Alvin is a city in the U.S. state of

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

within the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan area and Brazoria County. As of the

2020 U.S. Census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, the city population was 27,098. Alvin's claim to fame is

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

r Nolan Ryan, who moved with his family to the city in 1947 as an infant and lived there until he moved to

Round Rock Round Rock is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, in Williamson County, Texas, Williamson County (with a small part in Travis County, Texas, Travis County), which is a part of the Greater Austin metropolitan area. Its population is 119,468 as of ...

in 2003. The Nolan Ryan Museum is in the Nolan Ryan Foundation and Exhibit Center on the campus of

Alvin Community College Alvin Community College (ACC) is a public community college in Alvin, Texas. Alvin Community College provides educational opportunities in workforce training, academics, technical fields, adult basic education, and personal development. As defi ...

History

The Alvin area was settled in the mid-19th century when bull ranches were established in the area. The

Santa Fe Railroad The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The railroad was chartered in February 1859 to serve the cities of Atchison and Topeka, Kansas, and S ...

eventually expanded into the area, and a settlement was established along the railroad. Alvin was originally named "Morgan" by the town's residents in honor of the settlement's original resident, Santa Fe employee Alvin Morgan; upon discovery that the name Morgan had been taken, the town named itself after Morgan's first name. The town was officially incorporated in 1893, making it the oldest incorporated settlement in Brazoria County. Alvin Morgan received a land grant from the state of Texas prior to 1891. Alvin was a sundown town, where practically no African Americans were allowed to live. On July 25, 1979,

Tropical Storm Claudette The name Claudette has been used for eight tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean and for one in the South-West Indian Ocean. In the Atlantic Ocean: *Tropical Storm Claudette (1979), traversed the Greater Antilles and made its final landfall near ...

stalled over Alvin and inundated the region with of rain in 42 hours. The total included in 24 hours, at the time the highest amount of rainfall in 24 hours in American history.

Geography

Alvin is located in northeastern Brazoria County at (29.393698, –95.271588). It is bordered to the northeast by

Friendswood Friendswood is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the metropolitan area. The city lies in Galveston and Harris Counties. As of the 2010 census, the population of Friendswood was 35,805. In 2007, CNN/''Money'' magazine listed Fr ...

and

League City League City is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, in Galveston County, within the metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 112,129. The city of League City has a small portion north of Clear Creek within Harris C ...

Galveston County Galveston County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas, located along the Gulf Coast adjacent to Galveston Bay. As of the 2020 census, the population was 350,682. The county was founded in 1838. The county seat is the City of Galveston, ...

, and part of its southeast border is along the village of Hillcrest. Texas State Highway 35 bypasses the center of the city to the east; it leads north to downtown

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

and southwest to Angleton, the Brazoria County seat.

Texas State Highway 6 State Highway 6 (SH 6) runs from the Red River, the Texas–Oklahoma state line, to northwest of Galveston, where it is known as the Old Galveston Highway. In Sugar Land and Missouri City, it is known as Alvin-Sugarland Road and runs per ...

crosses Highway 35 and passes through the center of Alvin, leading southeast to Galveston and northwest to Sugar Land According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, Alvin has a total area of , of which is land and , or 5.26%, is water.

Demographics

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 27,098 people, 9,710 households, and 6,895 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 24,236 people, with a

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

of 1,475 people per square mile. As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 21,413 people, 7,826 households, and 5,603 families residing in the city. The

was 1,302.9 people per square mile (503.2/km²). There were 8,442 housing units at an average density of 513.7 per square mile (198.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.28%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 2.11%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.49% Native American, 0.79%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.06%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 10.88% from other races, and 3.40% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 28.09% of the population. There were 7,826 households, out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.22. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.7% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $38,576, and the median income for a family was $43,987. Males had a median income of $36,216 versus $22,580 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $17,016. About 10.8% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Students in Alvin attend schools in the Alvin Independent School District. Schools within AISD include: High schools: * Alvin High School *

Manvel High School Manvel High School is a public high school located along Texas State Highway 6 in the city of Manvel, Texas, USA. It is a part of the Alvin Independent School District located in northern Brazoria County. In 2017, the school was rated " Met Stand ...

Shadow Creek High School Shadow Creek High School is a public high school in the Shadow Creek Ranch area of Pearland, Texas, in Greater Houston. A part of the Alvin Independent School District (AISD), SCHS was established in 2016. The mascot is the shark. The school was ...

Iowa Colony High School Iowa Colony High School is a senior high school in Iowa Colony, Texas. It is a part of the Alvin Independent School District (AISD) and is within the Alvin ISD Heritage Complex. The school colors are black, hunter green, and silver. The mascot is ...

Junior high schools: * Alvin Junior High * Fairview Junior High * G.W. Harby Junior High * Rodeo Palms Junior High * Manvel Junior High * Dr.Ronald E. McNair Junior High * Nolan Ryan Junior High * Jackie Doucet Caffey Junior High Elementary Schools: * Golda Hood-Bobbie Case Elementary * Melba L. Passmore Elementary * Mark Twain Elementary * Dr. James "Red" Duke Elementary * Glenn York Elementary * Alvin Elementary * Walt Disney Elementary * Bel Nafegar Elementary * Bob and Betty Nelson Elementary * Don Jeter Elementary * E.C. Mason Elementary * Laura Ingalls Wilder Elementary * Mary Burks Marek Elementary * Meridiana Elementary * Pomona Elementary * Savannah Lakes Elementary * Shirley Dill Brothers Elementary

Colleges and universities

Alvin Community College A Building,Texas

provides basic undergraduate courses and adult education. Alvin is in the ACC taxation zone.

Public libraries

The Alvin Library is a part of the

Brazoria County Library System The Brazoria County Library System operates public libraries in Brazoria County, Texas, United States. The system has several libraries in many cities. Branches * Alvin Library - Alvin * Angleton Library - Angleton * Brazoria Library - Bra ...

. The library closed in 2010 to repair damages done by

Hurricane Ike Hurricane Ike () was a powerful tropical cyclone that swept through portions of the Greater Antilles and Northern America in September 2008, wreaking havoc on infrastructure and agriculture, particularly in Cuba and Texas. Ike took a sim ...

, and during that renovation, a fire broke out causing major smoke damage. The library reopened in June 2011.

Transportation

Greyhound Bus Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and pa ...

operates the Alvin Station at Yellow Jacket Grocery-

Citgo Citgo Petroleum Corporation (or Citgo, stylized as CITGO) is a United States–based refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. Headquartered in the Energy Corridor area o ...

Postal services

The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...

operates the Alvin Post Office at 455 East House Street, 77511-9998.

Community information

Thelma Ley Anderson Family

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...

is located in Alvin. The Alvin Rotary Club sponsors a yearly Frontier Day celebration, which includes a parade and 5k Fun Run.

Popular culture connections

Alvin was featured in the CMT series ''Trick my What?'', featuring the Froberg family, who have been members of the Alvin community for more than 70 years.

Notable people

* Bill Crider, author * Douglas Duncan, professional bullrider *

Nathan Eovaldi Nathan Edward Eovaldi ( ; born February 13, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Ra ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

starting pitcher, born 1990 * Joe Ferguson, former NFL player for the

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...

, was born in Alvin in 1950 *

Gary Keithley Gary Keithley (born January 11, 1951) is a former professional American football quarterback and punter in the National Football League. Playing for the St. Louis Cardinals primarily as a backup to Jim Hart, he had a 0.0 passer rating in each o ...

, former NFL player for the St. Louis Cardinals * Austin Miller, Broadway and television actor, reared in Alvin, grandson of George Stanton, resident of New York City *

Gunner Olszewski Kaleb Gunner Olszewski () (born November 26, 1996) is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Bemidji State as a cornerback. Ear ...

, current wide receiver for the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

* Nolan Ryan, Hall of fame Major League Baseball pitcher, reared in Alvin, resident of Round Rock *

Larry Wade Carrell Larry Wade Carrell (born January 11, 1971) is an American actor, writer and director. He is known for his Horror film, horror movie ''Jacob'' (2011). The film earned 16 awards worldwide including the Platinum Remi Award for Best Picture at the ...

, actor *

Randy Weber Randall Keith Weber (born July 2, 1953) is an American businessman and politician who has represented Texas's 14th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2013. He was previously a member of the Texas House of ...

, member of the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...

. In 2012 Weber bought a home in Alvin

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Alvin has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

References

External links

* * *
Alvin-Manvel Area Chamber of Commerce

Handbook of Texas Online
{{authority control Cities in Texas Cities in Brazoria County, Texas Greater Houston Populated places established in 1893 Sundown towns in Texas 1893 establishments in Texas