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Alpine, Texas

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Alpine, Texas
City
Nickname: 
The Heart of Big Bend
Location in the state of Texas
Location in the state of Texas
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountyBrewster
Government
 • MayorJerri Johnson
Area
 • Total4.1 sq mi (10.6 km2)
 • Land4.1 sq mi (10.6 km2)
 • Water0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation
4,475 ft (1,364 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total5,905
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
79830-79832
Area code432
FIPS code48-02104Template:GR
GNIS feature ID1377837Template:GR
WebsiteThe City of Alpine

Alpine is a city in and the county seat of Brewster County, Texas, United States.Template:GR The population was 5,786 people at the 2000 census, and had increased to 5,905 by 2010.[1]

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.[2]

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.[3]

Education

Colleges and universities

Alpine is home to the main campus of Sul Ross State University, 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.[4]

K-12 schools

Alpine is served by Alpine Independent School District. 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 Big Bend Cowboys independent baseball team. A member of the Pecos League, the Cowboys play their home games at Kokernot Field.

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.

Geography

Alpine is located at 30°21′39″N 103°39′56″W / 30.36083°N 103.66556°W / 30.36083; -103.66556Invalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (30.360718, -103.665418)Template:GR.

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.

Demographics

As of the 2000 censusTemplate:GR, 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.

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 Airport 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.[5]

In recent years, Alpine has served as an unofficial stop for bicyclists riding across the United States.

See also

References

  1. ^ Alpine at the Texas Almanac
  2. ^ http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hfa05
  3. ^ http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hfa05
  4. ^ Texas Historical Society; Daughters of the Confederacy; The Handbook of Texas vol.2
  5. ^ "Alpine, Texas." Greyhound Lines.
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