Alvarado, Texas
| Alvarado, Texas | |
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| Coordinates: 32°24′23″N 97°12′46″W / 32.40639°N 97.21278°WCoordinates: 32°24′23″N 97°12′46″W / 32.40639°N 97.21278°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Johnson |
| Incorporated (city) | 1885 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Dewayne Richters |
| • Interim City Manager | Kelle Whitfill |
| • Chief of Police | Brad Anderson |
| • Fire Chief | Richard Van Winkle |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.9 sq mi (10.1 km2) |
| • Land | 3.9 sq mi (10.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 764 ft (233 m) |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 4,289 |
| • Density | 1,048/sq mi (404.65/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 76009 |
| Area code(s) | 817 |
| FIPS code | 48-02260[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1329475[2] |
| Website | http://www.cityofalvarado.org |
Alvarado is the oldest city in Johnson County, Texas. The population was 4,289 in 2009.[3]
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[edit] Geography
Alvarado is located at 32°24′23″N 97°12′46″W / 32.40639°N 97.21278°W (32.406342, -97.212792)[4] and is located at the intersection of US Hwy 67 and I-35W. The city is 10 miles (16 km) south of Fort Worth and 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Dallas.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10 km2), of which, 3.9 square miles (10 km2) of it is land and 0.26% is water. Alvarado is bordered to the east by Venus, to the west by Keene, to the north by Burleson and to the south, though the city limits do not connect, by Grandview. The City of Alvarado includes approximately 10 miles (16 km) of I.H.35W with Asher Rd being the north city limit and CR107 being the approximate south city limit. The city also covers approximately 10 miles (16 km) of U.S. Hwy 67 with the west city limits being just west of CR810 and the east city limits near CR 209.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 3,288 people, 1,151 households, and 834 families residing in the city. The population density was 842.5 people per square mile (325.5/km²). There were 1,266 housing units at an average density of 324.4 per square mile (125.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.30% White, 7.15% African American, 0.61% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 9.25% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.46% of the population.
There were 1,151 households out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.6% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,166, and the median income for a family was $36,471. Males had a median income of $30,690 versus $22,181 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,476. About 11.7% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 17.4% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Economy
Alvarado is a rural community with an economy that has been primarily agricultural with only a modest retail and industrial base. In recent years the trend has been away from agriculture and towards more urban development. In 2007 Sabre Tubular Structures built a new 200,000-square-foot (19,000 m2) facility located on 147 acres (0.59 km2) on the eastern side of town. Sabre has over 200 employees at this facility.[5] The city also benefited from a 2008 grant of $750,000 from the Texas Department of Agriculture for infrastructure improvements related to Sabre.[6]
In 2008 and 2009 there was an upturn in retail development with the opening of three national chain hotels and 2 fast food dining establishments. A movie theater/tavern was opened for a short time before closing it's door due to poor sales and a general lack of interest.
[edit] Barnett Shale
In the latter part of the 2000s, development of natural gas wells in the Barnett Shale has been a source of prosperity for the city and many property owners have benefited from drilling activity, pipeline construction and royalty payments. As natural gas prices fell in 2009, drilling activity and royalty payments declined rapidly.
[edit] Government
The city uses a Council-manager government with a mayor and six city council members representing three wards, one being the mayor pro-tem.
The current city council is:
Ward 1: David Bayless and Tom Moore
Ward 2: Arrdeen Vaughan and Joe Sain (mayor pro-tem)
Ward 3: Jacob Wheat and Bruce Clark
The city's 2009-2010 general fund budget is $3.9 million.[7]
[edit] Police Department
The City of Alvarado has a full time police department providing police protection 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days per year.
The city has 18 commissioned positions through the TCLEOSE. One Chief of Police, two lieutenants, three sergeants assigned as Detectives, two Sergeants assigned to Patrol, eight Patrol Officers and two Fire Marshalls.
The department's Administrative and Criminal Investigations Division section operates during normal business hours Monday through Friday and maintains an on-call status during off hours.
The Patrol Division provides 24 hour coverage and operates on a 12 hour shift schedule with alternating days off. Officers are assigned to either day shift or night shift. On the typical patrol schedule an officer will work Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Then the following week will work Wednesday and Thursday before restarting the cycle the next week.
[edit] Fire Department
The department was founded in 1903 as a volunteer organization and has evolved over the years into a combination professional emergency services organization.
The department provides these services to the citizens of Alvarado and to almost 48 square miles (120 km2) of Johnson County; averaging 125 emergency responses monthly.
[edit] Education
The City of Alvarado is served by the Alvarado Independent School District. There are no colleges or universities in Alvarado although residents pay a Hill College maintenance tax and residents receive in-district student rates.
[edit] Religion
There is a large Protestant Christian influence in the Alvarado community, as the city is deep within the Bible Belt. Assembly of God, Anglican, Baptist, Church of Christ, Church of God, Methodist, and Seventh-day Adventist congregations are all located within the city. In addition the Texas Seventh-day Adventist administrative headquarters are located in Alvarado.
[edit] Recreation
- Alvarado Park Lake is located on the west side of the city, three miles (5 km) west of I-35W.
- Alvarado Parkway Park
[edit] See also
- Terry Southern - born in Alvarado
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Alvarado at City-Data
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ "Sabre Tubular Structures Announces New Manufacturing Facility in Alvarado, Texas". Sabre Tubular Structures. http://www.sabretubularstructures.com/news.aspx?5fs1ewg5=3&z24s3hgq=-842352755. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
- ^ "Commissioner Todd Staples Awards City Of Alvarado $750,000 For Economic Development". Texas Department of Agriculture. http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/media/media_render/0,1460,1848_29179_25089_0,00.html. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
- ^ "City of Alvarado Proposed Annual Budget Fiscal Year 2009-2010". City of Alvarado. http://www.cityofalvarado.net/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=85&tmpl=component&format=raw&Itemid=133. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
[edit] External links
- Alvarado, Texas from the Handbook of Texas Online
State of 
