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ALPINE, TEXAS
Brewster County
Seat, West Texas
30° 21' 39" N, 103° 39' 56" W (30.360833, -103.665556)
Hwys 90, 67 and 118
26 miles E of Marfa
26 miles S of Ft. Davis
31 miles W of Marathon
66 miles SW of Fort
Stockton
80 miles N of Terlingua
ZIP codes 79830-79832
Area code 432
Population: 5,982 Est. (2019)
5,905 (2010) 5,786 (2000) 5622 (1990)
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History in
a Pecan Shell
Osborne
was the original name of the settlement in 1882. It later became Murphyville
after two brothers named Murphy registered the plat in 1883. Finally
in 1888 it was named Alpine.
Growth was slow, but as soon as the townspeople realized that no one
had built roads connecting Alpine to the rest of the world - things
started happening. In 1921 they opened Sul Ross State Normal College
which later became Sul Ross State University.
The town incorporated in 1929.
In 1940 the government opened Big
Bend National Park and Alpine naturally became a popular entry
point. There's no doubt that the University has played a large part
in Alpine's growth.
The goodly number of students (or what passes for a goodly number
in West Texas) at Sul
Ross State University makes Alpine the host to the only fast food
franchise west of Del
Rio and South of Pecos.
Someone has arranged rocks on hills near the campus - to help further
identify the town. Normally one has to travel to a military installation
to see such a display. |
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Alpine, Texas
Landmarks/Attractions:
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| Photo
courtesy Beth Nobles for www.texasmountaintrail.com, 2008 |
| Postcard
courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
The First Christian
Church in Alpine
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, June 2007 |
The Alpine Amtrak
Station
TE photo |
The Granada Theatre
in Alpine
TE Photo, 2001 |
Bob
Hext's "Tres Amigos"
Photo courtesy Keith "Kchisos" Williams |
Alpine in snow
Photo by Keith "Kchisos" Williams |
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Travelogue
Holly
Isn’t Just For Christmas Anymore by N. Ray Maxie
"...Amtrak is the only way to travel these days. That is of course,
if you are retired, not on a schedule and in no hurry to get any place,
as my wife (of fifty years) and I am. Amtrak passenger trains serve
Alpine on a regular schedule in both directions. We travel Amtrak
Houston to Alpine frequently
and occasionally to other far away places. It takes us only one day
of travel each direction to and from Alpine. Obtaining a rental car,
we may stay over five or six days, based at a local motel. The full
round trip makes a week of “senior adult” fun and mostly carefree
vacationing for us..."
US
90 and US 67; Merging Highways by N. Ray Maxie
"These two US Highways merge for 34 miles in far West Texas,
mostly between Alpine and Marfa. There, together, they go through
Alpine, skirt around the picturesque Paisano Peak and Twin Peaks,
both 6050 feet high. Then on to Marfa where 67 leaves 90 and turns
south into Presidio, ending at the Mexican border... 90/67 also passes
another very interesting landmark. One you won’t want to miss..."
more
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Alpine Tourist
Information
Alpine Chamber of Commerce: 432-837-2326
Website: www.alpinetexas.com
Book Hotel Here > Alpine
Hotels |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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