Alice, Texas
City
The water tower in Alice on Hwy 44
The water tower in Alice on Hwy 44
Flag of Alice, Texas
Flag
Official seal of Alice, Texas
Seal
Nickname: 
The Hub City of South Texas
Location of Alice in Texas
Location of Alice in Texas
Coordinates: 27°45′2″N 98°4′14″W / 27.75056°N 98.07056°W / 27.75056; -98.07056
CountryUnited StatesUnited States
StateTexasTexas
CountyJim Wells
Government
 • TypeCouncil-Manager
 • City CouncilMayor Cynthia Carasco
Robert Molina
Pete Crisp
Ron Burke
Sandra Maldonado-Bowen
 • City ManagerMichael Esparza
Area
[1]
 • Total12.58 sq mi (32.58 km2)
 • Land11.99 sq mi (31.06 km2)
 • Water0.59 sq mi (1.52 km2)
Elevation
202 ft (62 m)
Population
 (2010)[2]
 • Total19,104
 • Estimate 
(2019)[3]
18,682
 • Density1,557.87/sq mi (601.48/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
78332, 78333
Area code361
FIPS code48-01852[4]
GNIS feature ID1329361[5]
Websitewww.cityofalice.org

Alice is a city in, and the county seat of, Jim Wells County, Texas, United States,[6] in the South Texas region of the state. The population was 19,104 at the 2010 census.[7] Alice was established in 1888. First it was called "Bandana", then "Kleberg", and finally "Alice" after Alice Gertrudis King Kleberg, the daughter of Richard King, who established the King Ranch.

History

Alice originated from the defunct community of Collins, 3 miles (5 km) to the east. c. 1880, the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway attempted to build a line through Collins, which then had approximately 2,000 inhabitants. The townspeople were not amenable to selling their land to the railroad company; consequently, the railroad site was moved 3 miles west, and in 1883, a depot called "Bandana" was established at its junction with the Corpus Christi, San Diego and Rio Grande Railway. Bandana soon became a thriving cattle-shipping point, and an application for a post office was made under the name "Kleberg" in honor of Robert Justus Kleberg, a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto. The petition was denied because a town named Kleberg already appeared on the post office list, so residents then chose the name "Alice", in honor of Alice Gertrudis King Kleberg, Robert Justus Kleberg Jr.’s wife and the daughter of Richard and Henrietta King. The Alice post office opened for business in 1888. Within a few years, the remaining residents of Collins moved to Alice, which was by then a thriving community.

Alice was known for its large cattle industry until the discovery of petroleum beneath and around the town in the 1940s, which caused a slight population boom.

In the 1948 United States Senate election in Texas, an incident (Box 13 scandal) involving Lyndon B. Johnson's bid for the U.S. Senate took place at Alice's Precinct 13, where 202 ballots were cast in alphabetical order and all just at the close of polling in favor of Johnson. Johnson won the election against Coke Stevenson by 87 votes.[8]

Culture

Alice has long been recognized as the "Birthplace of Tejano Music",[9] dating back to the mid-1940s, when Armando Marroquin Sr., of Alice and partner Paco Betancourt of San Benito launched what was to be the first home-based recording company to record Tejano artists exclusively. Ideal Records, which was based in Alice,[10] under the direction of Marroquin became the perfect vehicle for Tejano groups and artists to get their music to the public. Marroquin, who also owned and operated a jukebox company, ensured that Ideal recordings would be distributed throughout South Texas. The songs recorded, which were contributed by Tejano and Mexican composers, became very popular through jukeboxes placed in restaurants, cantinas, or other establishments that would have them, and the then-scarce Spanish-language radio programs. In addition to Ideal, Alice was the home of Freddie Records and Hacienda Records, which were dominant players in Tejano music in the 1970s and 1980s.[11]

Alice is the birthplace of two Nobel Prize winners. Robert F. Curl Jr. was honored with a Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1996, and James P. Allison won a Nobel for his work in medicine in 2018.

Geography

Alice is located in central Jim Wells County at 27°45′02″N 98°04′14″W / 27.750652°N 98.070460°W / 27.750652; -98.070460 (27.750652, –98.070460).[12] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.6 square miles (32.6 km2), of which 12.0 square miles (31.1 km2) are land and 0.58 square miles (1.5 km2), or 4.66%, are covered by water. Alice falls within the boundaries of South Texas and the Texas Coastal Bend region.

U.S. Route 281 passes just west of the city limits on a bypass. The highway leads north 41 miles (66 km) to George West and south 37 miles (60 km) to Falfurrias. Texas State Highway 44 passes through the center of town as Front Street and leads east 26 miles (42 km) to Robstown and west 35 miles (56 km) to Freer. Texas State Highway 359 joins SH 44 through the center of Alice, but leads northeast 30 miles (48 km) to Mathis and southwest 53 miles (85 km) to Hebbronville.

The nearest metropolitan areas are Corpus Christi, 45 miles (72 km) to the east, and Laredo, 98 miles (158 km) to the west.

Climate

  • Annual average temperature: 71.4 °F (21.9 °C)
  • January average temperature: 55.1 °F (12.8 °C)
  • July average temperature: 84.1 °F (28.9 °C)
  • Average annual rainfall: 30.13 inches
  • Wettest month: September (5.52 inches)
  • Driest month: March (0.94 inches)
  • Growing season: 289 days
  • The last snowfall was December 8, 2017.
  • 115 °F (46 °C) was the highest temperature ever recorded in the city.
  • 12 °F (−11 °C) was the lowest temperature ever recorded in the city.
  • Alice has very little seismic activity, with only two small earthquakes happening in recent history—a 3.8-magnitude quake on March 24, 1997, and a 4.0-magnitude quake on April 24, 2010.[13]

The data below are from the Western Regional Climate Center, recorded over the period from 1893 to 2008.[14]

Climate data for Alice, TX
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 93
(34)		 100
(38)		 104
(40)		 107
(42)		 108
(42)		 111
(44)		 111
(44)		 110
(43)		 110
(43)		 102
(39)		 97
(36)		 94
(34)		 111
(44)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 67.4
(19.7)		 71.9
(22.2)		 78.0
(25.6)		 84.3
(29.1)		 89.0
(31.7)		 93.9
(34.4)		 96.5
(35.8)		 97.4
(36.3)		 92.4
(33.6)		 85.9
(29.9)		 76.8
(24.9)		 69.2
(20.7)		 83.6
(28.7)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 44.8
(7.1)		 48.2
(9.0)		 54.1
(12.3)		 61.6
(16.4)		 68.0
(20.0)		 72.7
(22.6)		 73.9
(23.3)		 74.0
(23.3)		 70.4
(21.3)		 62.1
(16.7)		 53.6
(12.0)		 46.6
(8.1)		 60.8
(16.0)
Record low °F (°C) 12
(−11)		 15
(−9)		 21
(−6)		 31
(−1)		 43
(6)		 52
(11)		 61
(16)		 61
(16)		 45
(7)		 28
(−2)		 22
(−6)		 12
(−11)		 12
(−11)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.30
(33)		 1.49
(38)		 1.31
(33)		 1.54
(39)		 3.10
(79)		 3.12
(79)		 2.23
(57)		 2.32
(59)		 4.56
(116)		 2.87
(73)		 1.56
(40)		 1.43
(36)		 26.83
(682)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0.1
(0.25)		 0.1
(0.25)
Source: https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?tx0144

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19102,136—
19201,880−12.0%
19304,239125.5%
19407,79283.8%
195016,449111.1%
196020,86126.8%
197020,121−3.5%
198020,9614.2%
199019,788−5.6%
200019,010−3.9%
201019,1040.5%
2019 (est.)18,682[3]−2.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]

2020 census

Alice racial composition[16]
(NH = Non-Hispanic)[lower-alpha 1]
Race Number Percentage
White (NH) 2,120 11.85%
Black or African American (NH) 106 0.59%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 10 0.06%
Asian (NH) 110 0.61%
Pacific Islander (NH) 7 0.04%
Some Other Race (NH) 40 0.22%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 146 0.82%
Hispanic or Latino 15,352 85.81%
Total 17,891

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 17,891 people, 6,129 households, and 4,362 families residing in the city.

2000 census

At the 2000 census,[4] 19,010 people, 6,400 households and 4,915 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,597.4 inhabitants per square mile (616.8/km2). The 6,998 housing units averaged 588.0 per square mile (227.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 77.44% White, 0.86% African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 18.07% from other races, and 2.41% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 78.05% of the population.

Of the 6,400 households, 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were not families. About 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.39.

Age distribution was 30.3% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.

The median household income was $30,365, and the median family income was $34,276. Males had a median income of $32,409 versus $17,101 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,118. About 17.9% of families and 21.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.4% of those under age 18 and 20.2% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Jim Wells County Courthouse, architect Atlee B. Ayres
One hour photo in Alice

Today, Alice's economy is centered on the oil industry, with more than 100 different oil field companies located around the Alice area. Alice is called the "Hub City" due to its geographical location between Corpus Christi, McAllen, Laredo, and San Antonio. Its location between these cities makes it an ideal center for distribution.

As of 2009, Alice has an unemployment rate of 6.30% when the U.S. average was 8.50%.

Transportation

Highways

Air travel

Railways

Education

The city is served by the Alice Independent School District.

Higher education

  • Coastal Bend College provides vocational and academic courses for certification or associate degrees. The college also works with local businesses and industry to customize training and education classes for employees.

Public

High school – grades 9–12 – Alice High School
Junior high – grades 6–8 – William Adams Middle School
Elementary schools – grades K–5 – Dubose, Noonan, Saenz, and Schallert

Private

  • St. Elizabeth School, grades Pre-K3–6
  • St. Joseph School, grades PreK3–9 (Now closed)
  • Alice Christian School, grades K–12
  • Agape House, grades PreK–12
  • Alice Migrant Head Start

Notable people

Outdoors

Alice and its surrounding areas have an abundance of wildlife, so hunting, fishing, and bird watching are favorite activities, and wild game hunting leases are available through Texas Parks and Wildlife. Golfers have two courses from which to choose in the Hub City, with the Alice Municipal Golf Course being the larger with 18 holes, long fairways, and water hazards. The other is the 9-hole Alice Country Club golf course east of town.

References

  1. ↑ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  2. ↑ "State and County Quick Facts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on March 27, 2015. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  4. 1 2 "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Archived from the original on February 12, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. ↑ "Counties and County Seats". Texas State Library and Archives Commission. March 29, 2012. Archived from the original on September 4, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Alice city, Texas". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  8. ↑ Salinas, Alicia (June 9, 2010). "ALICE, TX". The Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  9. ↑ "The Birthplace of Tejano". Tejano Roots Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on October 9, 2004.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ↑ Ragland, Cathy (2009). Música Norteña: Mexican Migrants Creating a Nation Between Nations. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. p. 69. ISBN 978-1-59213-746-6. - Limited access.
  11. ↑ San Miguel, Guadalupe (2002). Tejano Proud: Tex-Mex Music in the Twentieth Century. College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University Press. p. 6. ISBN 1-58544-159-7. - Read online, registration required
  12. ↑ "2010 Census U.S. Gazetteer File for Places - Texas". United States Census Bureau. June 11, 2011. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  13. ↑ Powell, Jamie (April 27, 2010). "Quake's cause: Mix of science and chance". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  14. ↑ "ALICE, TEXAS - Climate Summary". Western Regional Climate Center. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  17. ↑ "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  18. ↑ Savage, Charlie; Blinder, Alan (June 26, 2018). "Reality Winner, N.S.A. Contractor Accused in Leak, Pleads Guilty". The New York Times. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Alice native celebrates his career with The Washington Times". Alice Echo News Journal. Gannett Co. November 14, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  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.[17]
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