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Wikipedia

Alpine, Texas

Alpine (/ˈælpn/ AL-pyne) is a city in and the county seat of Brewster County, Texas, United States.[5] The population was 6,035 at the 2020 census.[6] The town has an elevation of 4,462 feet (1,360 m), and the surrounding mountain peaks are over 1 mile (1.6 km) above sea level. A university, hospital, library, and retail make Alpine the center of the sprawling 12,000 square miles (3,108,000 ha) but wide open Big Bend area (combined population 12,500)[dubious ] including Brewster, Presidio, and Jeff Davis counties.

Alpine, Texas
Alpine from atop Hancock Hill to the southwest.
Nickname: 
The Heart of Big Bend
Location in the state of Texas
Coordinates: 30°22′20″N 103°40′00″W / 30.37222°N 103.66667°W / 30.37222; -103.66667[1]
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountyBrewster
Government
 • MayorCatherine Eaves [2]
Area
 • Total4.80 sq mi (12.44 km2)
 • Land4.80 sq mi (12.43 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation4,462 ft (1,360 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total6,035
 • Density1,245.99/sq mi (481.09/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
79830-79832
Area code432
FIPS code48-02104[4]
GNIS feature ID2409685[1]
Websitecityofalpine.com

History edit

 
Brewster County Courthouse, built in 1888 by local contractor Tom Lovell[7]

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.[8]

Alpine grew very slowly until Sul Ross State Normal College (now Sul Ross State University) was opened in 1920. The development of Big Bend National Park in the 1930s and '40s spurred further growth. The population was estimated at only 396 in 1904, but by 1927, it had risen to 3,000. The 1950 census reported Alpine's population at 5,256, and a high of roughly 6,200 was reached by 1976. In 1990, the population was down to 5,637. In 2000, the population grew modestly to 5,786 and 5,905 by 2010.[8]

The Holland Hotel, built during a brief mercury mining boom,[7] was designed by Henry Trost, a distinguished regional architect. Today, it helps to anchor a traditional downtown of early 20th-century buildings still occupied by family-owned retailers and restaurants.

Geography edit

The town sits on a high plateau, in the Chihuahua Desert, with the Davis Mountains to the north and the Chisos Mountains to the south. Outcrops of ancient volcanic rocks spread to the northwest. Other layers of rocks have been exposed over time as the mountains were forced up and then eroded. The high elevation cools the desert air in the evenings.

Alpine is located on U.S. Route 90, approximately 26 miles (42 km) east of Marfa and 31 miles west of Marathon.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.1 km2), all land.[9]

Climate edit

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Alpine has a semiarid climate, BSk on climate maps.[10][11]

Climate data for Alpine, Texas (Mar 1, 1900–Mar 31, 2013)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 81
(27)
89
(32)
91
(33)
99
(37)
102
(39)
107
(42)
106
(41)
103
(39)
101
(38)
97
(36)
87
(31)
83
(28)
107
(42)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 60.5
(15.8)
64.5
(18.1)
70.9
(21.6)
78.7
(25.9)
85.4
(29.7)
90.8
(32.7)
89.4
(31.9)
88.5
(31.4)
83.8
(28.8)
77.8
(25.4)
67.8
(19.9)
61.5
(16.4)
76.6
(24.8)
Daily mean °F (°C) 46.4
(8.0)
49.8
(9.9)
55.5
(13.1)
63.2
(17.3)
70.5
(21.4)
76.8
(24.9)
76.7
(24.8)
75.8
(24.3)
70.9
(21.6)
63.6
(17.6)
53.5
(11.9)
47.7
(8.7)
62.5
(16.9)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 32.7
(0.4)
35.2
(1.8)
40.1
(4.5)
47.5
(8.6)
55.5
(13.1)
62.7
(17.1)
64.0
(17.8)
63.1
(17.3)
58.0
(14.4)
49.5
(9.7)
39.3
(4.1)
33.9
(1.1)
48.5
(9.2)
Record low °F (°C) 0
(−18)
−2
(−19)
10
(−12)
20
(−7)
29
(−2)
32
(0)
52
(11)
49
(9)
36
(2)
21
(−6)
−2
(−19)
−3
(−19)
−3
(−19)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.53
(13)
0.48
(12)
0.36
(9.1)
0.50
(13)
1.24
(31)
2.30
(58)
2.75
(70)
2.65
(67)
2.57
(65)
1.30
(33)
0.51
(13)
0.60
(15)
15.80
(401)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 1.3
(3.3)
0.5
(1.3)
0.3
(0.76)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0.1
(0.25)
0.4
(1.0)
0.7
(1.8)
3.1
(7.9)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.001 in) 3.41 2.92 2.44 2.52 5.20 7.48 8.46 8.38 7.86 4.74 2.99 3.14 60.29
Source: Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute[12]

Demographics edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1920931
19303,495275.4%
19403,86610.6%
19505,26136.1%
19604,740−9.9%
19705,97126.0%
19805,465−8.5%
19905,6222.9%
20005,7862.9%
20105,9052.1%
20206,0352.2%
1850-2000,[13] 2010[9]

2020 census edit

Alpine racial composition[14]
(NH = Non-Hispanic)[a]
Race Number Percentage
White (NH) 2,660 44.08%
Black or African American (NH) 145 2.4%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 13 0.22%
Asian (NH) 80 1.33%
Pacific Islander (NH) 8 0.13%
Some Other Race (NH) 34 0.56%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 158 2.62%
Hispanic or Latino 2,937 48.67%
Total 6,035

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,035 people, 2,886 households, and 1,414 families residing in the city.

2000 census edit

As of the 2000 census,[4] 5,786 people, 2,429 households, and 1,435 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,416.5 inhabitants per square mile (546.9/km2). The 2,852 housing units averaged 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. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 50.31% of the population.

Of the 2,429 households, 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 not families. About 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 distributed as 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 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.

Education edit

Colleges and universities edit

Sul Ross State University began as a teachers' college in 1920, with its original campus in Alpine. Named for Lawrence Sullivan Ross, a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War, Texas' 19th governor and later president of the new land grant college which became Texas A&M, it is now a member of the Texas State University System.

The 600-acre main campus on the lower slopes of Hancock Hill contains 20 or so buildings, most designed in Classical Revival style, and all faced with red brick and white trim.[16] The hillside gives fine views of the town below and the surrounding mountain ranges. The Bar-SR-Bar brand of the college is whitewashed on stones high above. In 1981, students placed a desk on Hancock Hill and today visitors are invited to hike up to "sign the register".[16]

About 2,000 students attend here, many living in Lobo Village, which boasts 250 new apartment-style residence units. Both bachelor's and master's programs are available in fields such as biology, behavioral and social sciences, business administration, computer science and mathematics, education, geology, law enforcement, and vocational nursing.[17]

Sul Ross ranked number four in affordability among public universities according to U.S. News & World Report.[16] It was included in "The Nation's 30 Most Attractive Yet Affordable Campuses", published by AffordableSchools.net, based on its combined qualities of affordability and the beauty of the campus and surrounding area.[18]

Intercollegiate sports include men's and women's basketball, cross country, track and field, and tennis, along with men's baseball and women's softball, men's football and women's soccer, and women's volleyball.[19] The teams are known as the Lobos, and play in the American Southwest Conference.[20]

Sul Ross was the founding home of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association in 1949. The Sul Ross Rodeo Club competes in 10 NIRA rodeos each year. The NIRA rodeo hosted in Alpine is a big event for the school and the community.[21]

Brewster County is within the Odessa College District for community college.[22]

K–12 schools edit

Alpine Independent School District serves more than 1,000 local students attending Alpine Elementary School, Alpine Middle School, and Alpine High School, in classes from Pre-K, Kindergarten, and first through 12th grades.[23]

On the Texas Education Agency report card for 2013–2014, the high school, with 277 students in grades 9–12, reached "Met Standard" overall, while receiving Distinction designations in mathematics, social studies, top 25% closing performance gaps, and postsecondary readiness. Notably, average class sizes in Alpine High are only about two-thirds the state average.[24] The Middle School, with 309 students in grades 5–8, also reached "Met Standard", while receiving Distinction designations in mathematics and social Studies.[25]

School colors are purple and old gold. The high school is home to the Alpine Fightin' Bucks and Lady Bucks. Sports include football, volleyball, cross-country, girls' basketball, boys' basketball, powerlifting, track and field, baseball, softball, golf, athletic training, and tennis. Alpine hosts the Big Bend Mountain Ramble, a "mile-high cross country meet, the highest race in Texas", as well as high-school and junior-high relays.

Alpine Montessori School[26] is a private, nonsectarian, nonprofit school which serves grades pre-K through sixth.

Alpine Christian School is a nondenominational Christian school serving grades pre-K through 12.

Museum edit

The Museum of the Big Bend on the Sul Ross campus uses exhibits of Native American artifacts, cultural history, geology, paleontology, and Western art to introduce the visitor to the Big Bend region. Subjects include the area's Indian tribes, the Buffalo soldiers, the mining era, the stagecoach, the railroad, and the history of Big Bend National Park. The overview includes historic photographs and short videos. The building was constructed in 1937 with local stone. Funding came from the Texas Centennial Commission and the Works Progress Administration, a federal make-work program during the Depression.[27]

Media edit

In 1985 KVLF-AM, the only radio station licensed in Brewster County, was in Alpine. An individual quoted in a Federal Communications Commission report stated that in daylight hours it was possible to get radio from Fort Stockton.[28]

The local daily paper is The Alpine Avalanche which has local news stories and advertisements, and it has almost no coverage of news outside of the area. Additionally Sul Ross students publish the Skyline and there is a resort sale publication called The Lajitas Sun. An FCC report in 1985 stated that while there was readership in the county for the San Angelo Standard Times and the Odessa American, "The two papers seldom carry articles covering the Alpine area."[28]

Library edit

Begun by volunteers in 1947, the Alpine Public Library remains an independent entity with its own board of directors, though it is well-supported by the taxpayers of Brewster County and the City of Alpine.[29] The community institution has a staff, with additional work done by volunteers. Special programs, like a science club and computer learning, are aimed at users from preschoolers and teens to parents and retirees.[30]

The Alpine Public Library opened a facility in February, 2012, offering computer use with free Wi-Fi and access to online data, as well as traditional books, magazines, and other periodicals, CDs and DVDs, and a used bookstore, Re-Reads.

Hospital edit

Big Bend Regional Medical Center is a 25-bed facility. Inpatient and outpatient services are provided.[31]

Sports edit

Alpine is home to the Alpine Cowboys independent baseball team.[32] A member of the Pecos League, the Cowboys play their home games at Kokernot Field. Alpine is also home to the high school football team the Alpine Fightin Bucks. The Bucks are a class 3A Division I high school football team.

Sites on National Register of Historic Places edit

The Brewster County Courthouse and Jail was built in 1887–1888 by Tom Lovett, a local contractor, who apparently designed the buildings, as well. Open to visitors, historic photographs are displayed in the great hall.

The red brick courthouse is an example of the American Second Empire Style. The rectangular mass has five bays of paired round-arch window openings on the longer north and south facades. The shorter east and west facades have three bays. On three facades, the center bay contains a doorway at ground level, set in a thin, barely protruding pavilion. The second-story windows are slightly taller than the first-floor openings, a trick of the eye making the two-and-a-half-story building seem even taller. The walls are topped by a pressed-tin entablature composed of a frieze and cornice. The mansard roof is marked by steeply hipped pyramidal towers with pressed-tin cresting. The interior retains exemplary pressed-tin ceilings and some original woodwork. A wooden staircase with Eastlake-type details rises to the general courtroom on the second floor.

The adjoining Brewster County Jail is distinguished by a crenelated brick parapet wall, suggesting "a fortress-like impregnability".[7]

Attractions edit

Alpine makes a central base for exploring area attractions: the Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, Fort Davis National Historic Site, Davis Mountains State Park with its Indian Lodge, the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens, and the McDonald Observatory, perched atop Mt Locke at 6,790 feet. Nearby Marathon has the Gage Hotel; the historic hotel Limpia of Fort Davis; Marfa with the Chinati Foundation Museum of Minimalist Art; the ghost town of Terlingua and the golf resort of Lajitas; and the River Road, FM 170, a 120-mile scenic route through the majestic Rio Grande Valley between Presidio and the Big Bend parks.

Attractions in, or close to, Alpine edit

Museum of the Big Bend has displays, a children's corner, and a gift shop on the campus of Sul Ross State University, giving background information on sights in the Big Bend region.

Turner Range and Animal Science Center hosts several rodeos and horse shows during the year at the covered S.A.L.E. Arena. The facility is near the main campus of Sul Ross.

Blue Creek Trail follows a hiking path, mostly along dry stream channels, passing towering rocks of vivid earth tones.

Arlington Southwest Cemetery, located 4 miles east of Alpine, is a memorial funded by the Big Bend Veterans for Peace. Each gravestone serves as a memorial for each individual soldier from Texas killed during the invasion and occupation of Iraq of the early 21st century.

Annual events edit

Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering, usually late February, is a celebration of the oral tradition of working cowboys in poetry, song, and music.[33]

Trappings of Texas, in April, is an exhibit and sale of custom gear and Western art held at the Museum of the Big Bend.

Big Bend Gem and Mineral Show, in April, is held at the Civic Center.

Cinco de Mayo[34] includes a parade, enchilada dinner, music and dancing, car show, and Grand Mercado at Kokernot Field.[35]

Alpine Cowboys[32] professional baseball games take place at historic Kokernot Field.

Theater of the Big Bend,[36] for over 50 years, this local theater troupe has performed various plays and musicals at the Kokernot Lodge outdoor amphitheater.

Fourth of July/Fiestas Barrios, July 4, parade, food, music, fireworks

Viva Big Bend music festival,[37] in July, more than 50 bands play at venues from Marathon to Marfa, Fort Davis to Alpine.

Drive Big Bend[38] has driving tours, music, parties, and a car show at Kokernot Field for antique, classic, and performance automobiles.

Big Bend Ranch Rodeo,[39] in August, displays the skills of working cowboys (rather than rodeo professionals).

National Intercollegiate Rodeo

Big Bend Octane Fest,[40] hosted by The Stable Performance Cars in early October. This weekend-long festival includes a car show, driving tours around the Big Bend, Marfa, Alpine, Fort Davis, and Marathon areas, auctions, and more, for antique, classic, and performance automobiles.

No Country For Old Men,[41] in October, this bike race lists itself as "America's Premiere 1000 Mile Road Race".

ARTWALK,[42] The weekend before Thanksgiving, art spills from the galleries onto the streets and Arbolitos Park, with chalk art on the sidewalks, live music, and a parade of flags.

Parade of Lights, December

Public art edit

A mural in the former post office at 109 West E St was painted as part of the New Deal public works programs during the Great Depression. Surviving murals from the project are found in 60 or so Texas cities and towns. Completed in 1940, this mural is by a Spanish-born and trained artist, Jose Moya del Pino, who was living and working in San Francisco. In the foreground, three figures recline on a rocky overlook. They are each reading: a book, a magazine, and a tabloid newspaper, celebrating how the post office brings information and education to small towns and cattle ranches. On the horizon, the Twin Sisters Mountain mark the location, with the town in the middle distance, including, at the behest of townspeople, the characteristic red-brick buildings of the Sul Ross State campus.[43]

Popular culture edit

Transportation edit

In recent years, Alpine has served as an unofficial stop for bicyclists riding across the United States due to its location on the Adventure Cycling Association's Southern Tier Bicycle Route.[49]

Notable people edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Alpine, Texas
  2. ^ "Members". Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  3. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ^ . National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. ^ "ALPINE - Texas Almanac". www.texasalmanac.com. November 11, 2010.
  7. ^ a b c . Archived from the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2007.
  8. ^ a b B., CASEY, CLIFFORD (June 9, 2010). "ALPINE, TX [BREWSTER COUNTY]". www.tshaonline.org.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Alpine city, Texas". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  10. ^ "Alpine, Texas Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase.
  11. ^ . Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  12. ^ "ALPINE, TEXAS (410174), Period of Record Monthly Climate Summary". Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  13. ^ Texasalmanac (PDF; 1,2 MB). Retrieved 2013_08-01
  14. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  15. ^ "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  16. ^ a b c "Sul Ross State University - The University of the Big Bend". www.sulross.edu.
  17. ^ "Academics - Sul Ross State University". www.sulross.edu.
  18. ^ "SUL ROSS RECEIVES NATIONAL RANK - Sul Ross State University". www.sulross.edu.
  19. ^ "Sul Ross State University Athletics". www.srlobos.com.
  20. ^ "American Southwest Conference - ASC Member Institutions". www.ascsports.org.
  21. ^ "General Information About Rodeo - Sul Ross State University". www.sulross.edu.
  22. ^ "Texas Education Code Sec. 130.193. ODESSA COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA".
  23. ^ "Alpine Independent School District". Alpine Independent School District.
  24. ^ "Alpine ISD - Missing Page". www.alpine.esc18.net.
  25. ^ ISD, Alpine. "Alpine ISD - Alpine Middle School". www.alpine.esc18.net.
  26. ^ "Alpine Montessori School". www.alpinemontessori.org.
  27. ^ "Museum of the Big Bend". Museum of the Big Bend.
  28. ^ a b Federal Communications Commission Reports: Decisions, Reports, and Orders of the Federal Communications Commission of the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1985. p. 182.
  29. ^ "History : Alpine Public Library". alpinepubliclibrary.org.
  30. ^ "Alpine Public Library". alpinepubliclibrary.org.
  31. ^ "About Us - Big Bend Regional Medical Center". www.bigbendhealthcare.com.
  32. ^ a b "Welcome to Alpine Cowboys Professional Baseball Team!". alpine.pecosleague.com.
  33. ^ "Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering". texascowboypoetry.com.
  34. ^ . Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  35. ^ "Events - Alpine, Texas". visitalpinetx.com.
  36. ^ "The Theatre of The Big Bend - Sul Ross State University". www.sulross.edu.
  37. ^ "VIVA BIG BEND : Alpine - Fort Davis - Marfa - Marathon". www.vivabigbend.com.
  38. ^ "Drive Big Bend - Formstack". drivebigbend.com.
  39. ^ "Big Bend Ranch Rodeo".
  40. ^ "The Stable Performance Cars".
  41. ^ "Ultra race in Texas". Ultra race in Texas.
  42. ^ "Artwalk – Alpine, Texas". artwalkalpine.com.
  43. ^ Parisi, Philip (2004), The Texas Post Office Murals, Art for the People, College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University Press
  44. ^ "Trackdown". Classic TV Archives. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
  45. ^ "Boyhood" – via www.imdb.com.
  46. ^ "'I'm not a cat': Lawyer can't remove Zoom filter during virtual court appearance". FOX TV Digital Team. February 9, 2021.
  47. ^ "Viral 'I'm not a cat' filter is decades-old software". BBC News. February 10, 2021.
  48. ^ "Midland-Presidio, TX Bus Routes - All Aboard America". www.allaboardamerica.com.
  49. ^ . June 14, 2013. Archived from the original on December 5, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  1. ^ Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.[15]

External links edit

  • City of Alpine
  • Alpine Official Visitors Info
  • Alpine Chamber of Commerce
  • Sul Ross State University
  • Alpine Avalanche, local newspaper since 1892
  • West Texas Weekly, local weekly newspaper

alpine, texas, alpine, pyne, city, county, seat, brewster, county, texas, united, states, population, 2020, census, town, elevation, feet, surrounding, mountain, peaks, over, mile, above, level, university, hospital, library, retail, make, alpine, center, spra. Alpine ˈ ae l p aɪ n AL pyne is a city in and the county seat of Brewster County Texas United States 5 The population was 6 035 at the 2020 census 6 The town has an elevation of 4 462 feet 1 360 m and the surrounding mountain peaks are over 1 mile 1 6 km above sea level A university hospital library and retail make Alpine the center of the sprawling 12 000 square miles 3 108 000 ha but wide open Big Bend area combined population 12 500 dubious discuss including Brewster Presidio and Jeff Davis counties Alpine TexasCityAlpine from atop Hancock Hill to the southwest Nickname The Heart of Big BendLocation in the state of TexasCoordinates 30 22 20 N 103 40 00 W 30 37222 N 103 66667 W 30 37222 103 66667 1 CountryUnited StatesStateTexasCountyBrewsterGovernment MayorCatherine Eaves 2 Area 3 Total4 80 sq mi 12 44 km2 Land4 80 sq mi 12 43 km2 Water0 00 sq mi 0 00 km2 Elevation 1 4 462 ft 1 360 m Population 2020 Total6 035 Density1 245 99 sq mi 481 09 km2 Time zoneUTC 6 CST Summer DST UTC 5 CDT ZIP codes79830 79832Area code432FIPS code48 02104 4 GNIS feature ID2409685 1 Websitecityofalpine wbr com Contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Climate 4 Demographics 4 1 2020 census 4 2 2000 census 5 Education 5 1 Colleges and universities 5 2 K 12 schools 6 Museum 7 Media 8 Library 9 Hospital 10 Sports 11 Sites on National Register of Historic Places 12 Attractions 12 1 Attractions in or close to Alpine 13 Annual events 14 Public art 15 Popular culture 16 Transportation 17 Notable people 18 References 19 External linksHistory edit nbsp Brewster County Courthouse built in 1888 by local contractor Tom Lovell 7 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 8 Alpine grew very slowly until Sul Ross State Normal College now Sul Ross State University was opened in 1920 The development of Big Bend National Park in the 1930s and 40s spurred further growth The population was estimated at only 396 in 1904 but by 1927 it had risen to 3 000 The 1950 census reported Alpine s population at 5 256 and a high of roughly 6 200 was reached by 1976 In 1990 the population was down to 5 637 In 2000 the population grew modestly to 5 786 and 5 905 by 2010 8 The Holland Hotel built during a brief mercury mining boom 7 was designed by Henry Trost a distinguished regional architect Today it helps to anchor a traditional downtown of early 20th century buildings still occupied by family owned retailers and restaurants Geography editThe town sits on a high plateau in the Chihuahua Desert with the Davis Mountains to the north and the Chisos Mountains to the south Outcrops of ancient volcanic rocks spread to the northwest Other layers of rocks have been exposed over time as the mountains were forced up and then eroded The high elevation cools the desert air in the evenings Alpine is located on U S Route 90 approximately 26 miles 42 km east of Marfa and 31 miles west of Marathon According to the United States Census Bureau the city has a total area of 4 7 square miles 12 1 km2 all land 9 Climate editAccording to the Koppen climate classification system Alpine has a semiarid climate BSk on climate maps 10 11 Climate data for Alpine Texas Mar 1 1900 Mar 31 2013 Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high F C 81 27 89 32 91 33 99 37 102 39 107 42 106 41 103 39 101 38 97 36 87 31 83 28 107 42 Mean daily maximum F C 60 5 15 8 64 5 18 1 70 9 21 6 78 7 25 9 85 4 29 7 90 8 32 7 89 4 31 9 88 5 31 4 83 8 28 8 77 8 25 4 67 8 19 9 61 5 16 4 76 6 24 8 Daily mean F C 46 4 8 0 49 8 9 9 55 5 13 1 63 2 17 3 70 5 21 4 76 8 24 9 76 7 24 8 75 8 24 3 70 9 21 6 63 6 17 6 53 5 11 9 47 7 8 7 62 5 16 9 Mean daily minimum F C 32 7 0 4 35 2 1 8 40 1 4 5 47 5 8 6 55 5 13 1 62 7 17 1 64 0 17 8 63 1 17 3 58 0 14 4 49 5 9 7 39 3 4 1 33 9 1 1 48 5 9 2 Record low F C 0 18 2 19 10 12 20 7 29 2 32 0 52 11 49 9 36 2 21 6 2 19 3 19 3 19 Average precipitation inches mm 0 53 13 0 48 12 0 36 9 1 0 50 13 1 24 31 2 30 58 2 75 70 2 65 67 2 57 65 1 30 33 0 51 13 0 60 15 15 80 401 Average snowfall inches cm 1 3 3 3 0 5 1 3 0 3 0 76 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 25 0 4 1 0 0 7 1 8 3 1 7 9 Average precipitation days 0 001 in 3 41 2 92 2 44 2 52 5 20 7 48 8 46 8 38 7 86 4 74 2 99 3 14 60 29 Source Western Regional Climate Center Desert Research Institute 12 Demographics editHistorical population CensusPop Note 1920931 19303 495275 4 19403 86610 6 19505 26136 1 19604 740 9 9 19705 97126 0 19805 465 8 5 19905 6222 9 20005 7862 9 20105 9052 1 20206 0352 2 1850 2000 13 2010 9 2020 census edit Alpine racial composition 14 NH Non Hispanic a Race Number Percentage White NH 2 660 44 08 Black or African American NH 145 2 4 Native American or Alaska Native NH 13 0 22 Asian NH 80 1 33 Pacific Islander NH 8 0 13 Some Other Race NH 34 0 56 Mixed Multi Racial NH 158 2 62 Hispanic or Latino 2 937 48 67 Total 6 035 As of the 2020 United States census there were 6 035 people 2 886 households and 1 414 families residing in the city 2000 census edit As of the 2000 census 4 5 786 people 2 429 households and 1 435 families resided in the city The population density was 1 416 5 inhabitants per square mile 546 9 km2 The 2 852 housing units averaged 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 Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 50 31 of the population Of the 2 429 households 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 not families About 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 distributed as 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 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 Education editColleges and universities edit Sul Ross State University began as a teachers college in 1920 with its original campus in Alpine Named for Lawrence Sullivan Ross a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War Texas 19th governor and later president of the new land grant college which became Texas A amp M it is now a member of the Texas State University System The 600 acre main campus on the lower slopes of Hancock Hill contains 20 or so buildings most designed in Classical Revival style and all faced with red brick and white trim 16 The hillside gives fine views of the town below and the surrounding mountain ranges The Bar SR Bar brand of the college is whitewashed on stones high above In 1981 students placed a desk on Hancock Hill and today visitors are invited to hike up to sign the register 16 About 2 000 students attend here many living in Lobo Village which boasts 250 new apartment style residence units Both bachelor s and master s programs are available in fields such as biology behavioral and social sciences business administration computer science and mathematics education geology law enforcement and vocational nursing 17 Sul Ross ranked number four in affordability among public universities according to U S News amp World Report 16 It was included in The Nation s 30 Most Attractive Yet Affordable Campuses published by AffordableSchools net based on its combined qualities of affordability and the beauty of the campus and surrounding area 18 Intercollegiate sports include men s and women s basketball cross country track and field and tennis along with men s baseball and women s softball men s football and women s soccer and women s volleyball 19 The teams are known as the Lobos and play in the American Southwest Conference 20 Sul Ross was the founding home of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association in 1949 The Sul Ross Rodeo Club competes in 10 NIRA rodeos each year The NIRA rodeo hosted in Alpine is a big event for the school and the community 21 Brewster County is within the Odessa College District for community college 22 K 12 schools edit Alpine Independent School District serves more than 1 000 local students attending Alpine Elementary School Alpine Middle School and Alpine High School in classes from Pre K Kindergarten and first through 12th grades 23 On the Texas Education Agency report card for 2013 2014 the high school with 277 students in grades 9 12 reached Met Standard overall while receiving Distinction designations in mathematics social studies top 25 closing performance gaps and postsecondary readiness Notably average class sizes in Alpine High are only about two thirds the state average 24 The Middle School with 309 students in grades 5 8 also reached Met Standard while receiving Distinction designations in mathematics and social Studies 25 School colors are purple and old gold The high school is home to the Alpine Fightin Bucks and Lady Bucks Sports include football volleyball cross country girls basketball boys basketball powerlifting track and field baseball softball golf athletic training and tennis Alpine hosts the Big Bend Mountain Ramble a mile high cross country meet the highest race in Texas as well as high school and junior high relays Alpine Montessori School 26 is a private nonsectarian nonprofit school which serves grades pre K through sixth Alpine Christian School is a nondenominational Christian school serving grades pre K through 12 Museum editThe Museum of the Big Bend on the Sul Ross campus uses exhibits of Native American artifacts cultural history geology paleontology and Western art to introduce the visitor to the Big Bend region Subjects include the area s Indian tribes the Buffalo soldiers the mining era the stagecoach the railroad and the history of Big Bend National Park The overview includes historic photographs and short videos The building was constructed in 1937 with local stone Funding came from the Texas Centennial Commission and the Works Progress Administration a federal make work program during the Depression 27 Media editIn 1985 KVLF AM the only radio station licensed in Brewster County was in Alpine An individual quoted in a Federal Communications Commission report stated that in daylight hours it was possible to get radio from Fort Stockton 28 The local daily paper is The Alpine Avalanche which has local news stories and advertisements and it has almost no coverage of news outside of the area Additionally Sul Ross students publish the Skyline and there is a resort sale publication called The Lajitas Sun An FCC report in 1985 stated that while there was readership in the county for the San Angelo Standard Times and the Odessa American The two papers seldom carry articles covering the Alpine area 28 Library editBegun by volunteers in 1947 the Alpine Public Library remains an independent entity with its own board of directors though it is well supported by the taxpayers of Brewster County and the City of Alpine 29 The community institution has a staff with additional work done by volunteers Special programs like a science club and computer learning are aimed at users from preschoolers and teens to parents and retirees 30 The Alpine Public Library opened a facility in February 2012 offering computer use with free Wi Fi and access to online data as well as traditional books magazines and other periodicals CDs and DVDs and a used bookstore Re Reads Hospital editBig Bend Regional Medical Center is a 25 bed facility Inpatient and outpatient services are provided 31 Sports editAlpine is home to the Alpine Cowboys independent baseball team 32 A member of the Pecos League the Cowboys play their home games at Kokernot Field Alpine is also home to the high school football team the Alpine Fightin Bucks The Bucks are a class 3A Division I high school football team Sites on National Register of Historic Places editThe Brewster County Courthouse and Jail was built in 1887 1888 by Tom Lovett a local contractor who apparently designed the buildings as well Open to visitors historic photographs are displayed in the great hall The red brick courthouse is an example of the American Second Empire Style The rectangular mass has five bays of paired round arch window openings on the longer north and south facades The shorter east and west facades have three bays On three facades the center bay contains a doorway at ground level set in a thin barely protruding pavilion The second story windows are slightly taller than the first floor openings a trick of the eye making the two and a half story building seem even taller The walls are topped by a pressed tin entablature composed of a frieze and cornice The mansard roof is marked by steeply hipped pyramidal towers with pressed tin cresting The interior retains exemplary pressed tin ceilings and some original woodwork A wooden staircase with Eastlake type details rises to the general courtroom on the second floor The adjoining Brewster County Jail is distinguished by a crenelated brick parapet wall suggesting a fortress like impregnability 7 Attractions editAlpine makes a central base for exploring area attractions the Big Bend National Park Big Bend Ranch State Park Fort Davis National Historic Site Davis Mountains State Park with its Indian Lodge the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens and the McDonald Observatory perched atop Mt Locke at 6 790 feet Nearby Marathon has the Gage Hotel the historic hotel Limpia of Fort Davis Marfa with the Chinati Foundation Museum of Minimalist Art the ghost town of Terlingua and the golf resort of Lajitas and the River Road FM 170 a 120 mile scenic route through the majestic Rio Grande Valley between Presidio and the Big Bend parks Attractions in or close to Alpine edit Museum of the Big Bend has displays a children s corner and a gift shop on the campus of Sul Ross State University giving background information on sights in the Big Bend region Turner Range and Animal Science Center hosts several rodeos and horse shows during the year at the covered S A L E Arena The facility is near the main campus of Sul Ross Blue Creek Trail follows a hiking path mostly along dry stream channels passing towering rocks of vivid earth tones Arlington Southwest Cemetery located 4 miles east of Alpine is a memorial funded by the Big Bend Veterans for Peace Each gravestone serves as a memorial for each individual soldier from Texas killed during the invasion and occupation of Iraq of the early 21st century Annual events editTexas Cowboy Poetry Gathering usually late February is a celebration of the oral tradition of working cowboys in poetry song and music 33 Trappings of Texas in April is an exhibit and sale of custom gear and Western art held at the Museum of the Big Bend Big Bend Gem and Mineral Show in April is held at the Civic Center Cinco de Mayo 34 includes a parade enchilada dinner music and dancing car show and Grand Mercado at Kokernot Field 35 Alpine Cowboys 32 professional baseball games take place at historic Kokernot Field Theater of the Big Bend 36 for over 50 years this local theater troupe has performed various plays and musicals at the Kokernot Lodge outdoor amphitheater Fourth of July Fiestas Barrios July 4 parade food music fireworksViva Big Bend music festival 37 in July more than 50 bands play at venues from Marathon to Marfa Fort Davis to Alpine Drive Big Bend 38 has driving tours music parties and a car show at Kokernot Field for antique classic and performance automobiles Big Bend Ranch Rodeo 39 in August displays the skills of working cowboys rather than rodeo professionals National Intercollegiate RodeoBig Bend Octane Fest 40 hosted by The Stable Performance Cars in early October This weekend long festival includes a car show driving tours around the Big Bend Marfa Alpine Fort Davis and Marathon areas auctions and more for antique classic and performance automobiles No Country For Old Men 41 in October this bike race lists itself as America s Premiere 1000 Mile Road Race ARTWALK 42 The weekend before Thanksgiving art spills from the galleries onto the streets and Arbolitos Park with chalk art on the sidewalks live music and a parade of flags Parade of Lights DecemberPublic art editA mural in the former post office at 109 West E St was painted as part of the New Deal public works programs during the Great Depression Surviving murals from the project are found in 60 or so Texas cities and towns Completed in 1940 this mural is by a Spanish born and trained artist Jose Moya del Pino who was living and working in San Francisco In the foreground three figures recline on a rocky overlook They are each reading a book a magazine and a tabloid newspaper celebrating how the post office brings information and education to small towns and cattle ranches On the horizon the Twin Sisters Mountain mark the location with the town in the middle distance including at the behest of townspeople the characteristic red brick buildings of the Sul Ross State campus 43 Popular culture editJ Frank Dobie folklorist author of Coronado s Children and more than 25 other books taught at Alpine High School in 1910 and 1911 in his first job after graduating from Southwestern University in Georgetown Texas H Allen Smith the American humorist author of Low Man on a Totem Pole Rhubarb and other bestsellers as well as thousands of newspaper columns and magazine articles retired to Alpine in 1967 Nelson Algren novelist of The Man with the Golden Arm wrote his first story while working at a gas station in Alpine during the Depression after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign He was caught stealing a typewriter from a classroom at Sul Ross to continue writing The months he spent in jail deepened his identification with the losers and outsiders who were the characters of his later fiction Trackdown the CBS Western television series had Alpine Texas as the title of its seventh episode 44 It is the Texan setting of the film Gambit M Hoffman 2012 Boyhood the 2014 movie starring Ellar Coltrane Patricia Arquette Lorelei Linklater and Ethan Hawke featured places in and around Alpine It received six Academy Award nominations Nominated for five Golden Globe awards it won Best Motion Picture Drama Best Director for Richard Linklater and Best Supporting Actress for Patricia Arquette 45 The city is the home of lawyer Rod Ponton notable for his 2021 widespread appearance across social media and news outlets with a Zoom cat face filter 46 47 The city of Alpine its train station and the Big Bend country of Brewster County Texas is the setting and film location for the modern Western Horror genre film Enter the Devil 1972 Transportation editAlpine Casparis Municipal Airport serves general aviation Amtrak s Sunset Limited long distance train stops three times a week at the Alpine station on the former Southern Pacific Railroad s Sunset Line the nation s second transcontinental route now part of Union Pacific Alpine is a crew change location for Union Pacific freight trains making for constant activity along the tracks In the past Alpine was also served by the Kansas City Mexico and Orient Railway All Aboard America operates intercity bus service from the KCS Quick Stop 48 nbsp US Highway 90 In recent years Alpine has served as an unofficial stop for bicyclists riding across the United States due to its location on the Adventure Cycling Association s Southern Tier Bicycle Route 49 Notable people edit nbsp Texas portal Carl W Bauer former Louisiana State Senator John Coleman founder of The Weather Channel Pete Gallego former Texas State Senator and U S Representative Joaquin Jackson former Texas Ranger and actor Fritz Kiersch Film Director Children of the Corn and Tuff Turf Amanda Marcotte feminist blogger for Slate and the Guardian Eric O Keefe author journalist editor Bake Turner former NFL wide receiverReferences edit a b c U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Alpine Texas Members Retrieved September 10 2019 2019 U S Gazetteer Files United States Census Bureau Retrieved August 7 2020 a b U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 31 2008 Find a County National Association of Counties Archived from the original on May 31 2011 Retrieved June 7 2011 ALPINE Texas Almanac www texasalmanac com November 11 2010 a b c THC Atlas County Search Archived from the original on February 25 2013 Retrieved March 5 2007 a b B CASEY CLIFFORD June 9 2010 ALPINE TX BREWSTER COUNTY www tshaonline org a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link a b Geographic Identifiers 2010 Demographic Profile Data G001 Alpine city Texas U S Census Bureau American Factfinder Archived from the original on February 12 2020 Retrieved April 22 2014 Alpine Texas Koppen Climate Classification Weatherbase Weatherbase US COOP Station Map Western Regional Climate Center Desert Research Institute Archived from the original on May 3 2015 Retrieved May 5 2015 ALPINE TEXAS 410174 Period of Record Monthly Climate Summary Western Regional Climate Center Desert Research Institute Retrieved May 5 2015 Texasalmanac PDF 1 2 MB Retrieved 2013 08 01 Explore Census Data data census gov Retrieved May 19 2022 About the Hispanic Population and its Origin www census gov Retrieved May 18 2022 a b c Sul Ross State University The University of the Big Bend www sulross edu Academics Sul Ross State University www sulross edu SUL ROSS RECEIVES NATIONAL RANK Sul Ross State University www sulross edu Sul Ross State University Athletics www srlobos com American Southwest Conference ASC Member Institutions www ascsports org General Information About Rodeo Sul Ross State University www sulross edu Texas Education Code Sec 130 193 ODESSA COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA Alpine Independent School District Alpine Independent School District Alpine ISD Missing Page www alpine esc18 net ISD Alpine Alpine ISD Alpine Middle School www alpine esc18 net Alpine Montessori School www alpinemontessori org Museum of the Big Bend Museum of the Big Bend a b Federal Communications Commission Reports Decisions Reports and Orders of the Federal Communications Commission of the United States U S Government Printing Office 1985 p 182 History Alpine Public Library alpinepubliclibrary org Alpine Public Library alpinepubliclibrary org About Us Big Bend Regional Medical Center www bigbendhealthcare com a b Welcome to Alpine Cowboys Professional Baseball Team alpine pecosleague com Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering texascowboypoetry com Home Archived from the original on January 19 2015 Retrieved January 19 2015 Events Alpine Texas visitalpinetx com The Theatre of The Big Bend Sul Ross State University www sulross edu VIVA BIG BEND Alpine Fort Davis Marfa Marathon www vivabigbend com Drive Big Bend Formstack drivebigbend com Big Bend Ranch Rodeo The Stable Performance Cars Ultra race in Texas Ultra race in Texas Artwalk Alpine Texas artwalkalpine com Parisi Philip 2004 The Texas Post Office Murals Art for the People College Station Texas Texas A amp M University Press Trackdown Classic TV Archives Retrieved April 14 2012 Boyhood via www imdb com I m not a cat Lawyer can t remove Zoom filter during virtual court appearance FOX TV Digital Team February 9 2021 Viral I m not a cat filter is decades old software BBC News February 10 2021 Midland Presidio TX Bus Routes All Aboard America www allaboardamerica com We will be right back June 14 2013 Archived from the original on December 5 2011 Retrieved November 29 2011 Note the US Census treats Hispanic Latino as an ethnic category This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category Hispanics Latinos can be of any race 15 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alpine Texas nbsp Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Alpine Texas City of Alpine Alpine Official Visitors Info Alpine Chamber of Commerce Sul Ross State University Alpine Area Parks Alpine Avalanche local newspaper since 1892 West Texas Weekly local weekly newspaper Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alpine Texas amp oldid 1219294908, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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