa...
.
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
operates intercity bus service from the KCS Quick Stop.
In recent years, Alpine has served as an unofficial stop for bicyclists riding across the United States due to it's location on the Adventure Cycling Association
Adventure Cycling Association
The Adventure Cycling Association is a national cycling association in the United States which provides services for cycle-tourists, publishes maps and campaigns for better cycling facilities. Its headquarters are in Missoula, Montana...
's Southern Tier Bicycle Route.
See also
- Davis MountainsDavis MountainsThe Davis Mountains are a range of mountains in West Texas, located near Fort Davis, after which they are named. They are a popular site for camping and hiking and the region includes Fort Davis National Historic Site and Davis Mountains State Park...
- Marfa LightsMarfa lightsThe Marfa lights, also known as the Marfa ghost lights, have been observed near U.S. Route 67 on Mitchell Flat east of Marfa, Texas, in the United States...
- Alpine CowboysAlpine CowboysThe Alpine Cowboys are a professional baseball team based in Alpine, Texas, in the Big Bend region of West Texas. The Cowboys are a franchise of the Pecos League, which is not affiliated with Major or Minor League Baseball...
- Sul Ross State UniversitySul Ross State UniversitySul Ross State University , a public university in Alpine, Texas, is named for former Texas governor, Civil War general Lawrence Sullivan Ross. It was founded in 1917 as Sul Ross Normal College and was made a university in 1969....
- Arick Village, TexasArick Village, TexasArick Village, Texas is an unincorporated community located in Brewster County, Texas. The nearest settled area is another unincorporated community; Terlingua, Texas . The nearest CDP is Marathon, Texas . The nearest city is Alpine, Texas...
External links
- City of Alpine
- Alpine Chamber of Commerce
- Alpine Area Parks
- West Texas Weekly- a local weekly newspaper.